Tie Down

[acox4t4]

Howdy all. A friend of mine asked me to braid them a tie down with the paracord, I'll probably make it with something else later but will just do a pratice run with the paracord. Can a tie down be braided?? If anyone has made one do you have a picture that you could post to show me how you did it?? I'm having troubles picturing how they can adjust the lenght of it. I've looked at pictures in magazines ect to give me a idea of what one looks like since I've never (think goodness) have needed to use one on my horse but can't figure out how one could be made with braiding. To me it must have ways to adjust the lenght of it to fit the horse and I am to much of a rookie to know how to do that.

Thanks Annette

[roo4u]

if your using paracord you can use a conway buckle just like a flat leather tiedown...you just have to use a flat braid in the area of the adjustment.

[Aggiebraider]

Hey Annette,

Flat braiding with a conway buckle was the first way that I thought about doing this, but flat braided paracord has a few problems. I made about 10 pairs of split reins when I started braiding and they all had about 3/4 of the length of the reins done in flat 8 strand braids. I will never make split reins out of paracord (flat braided) again. They feel terrible. There isnt enough weight and they "stretch" alot. The reason I said "stretch" is because there is not way to get the braids tight enough to take all of the slack out between the individual strands, and the braid always seems to want to bungy back and forth. This was using the traditional 8 strand U1O1U1O1U1O1U1 pattern from left to right. If you did a braid with 4 strands on each side and go U1O1U1 with the left strand then take the right most strand and go U1O1U1O1, you will build a more "Gaucho" patterned braid that may not have this bungy effect. As far as tiedowns go, and I feel that I am somewhat knowledgable in the world of tiedowns as I have team roped and calf roped since I was a kid, you dont want a tiedown with a lot of spring to it. They are intended to give your horse something to brace against as they stop. NOT TO BE USED FOR HEAD SET!!!!! and should be adjusted so that when your horse's head is in the neutral position, you can touch the tiedown to their chest. This is evident when you run a tiedown through a keeper on your breast collar like most suggest. While you may say yes leather and biothane tiedowns will stretch some over their lifetime, they wont have the spongy properties you would see in flat braided tiedowns.

If after reading through all of this rambling, your friend still wants you to make one, knock yourself out. I just wanted to explain to you why I would never use a flat braided tiedown out of paracord and would be hard pressed to even make one for someone. If she wants you to make her something fancy out of paracord, you might think about making a noseband for her tiedown. You can make it using the same process of a bosal and use either a normal ring through the center of the heel knot or they make a ring that has two circles on each side of a large ring that is at a 90 degree angle to the other smaller rings. Pretty confusing I know, I cant find a picture and I dont think they have a specific name. If you have ever seen the nosebands that have piggin strings for the body, they use these rings. I am actually making one such noseband for a tiedown for my brother for christmas, and once I get it finished I will be sure to post some photos.

Hope this helps,

CW

[acox4t4]

That helps a bunch thanks. Lets me know I wasn't being just stupid for not being able to figure out how to make one. When I showed him the paracord braiding I think he just got excited, what he doesn't realize is that was just the beginning of what I'm going to be able to do. My goal for this friend is to one day make him a complete set of tack out of roo hide or rawhide, rein's, headgear, hobbles ect all matching and in return I'm hoping to talk him into his 4 yr old filly that he's been training that I've taken notice to when we go round up cattle . With your information and ideas on flat braid, do you think I would be able to use a piece of roo, leather or roo and then do what Bruce Grant calls inside or trick braid?? I'm looking at his book now and it looks like you leave the ends of the leather and then cut strips inside and somehow braid it. So I'm thinking I would be able to somehow hook a clamp to the one side of the tie down and then have a longer piece for the other end where the length could be adjusted with some sort of device. But still have the braided look for most of it. What do you think about that idea if I could wing it??? Pro's or Con's of this idea??

About how long is a tie down??

Aggie you would get a good laugh at me when I go rounding up cattle with this group. They all carry ropes, and they have the bags with gear in them just in case they need to fix fence, or rope and doctor a cow. And Oh my there is nothing better looking then someone decked out with a rope and all rounding up cattle. I now have a rope and bags to have on my saddle when I ride with them I sure as heck don't know how to use it and if I tried would probably dally my fingers but by god do I look good !!!!! LOL or atleast my horse and saddle look good, I still have a long ways to go for myself.

[8KCAB]

There are step-by-step instructions for one in the "How to Braid Quality Custom Tack" book, which is sold at www.ubraidit.com. I made one for my father for Christmas this year. I wouldn't actually ever use one. There is no reason horse should ever be able to get his leg up and over the tie-down, but it happens (mostly when people unclip it from the cinch and loop it back to the noseband, but sometimes even when it's clipped - probably not in a keeper on the breast collar). Most leather strap tie-downs will break before the horse's leg does, unless they are really robust.

I made one for my Dad because he pissed me off on a horse deal this year. I'm saying, "Here, I spent a lot of time on this, so you know I love you, but I know you won't use it, so enjoy a nice dose of spite."

Edit: One way to solve this might be to use a loop of leather strand in between the noseband and tie-down. I know some poeple who use synthetic roping reins will use them between the snaps and th eye on the bit shank - for the same reasons. I braided those kinds of reins, too. Don't like them either.

Edited December 13, 2010 by 8KCAB

[Leatherpownder]

I started braiding cord before I went to rawhide to make spending money in college. The best braid is 9 strands. 4 strand in one hand and 5 strands in the other, working the side with 5 strands over 2 under 2 from side to side. if you have a snug braid you should be able to use 3/4" conway buckle for adjustment. This is a nice braid for cord.

[acox4t4]

Thanks much and I saw your post on how to braid the 9 strand braid. Very nice work and sure helps seeing the detailed pictures you have explaining the steps. Thanks for taking the time and effort.

Annette