How to set up a Highline

Setting Up a Highline For Safety and Ease of Use

“Trust in God, but tie up your horse”

Scroll over the picture above for details.

Your animals are important! If they wander away you'll have a heavy load on your shoulders! Be sure to familiarize your stock with any containment method you plan to use before you ride into the backcountry.

Highline: A highline is one of the easiest, lightweight ways to keep your stock in camp. It is easier to put up with a Tree Saver Strap. The highline prevents stock from trampling roots and chewing bark. Scroll over the picture above for details.

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What is a Highline?
A highline is just a rope stretched tightly between two trees. You then tie your stock to the rope. Of course there's a little bit more to it but, essentially, this is all there is to it.

Instead of wrapping the rope around the trees, use Tree Saver Straps to prevent the trees from being girdled and dying. Tree Savers are required in many wilderness areas.

Setting up a Highline by the Numbers

Choose a hard and rocky spot - Make sure the ground is clear of any debris that could injure your stock if they lay down or choose to roll.
Find two live trees at least 12"inches in diameter and 15 to 20 feet apart - Make sure there are no branches to injury your horse and NEVER tie to dead trees.
Place one Tree Saver Strap and rope as high as you can reach
Stretch the line between two trees
Secure the rope to one Tree Saver with a half hitch with a quick release.
With the line loose attach any Knot Eliminators you want - Leave 12 feet or so of space between each horse.
Create a loop in the line about five feet from the unattached tree - Making a loop will allow you to have a 2:1 pulley system for stretching your line MUCH tighter than you could do on your own.
Run the reminder of the line through the second Tree Saver Strap and back to pass through the loop in your line.
Another half hitch secured with a quick release will keep the line tight.
Tuck any remaining line out of reach of your stock animals
Before leaving the campsite, be sure to fill in any pawed holes and spread the piles of manure.

NOTE - Keep stock from chewing, and damaging, trees by tying them at least 8 feet from any tree.

How Much Lead Rope
When I'm in camp and can keep an eye on them, I'll give my stock enough lead rope to get their heads to the ground, especially if I am feeding hay. At night, or when I leave them unattended, I shorten the leads enough to prevent them from being able to get a leg over the rope. If you are feeding grain or hay cubes from a feedbag, you can leave your stock tied to the horse highline and still fit the feedbag over their heads.

Highlines are a simple, lightweight solution for containing your stock animals (horses and mules) in the backcountry and leave very little evidence that you have been there when set up correctly,

Highline Video

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