KNOTS PART II

Just promise me this: If you use horses and you have never learned a proper knot, then of all the knots in these two articles, take the few minutes that it takes to learn the quick release and the bowline knot. It will take only minutes, and it will change your life. Now you can tie up and get going in mere seconds. No longer will you fight with a knot that is so tight it appears welded together, rope segments hacked apart with your jackknife, tossed aside or hung on a barn nail. Your life will be altered, indebted to me forever. You could even send me money.
The quick release knot and the bowline knot are knots that we use every day. We use the quick release knot more often because we are constantly tying up horses to rails and poles, but the bowline is more versatile, used in a variety of important situations.
The bowline is king, on the high seas and on your horse. It is used when you need a fixed loop, when you need a knot that can be undone after great pressure, and with hoodoo horses that can untie release knots. It is used to lead multiple horses – tying neck to neck with eleven-foot lead ropes. It is used to tie a puller. It is used on a picket line and for emergency rope hobbles. It is used when we tie horses for longer periods, as an insurance policy. It is used to lead horses that may get wrapped around a tree or to lead inexperienced horses that may pull. It is used on a scotch hobble, when a front or back foot needs to be lifted up. And it is used to pull out your truck and horse trailer that bogged down in the lower forty when you went looking for that horse, and alcohol wasn’t even involved.
If knots are not tied properly, they can get you into trouble by coming undone at the worst moments. Sometimes we blame the knot but usually it is the person who tied it. Once I received a call from a well-educated trail rider of some experience. He was about to take a camping trip and was inquiring about our services. As it turned out, he opted to put his outfit together on his own. That winter, at a sporting convention banquet, I saw him sitting at a nearby table. My curiosity was piqued when his hand appeared. One finger, or thumb, I can’t remember which, was heavily bandaged. I walked over, said my hello, and asked him if he stuck his finger where it didn’t belong. As a matter of fact, “Yes,” he said, “I lost part of my finger.”
“Really? What happened.”
“Well, after I called you, I went to pick up that neighbor’s horse I was going to borrow. I got her into the trailer, went to tie her up.”
“Ya?”
“And then she pulled when I was tying the knot, and my finger fell on the floor.”
“You’re kidding,”
“Do I look like I’m kidding. I fell on the floor too, shock I guess, good thing my buddy was there to drag me out.”
There are two messages here, one is to learn to tie knots efficiently, without sticking your fingers into loops or tight places, and second, as always, use calm, sensible horses for your adventures.
On the lighter side, one time we had just finished a knot tying session and the group headed up the mountain. The next day a couple of eager guys were determined to put the tail tying knot to good use. They tied several packhorses head to tail, admired their knots, mounted up, and began to head several miles downward.
For some reason, and we’ll never know why, the lead packhorse was not led, he was just given his own nose, and that was fine at the start, they all followed like links in a sausage, until the group stopped for a bathroom break. Then the lead packhorse, apparently, did not need to relieve himself and just continued down the trail with all the pack horses tied to him and following behind, walking at first, then trotting, then in a mad dash. Of course, the riders panicked and followed the sizzling sausages, but they were long gone. Later, to the great relief of everyone, the horses stood waiting at the bottom of the mountain like wayward kids.
There are a few lessons here. Tail tying is useful, but you are usually better off tying them head to tail with a breakaway string. That way if they wrap themselves around trees or get into a wreck the string will break before serious damage is done, and you will not need to cut lead ropes and tail hair. And can you imagine the wreck that may have developed if these were not calm, reliable horses? Trial riding and horse camping is an adventure, things do happen, so calm, reliable horses are not just an asset, they are central to the success of your ride, and your safety.
The bowline knot is like the diamond hitch in that there are many versions. In our example, unlike the marine bowline, the section of the knot that you break downward to untie the knot is facing up, so it is handy each time you undo the knot. One of the criticisms of a bowline as a horse tie up knot is that it is a fixed loop, and it will slide down a post of a tree. This can be remedied by wrapping a couple of loops around the post first, or, using a running bowline which will snug against the post (see Blue Creeks Trail Riding/Packing book). Notice that we always thread the tail end of the lead rope around the backside of the post or tree left to right. This is because on the trail we are constantly tying to trees and brush and want to feel for the tail with our right hand, if we are right-handed.
Well, here’s hoping that the knot that you did knot learn because you did knot have time does knot get you in trouble next season because you did knot learn the knot. Happy Trails!
(Note: for many knots and hitches refer to the Blue Creek Trail Book)

QUICK RELEASE KNOT

A simple knot to tie up quick and untie quick. Pull the loop tight first, then slide tight against the tree or post.

Place a half hitch to make any knot with a loop more secure. Tight. Keeps the knot from loosening and from horses untying them with their teeth.

A most precious knot – could not get by without it; tying leads neck to neck; a horse that’s a puller; around the base of a tree for pegging out to feed; tying to tree above branch for a horse that unties knots; ponying; pulling out your truck etc.