How do I get my horse to stand still while tied?!

In my experience with horses, training, and social media, I have seen many, many questions posted by exasperated owners trying to find solutions that will cure the issues they are having with their horses. Typically, they are met with limited good advice and a ton of not so good advice they have to sift through. Problem is, they typically don't know how to sift through, and have reached the point where they are willing to try anything. Often this can lead to dire results.

I have seen this recur in every type of horse question, from nutrition to behavioral, but for this example, let's use the classic one I see pop up, time and time again. . .

"How do I get my horse to stand still when she is tied?"

"How did you get him to stand still?! Mine won't stand still when I tie her!!"

"I wish I could hard tie mine; he pulls back every time and now I can't tie him!"

"My gelding hates being tied, he just paces and paws the whole time."

You get the idea.

I have seen so many different answers to these types of questions, most of them mean well, but there is serious mis-education circulating when it comes to these types of questions. One of the most recent I have seen from a fairly popular Instagram account with the younger equestrian crowd recommends tying for hours. They need to be tied for hours and hours. Just leave them, they'll work it out. Offer water every now and then but otherwise leave them. Now, I don't believe this person means ill will to the horse and in fact, this person isn't far off the mark, but respectfully, that's not great advice.

Here's why: you are expecting a kindergartner to do algebra level work here.

People often think tying is a basic skill; a beginner level skill. But it's not, it's something that comes from learning several other things well. Much like algebra. You can't ask a horse to answer a question you've never taught him the answer to. Sure, you might get by with just tying for hours and some horses will fill in the blanks and it will work. But for the vast majority of horses, they need to be taught how to find a place of peace in their mind enabling them to stand quietly and how to get off that halter pressure, how to respond to pressure properly, not react so they can have a successful tying experience.

Sure, practice tying them for increasing amounts of time till they can stand tied in a line all night camping if you need them to, goodness knows I do, but I teach them the answers first.

In other words; I set them up to win. I set them up with the education they need prior to the test so they can be successful learners.

Horses don't learn how to do [anything] well on a hope and a prayer and just throwing them out there and hoping they will figure it out on their own, they need guidance, time, dedication, and good training to become great horses.