Best Safety Halters
- Thread starter sjp1
- Start date
Ive had mine break a leather head collar three times. Once whilst tied in yard. He spooked and pulled back so hard it broke. Twice caught on trailer latches whilst dancing around at funrides. Once I stupidly also clipped him in the yard onto the bridle. That also snapped. I also have had him break a nylon head collar. Nothing seems to be safe when they panic or spook.
Breaking is safer than not though. I use leather for tying and travelling as it's more likely to give and break, often looked at the ones with Velcro bits but never used one.
On the light rope halter I leave on under my bridle for long rides I used a peacock leather in between where you tie it, so that if it were to get caught it has a breaking point. And my everyday rope halter it's a quick tie one where it has a hook/buckle at the same point, which I am sure would break under pressure as it's cast.
On the light rope halter I leave on under my bridle for long rides I used a peacock leather in between where you tie it, so that if it were to get caught it has a breaking point. And my everyday rope halter it's a quick tie one where it has a hook/buckle at the same point, which I am sure would break under pressure as it's cast.
I only use my rope halter for groundwork, or if I need to make a point on her manners.
I use a headcollar the rest of the time, now I sometimes have that under my bridle instead of something that won't break.
I had my rope reins made with two break aways if stepped on, I think the company makes similar halters. I have seen rope halters with a leather breakaway added.
You could try this alternative.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Equi-Them...t=LH_DefaultDomain_3&var=&hash=item2a3db74341
It will communicate between the two. I don't like it for riding in, I just my black standard head collar.
I use a headcollar the rest of the time, now I sometimes have that under my bridle instead of something that won't break.
I had my rope reins made with two break aways if stepped on, I think the company makes similar halters. I have seen rope halters with a leather breakaway added.
You could try this alternative.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Equi-Them...t=LH_DefaultDomain_3&var=&hash=item2a3db74341
It will communicate between the two. I don't like it for riding in, I just my black standard head collar.
Last edited:
The problem is NF that the normal headcollars won't break either. This is my concern now! And the thing is, I didn't tie him up in the rope halter, I simply put it on turned away for a second to get my torch which was on my box right next to his stable and in that time, the numpty pony had managed to get it attached to the door bolt!
I now see danger everywhere when I tie him up or put a headcollar on him and it is quite stressful! I think a poor quality leather halter might do quite well - from my googling experience the Velcro ones don't always release and the Aerborne ones release too much, but thank you Domane, that was a good idea.
I now see danger everywhere when I tie him up or put a headcollar on him and it is quite stressful! I think a poor quality leather halter might do quite well - from my googling experience the Velcro ones don't always release and the Aerborne ones release too much, but thank you Domane, that was a good idea.
Ours, especially Jack, have had no problem snapping the normal webbing headcollars - they break at the metal fastenings usually. Maybe it's because I don't spend a lot of money on them. Jack was a serial headcollar snapper at one point, ping, ping, ping, for no other reason than that he didn't want to be tied up, so I don't think he found it difficult enough to cause him any pain.
It's totally understandable that you are now worried but it was also a freak accident and unlikely to happen again. In the meantime, to settle your own mind, could you not just adapt a headcollar yourself so that you know it would break under force? You could stanley-knife open one of the loops on the side of the noseband that attaches to the metal connector and then just stitch it back together, but thread a few strands of baler twine through the mended loop of webbing and then tie onto the metal connector again.... so that in force either the stitches or the twine would yield. Likewise the same with a "cheekpiece", but perhaps on the other side, so that it doesn't look ugly all in one place!! 
At least then you can relax when you tie him up.
At least then you can relax when you tie him up.
I only use leather headcollars. Ben is turned out in one and has managed to break at least 4! I pick up as many second hand as I can (as they get trashed in the field) and otherwise buy them when I see offers at shows. The most I have paid for one is £25 and that was brand new at Your Horse Live.
That is interesting about leather ones breaking more easily. Being so nostalgic for old ways, I always wanted a leather one. But my rider education didnt allow for collars and bridles to break. In my lessons, a horse that ran away was supposed to go with its bridle or head collar on? And even the lead rope.
