How To Tie A Quick Release Knot – Page 1 of 2

A quick release knot (also sometimes called a “jerk” knot) is a knot that will come untied quickly and easily when the tail of the rope is pulled on. This type of knot is ideal for tying a horse or pony since being able to quickly release a tied horse or pony is sometimes crucial for the safety of the animal and its surroundings. There are a lot of different quick release knots. In the photos and text below, we’ll show you how to tie one kind.

Begin by taking the tail of the lead rope around or through a suitable object to tie a horse to. In our example below we’re going to tie to a pipe fence post.

In our example the horse is on the right side of the fence post and the tail of the rope is on the left side.

Take the tail of the rope (from the left side of the post) and cross it underneath the part of the rope going to the horse.

Then, twist the rope on the left side of the post to form a loop.

Next, take the tail of the rope (which is now on the right side of the post) over the part of the rope going to the horse, and push it up through the loop. See the photo below.

Lead Ropes

When tying a horse or pony always use a properly fitting halter and the right type of lead rope. A good lead rope is round because round lead ropes are harder to “pull down” under extreme pressure than flat ones. If a rope gets pulled down too tight it puts the knot into a bind – even a quick release knot – and the rope can become difficult or impossible to untie. Round cotton lead ropes 3/4 of an inch in diameter or larger are considered by many horse people to be the best ropes for tying a horse because this type of lead rope isn’t as easily pulled into a bind as other types. In addition, cotton is slower to rope burn a horse than many other materials. Other types of lead ropes are good, too, as long they don’t pull too tight under pressure.