11/13/2026
Pull Back Is More Than Just a Poll Issue
I wrote this back in 2023, yet I still see horses being left to thrash it out when they pull back, as though eventually giving up is somehow a lesson learned.
In my younger years I remember seeing a horse tied to a tree looking pretty miserable, and later learned it was being swung and had been there for three days. For me that was barbaric, basically tied short and left until it learned to stop pulling. Although the horse may have learned that no matter how hard it pulled it would never get free, what about the damage being done to that young horse's body in the process of supposedly learning to tie up correctly? We can reinvent words to make something sound more palatable, yet for the horse it is still the same unmovable object.
I thought I would revisit pull back and the consequences, because it most definitely isn't just the poll that can be affected when a horse pulls back. A horse doesn't just pull back with its head, its whole body becomes involved, and we also need to consider what is happening emotionally to that horse while it is struggling.
Now we have the horse that has learned to do this, but I always want to know why it did it in the first place. Fear is often a factor in the beginning, and poor experiences during early training can lead to a negative association with being tied up. When a horse becomes frightened, its responses can become much more reactive, and the instinct to escape can override the behaviours we have been trying to teach. The more the horse pulls against something that doesn't give, the greater the forces being placed upon its body, and potentially the more pain and fear it experiences. We know that stopping would release some of that pressure, but does the frightened horse understand that in the moment? Are we simply leaving it to figure it out? Would you learn particularly well while frightened and in pain, and how would you feel about being put back into that situation again?
We also need to remember that movement is an important part of how horses respond to perceived danger. Their ability to move away from something frightening is one of the ways they protect themselves. When we remove that option through restraint, we may increase the horse's sense of being trapped. Of course, horses can learn to stand quietly and comfortably while tied, but there is a difference between teaching a horse that being tied is safe and allowing it to struggle until it eventually stops. Just because a horse has stopped pulling doesn't necessarily mean it has stopped being frightened.
Remember, bridles and headcollars sit over some very sensitive structures of the horse's head. They are designed to allow us to communicate and apply control, but however ergonomically designed they may be, they still transmit pressure to the tissues underneath. Otherwise, what would be the point of using them?
Rope halters: I was always taught never to tie a horse up in a rope halter. Unlike traditional flat headcollars, the thin rope concentrates pressure over a much smaller area. We also need to remember why leather headcollars were often preferred, because the leather could break under excessive force, providing a potential failsafe if the horse panicked. Rope halters generally don't offer that same breakaway protection.
Bits: If a horse pulls back while wearing a bridle, particularly if the reins become caught or fixed, considerable force can be transmitted through the bit into the mouth. Depending on the circumstances, this may affect the tongue, bars of the mouth, lips and other oral tissues, with the potential for bruising, cuts or more significant injury.
Nasal bone: The nasal bones become thinner towards the lower part of the face, and a sharp pull against a headcollar or noseband can concentrate considerable pressure over this area. Depending on where the equipment sits and the force involved, there is potential for bruising, soft tissue damage and, in more severe circumstances, injury to the underlying bone.
Poll: We have numerous muscles, ligaments, connective tissues and other sensitive structures around the poll and upper neck. The nuchal ligament is an important supporting structure, and the region also contains joints and associated soft tissues. A sudden, forceful pull can place considerable strain through these structures. Bruising and soft tissue injuries are not always immediately visible, and narrower straps may concentrate pressure over a smaller area. Remember, a horse may not simply pull straight backwards but may also wrench its head from side to side, adding rotational and sideways forces through the head and neck. Depending on the severity, this could result in muscular strains, ligament injuries or, in extreme cases, fractures.
But the forces don't simply stop at the poll. The horse's neck is connected to the rest of its body through muscles, fascia, ligaments and the skeleton. When a horse braces and pulls backwards, muscles throughout the neck, shoulders, trunk and limbs may become involved in resisting that force and trying to maintain balance. This can place considerable strain on the cervical region, withers and surrounding musculature. It doesn't mean that every horse that pulls back will damage its spine, but we certainly shouldn't assume that because the headcollar hasn't broken, the horse hasn't injured itself.
If the horse loses its footing or falls backwards, then we have the additional possibility of injury to the pelvis, sacroiliac region, hamstrings and other structures of the hindquarters. The horse may slip, scramble, twist or land awkwardly, and the consequences can be far more extensive than simply having a sore poll.
We also need to consider that much of this training takes place when horses are young and still developing. That doesn't mean every young horse is particularly vulnerable to a specific injury, but it does mean we should be especially mindful of the physical and emotional demands we place upon them during their early education.
And then we have the emotional side, which for me is just as important as the physical.
We want our horses to be easy to handle, to stand quietly, to accept being tied up and to feel comfortable with the things we ask of them. But surely that should come from building a relationship where the horse feels safe, rather than one where it has simply learned that struggling gets it nowhere?
If we allow a horse to pull back repeatedly until it eventually stops, and then decide that now is the time to begin working with it, what state of mind are we actually working that horse in? Has it relaxed because it feels safe, or has it simply stopped attempting to escape? Those are two very different things, and we cannot determine how a horse is feeling simply because it has become still.
For me, the relationship between the horse and handler is one of the most important parts of training. We should be teaching the horse what we want, allowing it time to understand, and building confidence through experiences it can cope with. We cannot expect a horse to trust us if we repeatedly place it in situations where it becomes frightened and then leave it to deal with that fear on its own.
Of course, accidents happen. A horse may suddenly spook, become caught or pull back unexpectedly, even with careful handling and training. But if your horse does become stuck and is struggling, please help it. If it is safe to approach, release the restraint as safely and quickly as possible, rather than leaving it to fight against something that isn't going to move. And if it isn't safe to approach, get help and avoid putting yourself in danger.
And please, the first thing you reach for shouldn't be your phone to record it for TikTok or Facebook. We seem to live in a world where everything has to be filmed, but when a horse is frightened, trapped and potentially injuring itself, surely its welfare should come before creating content.
If your horse has had a significant pulling-back incident, particularly if it has fallen, struggled violently or is showing signs of pain, stiffness, swelling or changes in movement, veterinary assessment is important. Not every injury is immediately obvious, and some may only become apparent later.
If your horse has developed a habitual pattern of pulling back, then it needs careful retraining, ideally with the help of a suitably qualified and experienced equine behaviour professional who understands fear, learning and safe handling. Simply tying it to something stronger and allowing it to fight is not addressing why the behaviour developed in the first place. It is also potentially dangerous for both the horse and the handler.
And remember, pulling back doesn't only happen when horses are tied up. As handlers, we also need to be mindful of the forces we apply ourselves. A sudden, forceful yank on a headcollar or bridle can create rapid movement through the head and neck and potentially injure sensitive tissues. We cannot criticise a horse for pulling against pressure while ignoring the pressure we sometimes apply to the horse.
We have a responsibility not only to teach our horses how to behave around us, but also to consider how they are feeling while they are learning. A horse that stands quietly because it understands and feels safe is very different from a horse that stands quietly because it has learned there is no point in trying to escape.
So let's not just think of the head. As always, think of the whole horse, and that includes its emotional wellbeing.
Sorry about the quality of the picture but sometimes I dont need to update them xx