I'm confused by what you are saying here? Just that you've never experienced it or that you were taught to do things so a horse never got caught or there was an assumption that the horse wouldn't get caught but would get away with everything in one piece? Sometimes these things just happen no matter how well educated you may be, accidents happen, it doesn't take much for a horse to get caught on something... if you horse gallops off with bridle intact, as can easily happen if a rider falls off, what's to say the reins won't flip over the horses head and get tangled in their legs?! The leather (usually and hopefully) will snap under such pressure. And if a horse gallops off with it's headcollar on and leadrope still attached I should blooming hope that something (usually the clip) will snap or the horse could seriously injure itself if it happened to stand on the leadrope.
A friend's horse did exactly the same as Tobes with his bridle on and the cheekpiece snapped.
I have a Rambo safety headcollar. It has two levels of velcro attachment. One breaks apart at 40kg of pressure and the other at 80kg (if I remember rightly). I used to use it over Rubic's grazing muzzle. I have no use for it now so if you decide you want to give that a try then you are welcome to have it for a minimal amount. I had punched an extra hole in the headpiece. I've never actually seen it at work to be honest but it is only velcro, I would think it would come apart fairly easily, the velcro on Rubic's grazing muzzle always did.
Last edited:
I would go for a cheapy or second hand leather. We had this discussion the other day about someone who insisted her horses wore field safe headcollars, her horses would break it and bog off whenever they were being lead anywhere!
I was taught. Meaning I learned to ride as an older adult. My learning involved learning how to lead a horse. And later teaching a horse how to be led. No RI ever used or spoke of using a collar or bridle that would part. For our safety we were taught to let go if a horse ran. I am not saying you are wrong. Just that my horsey education did not include the suggestion that a horse might be injured by its collar . I have ridden 13 years now and led horses to and fro on roads and tracks and never saw any incident . But this is urban London. It is easier for police and passers by to grab a loose horse that has a collar on. The main danger to loose horses here comes from fast moving traffic.
I'm quite surprised that no-one has ever taught you about the safety of the horse in 13 years (and that is what this is about), not just rider/handler safety. Yes you should let go of a bolting horse for the safety point of the handler or rider but what about the horse; trailing reins/ropes still pose a danger which is why they should break under pressure, even standard (not safety) headcollars and ropes. It isn't just when a horse is being lead, it is when a horse is out in the field, in the stable or tied up. I have to say that one of the most horrible things I have seen happen on a yard was a small pony tied up to thick baler twine nearly choking himself... all because the baler twine, the lead rope or the head collar didn't give way under such a relatively small amount of pressure. His young owner had tied him up loosely and he managed to twist the lead rope around his neck, he got a fright at something, panicked and the leadrope tightened. Luckily a few of us were nearby and someone grabbed scissors and cut the twine. Had he been tied directly to the tie ring I think he would have died or at the very least been seriously injured because none of us would have been able to break the leadrope or headcollar so quickly... try taking a headcollar or leadrope off a pony that is panicking and you will struggle! One of the first things I was taught when I was learning about handling a horse was, for the safety of the horse not to tie them straight to the wall, gate etc so that in the event they panicked, like any horse can, they had the best chance of breaking free without injury. I was taught why you shouldn't leave a horse tacked up unattended.
Last edited:
Can we stop alleging I have been taught negligently by assuming things not mentioned in my post. Like most people I was taught to use bailer twine and to tie the quick release knot, official knot from the Pony Club Handbook. That has nothing to do with providing a break point in the head collar or bridle itself. The training I got and what was done at both yards was the same as the staff were taught for BHS stages and NVQs. In any RS I have been to locally, horses are bridled and left in boxes ready for lessons. Or with a head collar as well they may be tied up in the yard via bailer twine. When one helps on a yard one does what the yard manger tells one!
I explained it was no criticism of you. Just being honest that this is the first time I have come across this topic. That could be because our horses are not turned out in head collars.
I explained it was no criticism of you. Just being honest that this is the first time I have come across this topic. That could be because our horses are not turned out in head collars.
I think its something that is often overlooked but it is the reason we use leather generally, rope would work but doesn't break so is generally avoided or not used in risk situations or used with a breaking point.
I know of a colt who was tied in rope halter to a fence rail while they got another halter, the poor thing got a scare and broke his own neck fighting to flee
this was a very experianced horseman who had just brought in his 30 odd yearlings to assess them, it was an extream situation and an inexperianced horse and it ended very sadly.
I know of a colt who was tied in rope halter to a fence rail while they got another halter, the poor thing got a scare and broke his own neck fighting to flee
this was a very experianced horseman who had just brought in his 30 odd yearlings to assess them, it was an extream situation and an inexperianced horse and it ended very sadly. newrider.com