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Horse Knots and Farm Knots

Horse & Farm Knots

Choose a knot below, or scroll down for more information:  
Bowline Knot - secure loop in the end of a piece of rope

Reasonably secure loop in a rope's end - and easy to undo.

Carrick Bend Knot - or Pretzel Knot

Secure rope join, readily untied even after a heavy load.

Clove Hitch - Rope End Method - used for stage scenery or mooring buoy

Temporary hold, e.g., stage scenery or mooring buoy

Constrictor Knot - Folding Method

Tie the Constrictor knot using the folding method.

Constrictor Knot - Rope End Method

Tie the Constrictor knot using the rope end method.

Cow Hitch using Rope Ends Method

Temporary hitch for a light load or animal.

Farmers Loop Knot - creates a mid rope loop

Makes secure loop in the middle of a piece of rope.

Fiador Knot - keeps the hackamore on the horse’s head

Component of rope halter or hackamore (horse headgear).

Figure 8 Knot - stopper knot

Non-binding, quick and convenient stopper knot.

Halter Hitch - Quick release knot to secure a horse

Quick-release knot commonly used to secure a horse

Honda Knot - Tie a Lasso knot

The essential component of a Lariat used as a Lasso.

Manger Hitch - quick-release knot to secure a cow to a fence

Excellent quick-release knot to secure a cow to a fence.

Millers Knot - Secures neck of a sack

Secures neck of a sack or bundle of items.

Ring Hitch Knot - Used to tie a Horse to a ring

Effective rapid-release knot used to tie a horse to a ring.

Rolling Hitch Knot - Slide and grip knot

Popular slide and grip knot, may fail with modern ropes.

Sheet Bend Knot - Joins two ropes

Joins two ropes of unequal, or similar, size

Square Knot - Simple way to join two ropes

Simple way to join two ropes made up of two Half Knots.

Strangle Knot - Rope End Method - Secure a fraying rope's end

Moderately reliable to secure a bag or a fraying rope's end.

Strangle Knot - Double Overhand Method - Secure the neck of a bag or sack

Moderately reliable to secure a bag or a fraying rope's end.

Timber Hitch - Simple knot used for towing a log

Simple knot commonly used for towing a log.

Two Half Hitches Knot - Horse and Farm Knot

Used to secure an animal or an item to a ring, bar or pole.

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Welcome to Horse & Farm Knots

Selection

Many of these animated knots are primarily used for securing horses, but may also be useful elsewhere. The other knots are general purpose knots which are also found in Boating, Scouting, Climbing, Search and Rescue, and Arborist work. The selection of knots is based on a review of the available literature. In this section the knots are listed in alphabetical order.

Horse Knot Characteristics

Horse knots are usually designed to be tied so that quick release is convenient. Many authorities also assume that the rope will be tied through a loop of Baling Twine to allow a frightened horse to break free without injury.

Horse & Farm Knots
Safety

Because safety applies to all the knots used to secure a horse, the following section is repeated from the page about the Halter Hitch. Jess Hallas-Kilcoyne wrote the following: article (quoted by permission of the Publisher):

It's fast and easy to tie, but the true value of the quick release knot lies in its ability to be quickly and easily untied in the event of an emergency. If a tied horse panics and pulls back on the rope, a single tug on the end of the lead will free him.

The quick release knot's ability to provide an emergency exit is the reason it is valued as the knot of choice for safely tying horses.

Horses should be secured at withers-level or slightly higher to a sturdy, fixed object, such as a fence post (never a fence rail), tree, hitching rail, or tie-ring screwed into the wall. The lead rope should be tied to allow just enough slack that the horse can hold his head normally, but not so loose that he is able to lower his head to the point that he could potentially get his leg over the rope. Two to three feet of lead rope is about right for most horses, and ponies should be tied shorter.

Safety String: As an added safety precaution to ensure a foolproof breakaway for your horse in an emergency, secure your horse to a safety string created by tying a loop of baling twine around the post or through the ring.

Which Knot Should I Use?

Horse Quick Release
Quick Release (Halter)
Quick Release (Manger)
Quick Release (Ring)

Other Horse & Farm Knots
Secure Mid-Rope Loop
Loop to make a Lariat
Restrains a Browsing Cow
Sheet Bend

Hitch Knots
Clove Hitch
Rolling Hitch
Two Half Hitches
Timber Hitch

Hackamore Component
Decorative Loop Knot

Rope's End Loop
Bowline Knot

Bends
Carrick Bend
Sheet Bend

Secure Neck of Sack
Binding Loop to secure a sack
Useful for tying package

Stopper Knot
Figure 8 Knot

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