I know it seems a litle silly question, but I want to build one and don't want to say "I wish I had made it longer, taller, or out of something else" so...advice from experience..

What size hitching post is best, height and length to hitch a team. Also any design ideas or material for construction?

I have been planning to build one near my hayfields and tobacco patch for some time. But seems there is always something else to do. I have a brand new set of pipe running boards for a dodge crew cab pick up that I planned to bolt on to a pair of locost posts for mine.

Three railroad ties, two bags of concrete, two pieces of 4"x4"x1/4" steel angle, eight 1/2"x6" lagbolts and alotta digging or just use an auger if ya got one.
I sink two posts about four or five foot deep about 5 1/2 foot apart add concrete, third post across top and bolt in angles in underside inside corners. Works real good if you can weld in a couple of eyelets in the center of the angles, that way you can wrap your chains around the horizontal and secure it in the corners for added strength against stupid horses. You can trim the horizontal to desired length.

I made mine out of 4" square steel tubing that a piece of equipment was shipped in on so it did not cost anything. It is about 3 1/2' high and more then six feet long. There are two bags of readymix in with each post. I used used draft shoes as gussets. There are three chains hanging to hook up three at a time. It works really well and have had one pull as hard as she could and not bend or pull it out of the ground. I have seen them made out of telephone poles, round pipe and other scrap materials.

It is about two and a half feet from the barn with no cover over it. I would make it a bit farther out to allow easier mowing around it and to be able to get the snow drifts out of there with something other then my back to lift it. This being on the east side of the building affords protection from the wind; however, the drifts at times make it impossible to hook the horse up to chains that are plenty long enough in the summer.

Mine is made out of 4" pipe 12ft long 4ft high 3ft in ground in concrete .

Mine is the same as Muleman's,except a little higher.

I would caution against welding any rings or welding solid any tie chains to them.For well broke stock that may be ok,but if you have a problem and an animal gets hung up, there is no way to get them loose.Sorta hard to cut steel chain.Then I have had younger /smaller animals try to get under, or even jump over and get skinnned up pretty bad by objects such as rings,etc being welded to the horizontal. Everything on the hitch rack should be smooth and free of any protrusions. I'm not any smarter about this stuff,but just passing along what has happened to me in the past. No horse, mule,ox, or even a pig should be ever be tied hard and fast where you can't jerk a lead and break it free.

To make myself clearer.....weld a tie ring to the angle which goes under the horizontal that way it isn't exposed to animals.

I like a chain cause it usually can't be broken by the stupid ones. Better they learn not to pull back, but then again I'll tie one to a tree for a couple days at a time too...so that should give you an idea of my mentality. They're here to work not be coddled.

And besides all the above, you can always put a breakaway halter or snap on'em.

I know I will get shot down on this; but if you are dealing with at least half broke horses you shouldn't need one. You have to start trusting them sometime, where better than in your own yard? I am not dead yet; but have been told I am pretty fast for my age!
Watch out for the first 10 hitches on an undriven colt, by that time you will know everything about that horse you will ever need. Maybe by then you might have to rethink the hitching rail. If you do I personaly think the french would be a better option.
remember some time between that second hook and maybe the 5th they will try something. Not realy bad it's more anticipation. Shows you they have a brain or not. Also depends if you believe in horse whisphers or not. You could spend the rest of your life chasing a perfectly good horse around a pen. Nothing against prep but you can only prepare for yourself.
The horse knows.

Standing and cheering Don's comments. I think that you are absolutely right on about the idea that it is between hooks 2 and 5 you will likely have the greenie do something. This pair I started over Christmas is a good example. One had been played with as a foal, haltered, broke to lead, and turned out. The other a full brother was never handled until they were gelded at 2 and 3. The one had never been haltered when I got him. Now after a little over a month of work they are going very good. Working together and the better horse is the one that was never messed with. He is better in every way.

As to the hitching rail I think they have a place but make it heavy enough that it will not break. I have plans for a rail road tie version as explained above.

A weled ring even under the horizontal can skin up a young animal if they go to try to go under it.

Example,I have 11 yr old halflinger mule.Pretty darn safe.Last year I had her tied and she decided I needed to be done shoing here.So with her one back foot scotch hobbled and a pair of hobbles on front,she jumped over the hitch rail turned her neck around and was laying on the ground twisted up in a bunch with her head suspended.I was able to undo the quick release and she got up.With a hard fast chain it would have been impossible and the only way I could have got her loose was bolt cutter or torch.That ain't coddling and I still contend it is darn stupid to tie any animal hard and fast with no means to get it undone fast.I don't use break away halters. I use 5/16 rope ones and they come of when I ride,or drive.
What's the sense of taking a chance of having to doctor an injury or even replace a $1K-$5K animal when a little bit care could be used.

I can see we are just going to disagree. Sometimes that's just the way it is.

I left a 1400lb perch mare to figure out how to get back up after she thought she was gonna break that chain. She don't test the chain no more. To see it you'd have thought it was gonna kill her. Better she break her neck than one day breakin mine! Haven't met the horse or mule I liked more than my own safety!

