Hobbles are generally used for safety, whether they prevent a horse from bolting into a dangerous situation, or to teach a horse to remain calm and still during an emergency.
“Western-style” horse hobbles limit the movement of the front legs, and are generally used in lieu of sturdy trees or boulders for tying.
The vaquero style is traditionally made of a single, elaborately plaited length of rawhide fashioned into two cuffs and embellished with decorative fiador knots
Figure-eight hobbles are generally made of a system of leather and metal buckles, and is often worn as two cuffs around an animal’s knees or hooves.
Twist hobbles are made of a length of soft twisted rope or leather, wrapped around a horse’s legs and twisted to keep them in place.