Picket lines can provide you with a safe, easy way to graze your stock in the backcountry. A Picket Line Kit is comprised of a picket stake, a single picket hobble and a 30' rope to attach the two. However, for your safety and the safety and comfort of your stock in the backcountry, accustom your horses or mules to the horse picket line at home first.
To
begin, I suggest putting your animal in a small
corral. Attach the single picket hobble to a front
leg and the picket rope to the hobble. Allow him
to drag the picket rope without the picket pin
attached until he is used to seeing that rope laying on the ground near him.
When you
stake him out on grass for the first time,
ensure he is hungry so that he will interested in eating. Take him out to the end of the rope and let him
know he is restrained. Be sure to drive the pin
straight into the ground. If driven in at an angle, your stock could pull
the pin out. If your horse is
hungry, he should be too focused on eating
to have a negative first experience. Repeat this process
until you are sure your animal is
comfortable with picketing before heading out.
When using a horse picket line in the backcountry,
for the protection of your stock you should choose
an area free from trees, rocks or anything else
that could snag the rope. To protect the
environment, you should move the picket line often to
prevent your stock from overgrazing the
area. I usually picket the most dominant animal in the herd and then I hobble the rest. When grazing my stock in camp, I always keep an eye on them. When they start taking more than two steps between bites, I know they are full and are ready to be put on the highline.
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TrailMax™ Picket Kit with Steel Picket Pin
TrailMax™ Picket Kit with Aluminum Picket Pin
TrailMax™ Picket Hobble
TrailMax™ Steel Picket Pin
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Russ On... Leave No Trace Ethics
Russ On... Use of Highlines
Horse Hobbles
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