Blocker Tie Ring

There is one last mini-story to last weekend's show ...

After both tests were done, I went up to the show office to retrieve my score sheets.  I stood outside of the show office chatting with Marbaskin's Mom all the while keeping my eye on Sydney who was tied at the trailer.

We walked inside where we started talking with the show secretary.  I was there for less 20 minutes.  Out front, there came a call for a loose horse. Someone asked what color, and I heard, dark bay.  I knew it was Sydney.  

I blurted oh, sh*t! and bolted out the door.  Someone yelled that the horse's name was Sydney (THANK YOU HALTER TAGS!).  He's mine! I hollered, and the crowd laughed and was relieved.  The gentleman who had Sydney said that he had found him out on the main road (OH MY GOD!) where he was happily trotting away from the barn.  Sydney, Sydney, Sydney - it's a long walk back to Bakersfield!

I looked him over carefully and could find nothing wrong.  He was calm and happy and seemed relieved to see me.  We walked back to the trailer where I used the double loop on my Blocker Tie Ring.  Apparently, the single loop that I've used for years is not firm enough for Kiwis.

Speedy is quite respectful of the Basic Hold on the Blocker Tie Ring.  He has never tested the strength of that setting and is content to stand at the trailer for days.  When I returned Sydney to the trailer, I noted that the tie ring was still in the closed position which means that he simply leaned steadily on the rope until it slid out.  

Images from the Blocker Ranch

Using the Medium Hold setting takes a LOT of pressure to pull the rope free.  If Sydney pulls THAT hard, it'll be loud and BIG. And if THAT setting doesn't hold him, looping the tail end of the rope over the whole thing, Maximum Hold, adds one more layer of "grab" that I don't think he could pull free from even if he really tried.

Medium Hold

Maximum Hold

While this "escape" could have ended in disaster, I really just let it go as it does no good to imagine what might have happened.  Instead, I now know that Sydney needs to be tied in a slightly different way than my other horses have needed.  I have camped with my horses for almost two decades; they have always stood tied at the trailer.  This is the FIRST time that I've ever had a LOOSE HORSE.

Of course, it would be the horse from Down Under - he obviously learned to drive on the "wrong" side of the road and was freaked out about having to repeat the journey home.  No doubt he was thinking that his owner was a complete idiot!  Right side, Sydney, right side.