Your example is perfect for showing why ya don't shoe alone. I like to have someone hold the lead rope while I work. I found it mighty hard to see what the animals doin when I'm bent over lookin at their foot and if I happen to get knock unconscious they can at least get the animal off me so I can bleed out in peace and quiet....he he he....

Anywhere I am going to chain up a horse, I have a pair of bolt cutters hanging within a couple steps.

I do not put rings or anything on my pole because of what Vince stated in his response . A young mule will do some crazy things . I tie with a 5/16 rope and tie a quick release in it . Sometimes then they will have it so tight I will have to cut it . Just my way of doing it.

i dont really like the idea of being unable to turn one loose quick if i need to, but sometimes you aint got much choice. i have a TWH mare that unties knots. If she is going to be tied there more than just a little bit it takes at least four hard knots to keep her there. give her time and she will get them all untied. i have been thinkin about adding a chain with one of those quick release snaps to my hitching post

Standing and cheering? Wholey crap; my head could swell up and break!
I always tell everybody on the local trailride that I am the second best horseman they ever saw. Every body else is tied for first. I learn more that way! I always learn something from a young horse. Unless I realy read it wrong it doesn't get to exciting; but then last summer I had my right hand mare get stung by some insect. At least 4 times under her belly, may have set the record for 150 yard equine dash! The next day she had lumps the size of a mans fist under her belly. She was 9 years old and a part of a team that I feel I could not drive for a year and still they would behave better than most horses. With some health problems, I know she did at least that long once before. I always have somebody watch them at trailrides and give them the lines. I also tell them never to wiggle them or tighten up on them unless I tell them to if they try to move. They have never moved, but man have they seen strange stuff! I personaly think on the farm they would never see anything like a trailride when it turns western from poor horsemanship and lack of use! Mostly saddle horses that get rode a couple of times a year.

The first time you hook or saddle a horse just might be the easyist time. They don't know what is going on so they don't fight it. Each time from then on UNTILL they except that they have to submit to your will, they are testing you and thinking about how they can get out of it. About the third hooking is maybe the worst. Most of the time, the fifth is uneventfull and it is time for the next step. You need to move the education along fast enough that they don't get bored and only think about how to get you.

Your right on the money Don.Theres to many good horses out there to be messing with the bad ones.Costs the same to keep a good one as a bad one.When I tie up I tie to a truck inner tube tied to the hitchin post.They soon learn not to pull and just stand.But the sooner you trust them to stand on their own the better.I guess you just have to read your animsls,knowing they will try something some time.You catch it and stop it and again respect with the animals.Wet Collars help alot also.

Most of my long tieing up is 5-8 miles back in the hills while I'm hunitng.Don't do much harness work anymore. No matter how much I can trust my mules, I'm not about to trust her as much as it would make me walk back to camp. I usually have a pack mule along.The molly either chews through her lead rope of unties it. She unlocks all the gates at home unless they have a snap on them( She won't leave the pack mule and 50% of the time when I get back she is free and standing near the old one.I have tried ervy concoction there is to get her to stop chewing on the leads. Oil, Tabasco,Halt Crib, Bitter apple,pepper, chili powder.

John mules,although they don't go in to wrecks and such will test you thier entire life, just to see if what you ask them is really what you want to do.

Handling cold bloods usually is a whole lot different than young mules or even older mules

Huh, most object to leaving halters on in the pastures but have hitching post. I will hitch a single riding horse to a post but never a team. I thought I killed a horse once when I went to lunch and tied a team to the post. One went and the other pulled back so it was pinned upside down and head suspended. Hard to describe but I had a hell of a time getting her loose(finally cut the rope) I don't tie horses now unless I am within sight at all times.

Chain'em! I also always use the parking brake on all my other equipment too.

Always gonna be accidents.

Back to the original question- figure how long, strong and tall you want it then make it twice as long and 3 times as strong.

I made my hitching post out of laminated 2X6's. I put 3 boards together on all 3 pieces. On the two posts that go in the ground, the middle boards are 6 inches shorter than the outside boards. This is because the middle board in the ones going across is gonna be 6 inches longer than the two outside boards. These ends will fit together like a puzzle. This way the entire structure is laminated. I hope I haven't confused anyone.

You will confuse your horse, Wink. He'll just break it because he won't know it was enginerred to hold him. Don't you have a 6inch or bigger log to bolt across it? When a horse jumps into it, he creates a lot of kinetic energy. Far more than you realize.
Make Kari can explain it better.

chain chain chain.......
In my barn I have standing tie stalls, and chain wrapped attached to the front of the manger I just replaced them all after twenty five years. They had wore THIN......On the wall I have my inherited USA damn good big bolt cutters. I haven't needed them but that is where I keep them. Just like an inspected fire extinquisher. Cheap insurance for expensive items.

In my truck or anyplace else, I tie em with lead ropes and a quick hitch.
Dat dere bee my advice.

whatever,Dale.