The Tie Knot

Suppose you have your rope through the tie ring or draped around a post. For convenience, let's put your horse on the right and the end of your lead rope on the left, as you are facing the tie ring.

Put your left hand, palm open and thumb facing up, behind the rope on the left, so that the rope rests on your wrist. Put you right hand, palm open and thumb facing up, behind the rope on the right (the end that is going to the horse), a few inches below the left hand, so that the rope rests on your wrist.

Now, with both hands, reach for the opposite strand of rope and close your fingers around the rope.

Move your hands farther apart. Now you are holding a loop of rope in each hand, left hand higher than right.

Rotate your left wrist so that your thumb points down. Push the loop you are holding in your right hand into the twisted loop that you just made with your left hand. Pull on the end of the rope that goes to the horse to tighten the knot. If your horse knows how to untie himself by pulling on the end of the lead rope, put the end of lead rope through the loop.

Ed Dabney is an internationally acclaimed clinician, presenting horsemanship and riding clinics all over the US and in Europe.  In 2007, Ed was named Champion of the East Coast Trainer Challenge Series by Equine Extravaganza.  Ed was honored to have been selected by the University of Georgia to teach their senior level Young Horse Training course.

His training articles have appeared in many major national magazines.  Ed produces instructional videos and the “Gentle Horsemanship” TV program which has been seen on RFD-TV.

Ed's blending of natural horsemanship and classical equitation has made an indelible mark with students all across the United States and now also in Europe, drawing the attention of serious riders searching for the lightest touch and the deepest connection with their horses irrespective of breed or discipline.