Post by wyomama on Apr 25, 2008 8:33:34 GMT -5
Thanks for the bit about picket hobbling. That sounds like a great way to do it.
Anything I should be concerned about? I read the "how to's" after a google search on picket hobbles, but they all reference horses.
I will probably make my own, as $75 is a little too rich for some rope, neoprene, leather, some fittings and a rebar stake with washers welded to it.
Wasn't trying to hijack the thread....
Aloria
First of all, the stake needs to be stout, and the top needs to swivel, otherwise they wrap the rope around it. I have one that's made out of 1" rebar, and it's very hard to get out of the ground, as it grabs... which is good for the cow, I guess, but really, really hard on me. I'd buy a 2' long piece of 3/4" rod before I'd do that again. Your loop needs to be much thicker than a washer, and needs to be welded to a piece of tubing that will slide over the top, your welder needs to put a bead about a half inch below the tubing to keep it from sliding off, and a cap on it to keep it from getting pulled off the top. The cap needs to be pretty solid, and not wider than the tubing sleeve, because you will be pounding on it with a sledge hammer, and don't want to bend the edge of the cap so that the tubing no longer swivels. The bottom needs to be cut at an angle so that you have a point to drive into the ground.
If you are going to make the hobble out of nylon, you'll want 2" wide webbing, a heavy duty D-ring, and a heavy duty roller buckle. You'll want the holes to be placed 1" apart. I prefer the hobbles without any linings. For one thing, the fleece picks up burrs and seeds, and is no longer "comfortable". For another, I don't want to do anything to make it more comfortable to pull against.
For rope, I prefer 1/2" or 5/8" woven nylon rope. Cotton gets stiff and nasty and soaks up too much water.
Before I picket a cow for the first time, I put the hobble on with her tied in the corral, and snap a lead rope to it. I pull her foot around a bit, so that she gets used to it being pulled away from her. Then I untie her and lead her by the foot a few steps.
The first time you picket, picket short. You don't want them to have 30' to get up a head of steam and then hit the end and go crashing to the ground - that's how shoulders get broken. Once you've picketed short a couple of times, you can lengthen the rope.
In my experience, cows are MUCH easier to picket train than a horse is.
Other hints - obviously, make sure there are no obstacles in the circle to get wrapped around or tangled up in. If you are picketing long enough to leave water, put it at the edge of the circle, not the middle - otherwise they'll either get wrapped around it or knock it over with the rope.
Oh, and make sure you put the hobble on around the leg bone. Make sure it's tight enough it won't pull off over the ankle.
I think that's it....
