Quick Release Knots

The safest way to tie up a horse or pony, the quick release knot may take you a few tries to get right, but can be a lifesaver in an emergency.
Always tie quick release knots to a loop of string or baler twine tied around a tight, normal knot around a ring, and never to the ring itself. This is because any intense strain on the rope will cause the string to break, releasing the horse. If tied directly to the metal ring, instead of breaking, the rope will continue to pull on the headcollar, damaging it and possibly the horse.

Step One		Make a fold in the leadrope, with the longest length on the horse's end. Feed the folded rope through the twine loop, and twist the rope two or three times to make a second loop.
Step Two		This is where it gets a bit complicated: Take the free end again, and fold that roughly in half. Push this new loop through the twisted loop you made in step one.
Step Three		The knot tightens when there is pressure from the horse's end of the rope, and unfastens when you tug the free end sharply downwards. Unfortunately, some cheeky horses know how to undo quick release knots, so it's best to tuck the free end through the loop, just to confuse him (or her) a bit!