What is one of the most essential pieces of equipment a horse owner needs to own a horse?
Hands up if you said, “Halter!”
A horse halter has the primary function of helping to provide control for the horse while a human is handling him. The horse halter, with the design we know today, was patented in 1984 by Henry Wagner from Iowa. The common design of a horse halter provides for multiple points of pressure to make leading a horse a safer venture.
There are many different styles of halters on the market today, which can make it confusing for even the most experienced horse owner to decide what kind of halter will work best for their horse. While this blog won’t tell you which one you should use, it will explain the different types, materials and reasons you would want to use one type over another.
Leather Halters – A leather halter offers more than just a classic look to your horse. Leather halters are most often preferred because the material is natural, it has sustainability and can break under extreme pressure if the horse were to get it hooked onto something. Keep in mind this material does require more regular care (cleaning, conditioning and oiling) than some other types to maintain.
Nylon Halters – The more utilitarian halter option, nylon halters are popular because they come in a variety of colors and patterns, and with padding or without. The cost of nylon halters varies from least expensive, single layer, to more expensive, double or triple layered. Nylon halters are durable, but that durability makes it near to impossible to break if the horse were to get caught on something.
Breakaway Halters – A breakaway halter is the marriage between a nylon and a leather halter. As the name states, a breakaway halter is designed to break off your horse’s head if there is a situation with significant pressure. These halters have a leather breakaway crown or a leather tab at the top of the halter. The rest is made of nylon.
Rope Halters – An essential tool in a trainer’s kit, the rope halter features one-piece construction with no hardware. Owners who practice a lot of groundwork or natural horsemanship often prefer rope halters over nylon or leather because of the more natural, snug fit and better direct communication. Rope halters with knots over the nose apply pressure to more points which can be helpful for training purposes. Keep in mind, rope halters are not meant to be kept on when the horse is loose due to the difficulty to break.
Mule Tape Halters – Very similar to rope halters, with the same construction, only made from mule tape. Also known as pull tape, this material is braided together for a soft, but stronger halter used often by owners out West. Mule tape halters have become popular due to the variety of colors, decorated noses and the malleability.
Show Halters – If you’re looking to hit the show pen with your horse, the best choice is a more elegant halter made of leather with silver accents to adorn your horse’s head. Show halters are used in showmanship, halter and even leadline classes and allows you to add a touch of bling to show off your horse. Show halters are more fitted to the horse’s head.
The more common show halter is what you see on a stock-type horse (i.e., American Quarter Horse, Paint Horse, Appaloosa, etc.), which is a thicker leather halter featuring silver bars on the cheeks and nose and larger silver buckles for the crown. Horses with a finer head, such as an Arabian or Miniature Horse, will use a more delicate halter made from cable, thin leather or thin chain that graces the horse’s head.
Choosing the Right Halter
With so many options of halters, it can sometimes be difficult to choose which halter to use for your horse. The good news is that any halter (with the exception of show halters) can work for you and your horse. It’s just up to you to decide what you prefer. Consider these things:
- Is your halter safe? What is the state of the material of your halter? The material needs to be in good shape to be strong and durable enough to hold and handle your horse.
- Does the halter fit properly? Halters should not be too loose or too tight. The noseband should fit snugly over the front of your horse’s nose, midway between the nostrils and the cheekbones. The throat latch should allow for only two fingers’ width to fit between the halter and the jaw. The eyes should be free of obstruction.
- What is your mission with this halter? If you’re just looking for something to lead your horse around the farm, load in a trailer and tie for grooming, you can choose any type of halter that fits your personality. However, if you’re looking to show your horse or do some groundwork, you’ll want to look at show halters or rope halters.
Still can’t decide which halter works best for you? As any horse owner knows, there’s no limit to how many halters you can have, and that includes having a wide variety of types of halters for whatever your need is. Tough1 believes halter hoarding should be allowed, and we can be your source.
