Hobble (device)

Hobbles on German Hobbel, (usually used in the plural ) is the term used for shackles of horses. An old word for this is " Haile ", which is depicted in the coat of arms of Bonen. They are used in an open area in part, if no other option is to tie a horse, or less commonly, to the horse to graze - for example overnight - a greater range of motion to offer than on connection. There are Hobbel across different versions, from the knotted Hobbel from Rohhautseil to the wide, padded Hobbel of leather.

The Hobbeln was especially during the great cattle herds in America common among livestock herders ( cowboys, gauchos ). They tied their horses at a rest stop, the front legs with a distance of a few decimeters together, to prevent them from running away. The horses were so indeed take small steps and move around a little and grazing, but it was impossible for them to stray far or to gallop.

Even today the Hobbeln is still used, for example, in trail rides. However, some horses will find out soon how to make hoppers despite the shackles and so still occur relatively rapidly forward; for such horses used by some riders Hobbel that are attached to three legs of the horse and thereby prevent the cracks.

A gehobbeltes horse should never be left unattended. For permanent fixation of the animal, the method is not suitable, because it is easy injury to the skin can be caused by the shackles.

Horses require a certain amount of getting used to the Hobbeln. You need to be feeling tied up, learn slowly.

Karl May describes this type of binding often in his novels about the Wild West.