What You Should Know When Buying a Horse Halter
Horse halter shopping can leave a new horse owner more than a little confused.
What’s better, nylon or leather? Should you get a halter that breaks loose when pressured or stays strong?
There are many features to consider when you’re assessing your options, but it all comes down to quality and the way it fits your horse. If the halter isn’t made with superior materials, it will break faster. If it’s not sized correctly, it may agitate your horse.
Which Material Do You Prefer?
The first thing you must do is pick a material type. Leather is traditional, and it’s one of the most popular materials because it looks handsome. One of the benefits of leather is that it will break free if the horse is trapped, making it ideal when it’s in transit or out to pasture.
Nylon is the cheapest material, which makes it affordable to use on a daily basis. You can also customize the colors to give your horse some style. While nylon-only halters won’t break, you can purchase options with a leather crownpiece that offer emergency breakaway.
Rope is another choice, but try to reserve it for training only. You want the horse to avoid rope burn, plus rope likely won’t break in an emergency — it’s too tough.
The material that’s right for you and your horse will depend on how you plan to use it.
Consider the Hardware Too
Always ask about the type of metal used in the halter’s construction. Cheap metal rusts quickly, making the halter wear out much faster than it should. Rusted clips can break, or scratch your horse. Look for brass — it’s a durable metal that will last longer.
How Should it Fit?
Halters shouldn’t be too tight or too loose. You should be able to slide two or three fingers in between the noseband and the horse’s face, and halter should easily slide on and off.
Make sure it doesn’t constrict the horse’s jaw movement. Since horse halter sizes aren’t standardized, check before you buy to see if you can return the halter if it doesn’t fit as well as you’d like.
Get the Best
When it comes to selecting the right horse halter, the most expensive one might not be the best choice for your horse. Still, the more it costs, the higher the likelihood it will be a quality product.
Follow this rule of thumb — set your budget and get the best product you can buy in your price range. The good news is, you can find durable, comfortable options at Frontier Trailers & Roping Supply in Spanish Fork, Utah. Talk to our staff about the features to look for, and get the most value out of your horse halter.