Halters: Attractive or Effective?

It seems that the majority of the population favors the nylon web halters over the rope halter. Maybe it is because of the large variety of colors and patterns that are available and the customized nameplates you can attach. Perhaps it is the attractive look we have all been accustomed to like! Or simply the fact that they are not aware of the effectiveness of rope halters. The fact is the nylon web halters offer less leverage for you when you are handling your horse. This applies to leather halters as well.

Horses learn to lean on the nylon web halter and are slow to respond when you are asking them to move. At first they may respond but once they have learned to lean into the halter they become desensitized to it.

Rope halters or horseman’s halters on the other hand offer more leverage for you when you are asking your horse to move. Because the rope is smaller in diameter than the web it is more flexible and allows the horse to feel the movement of the halter shank and snap better. When you ask your horse to move by using the halter you apply pressure. When pressure is applied to web halters the pressure is dispersed throughout the head and act as a harness for the horse whereas the knots in the rope halter apply pressure points on the horses head and gives you more leverage with less effort.

It is extremely helpful to have a snap connecting the halter shank to the halter. By having a weighted snap you can be clear and effective in your communication with your horse. When the snap is not moving and hanging straight down the horse learns to relax and when the snap is moving the horse learns to get moving.

It’s important to use a rope halter that is the correct size for the horse. If it is ill fit or too loose the snap can come up too close to the eye.

The knot that is used to tie the rope halter on the head is also important. A good knot will stay tied tightly and will prevent the tail of the halter from getting too close to the horse's eye.

Here’s a diagram on how to tie a good knot. Notice that the knot is tied to the loop of the halter and not above the loop. If it is tied above the loop it comes loose.

It is very important with all halters to NOT leave them on a horse when it is loose or turned out to pasture. If you need to leave the halter on a horse to catch it, it’s better off to train it to be caught instead. The reason for this is because horses can get the halters hung up on a fence, pole, branch etc. which could result in extremely bad injuries or even be fatal.

Since I have used the rope halters I haven’t gone back to a nylon web halter. I found that they are the most effective when handling/training horses and require less effort. To everyone who isn’t already using a horseman’s halter, I encourage you to try it out!

Good rope halters can be purchased online or you can even learn to tie your own!

Comments

[Mark Roberts]

Pack Horses in the Duke of Wellington's army had hempen rope halters. They were not as elegant as those worn by the Pack Horses in Napoleon's army, which were of tooled leather, but when they broke, the Duke's men just tied a knot in them and carried on.

[Darren Wetherill]

Thanks for the piece of history Mark!
Very interesting! Do you know if anyone makes/uses these halters these days?

[Roxanne Michalski]

since I first used my rope halter at the request of my trainer I will not use anything else...it has also replaced my bridle, my horse and I are more happy with each other. I do still use a bit and bridle on occassion but we both prefer the control of the rope halter and the freedom.

[Darren Wetherill]

Roxanne - I agree with you, rope halters are much more enjoyable to ride with. It allows your horse to have more freedom and causes you to use the feel of your body more than a bit to communicate with you horse. I use the bit when I am practicing more advanced movements and only use it on a mature horse. Thanks for the comment!

[Mona]

Darren,
I completely agree with you. I only started using rope halters a few months ago and the difference it amazing. My horses response very well the rope halter and I often ride with one now. I can tell my mare likes it better than a bit. My plan is to get a rope halter bridle so I can ride with it all the time and hang that bit up for occasional use. I don't know why I didn't try this type of halter sooner.
For those of you interested in trying a rope halter I suggestion doing a lot of ground work with the halter before trying it for riding.
By the way, I am going to be adding you as a Horse Approved Trainer on my Horse approved website. http://www.horseapproved.com

[Mary Risavi]

Mona - Thank you very much for adding Darren to your website. Unfortunately he is in a remote area of Canada so he is unable to respond to your post. I completely agree how wonderful the rope halters are! Good suggestion about doing ground work with the halter prior to riding.
Thanks for all the great posts!
Mary

[Sam]

I just bought a rope halter, and so far it is amazing! I used to have a nylon halter, but it was not near as effective as the rope halter. I am truely amazed with my rope halter, and will not be going back to any other. Though I had made this decision before reading your artical, I still think that everything you have typed out here is true, and that others should follow after it.

[Mary]

Hi Sam,
That's great! I recently showed a sport horse breeder the difference and she was amazed as well. It makes all the difference when trying to communicate with the horse. It is important that people understand rope halters are not to be used in cross-ties. I don't recommend using cross-ties period but if someone chooses to use them they should definitely not tie a horse in the rope halter. If a horse panics the knots can actually tighten up on the head. Enjoy your new halter and keep us posted!

[Gail]

My 15 yr old daughter uses a rope halter. Her 8yr old mare has never had a bit in her mouth. (She has been raised by natural horsemanship owners)and we have had her for 4 months.My daughter has done alot of ground work with lessons.She takes her horse on the rode & trails mostly.
A friend is concerned and stated that she should be using a bridle , or at least a hackamore or add a bazell to the halter (spelling?)
If a horse were to spook or bolt does the rider have more control using a bridle vs the rope halter or does it make a difference at all.
Please advise.
A concerned "non-savvy" mom.

[Mary]

Hi Gail,
Thanks for writing! Well, I would say it is very impressive that your daughter is riding in a rope halter. I would highly recommend it and feel it is the best way to start a horse. Bridles and bits give people a false sense of security. We think we can control the horse when we have control of its head/mouth. While there might be some truth to this I also feel that there are more humane gentle ways to obtain control and good communication with a horse. A rope halter is a great way to do this. Once your daughter and her horse have good communication they can enhance their riding experience by upgraded to a bridle and bit. But this is done in a smooth and caring transition and complete acceptance from the horse and rider. The natural horsemanship influence is wonderful for your daughter!

[DEE]

I completly agree! To those of you who have not yet tried the rope halters...PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE GIVE THEM A TRY!!! I am working on groundwork with a 6 year old mare that I adopted from a rescue. Though she's very sweet, she has demonstrated some very disrespectful behavior that needed to be addressed. Since using the rope halter she has done a complete turn around and our relationship is developing on the right track, with her seeing me as the leader and her no longer trying to lead me around.

These halters are awesome and give you such better control and confidence, a definite must for anyone who understands the necessity of groundworking your horses for safety and respect. Things can get down right dangerous if your horse doesn't see you as the leader. If you don't establish that trust and respect on the ground together first, it will be non-existent while you are up in the saddle and that can get pretty crazy really fast, especially if your horse bolts or spooks.

Here is a website to check out for natural horsemanship QUALITY products (the exact same stuff Clinton Anderson uses), but at a very REASONABLE price. These people are honest and great to do business with.

Google: Half Circle Ranch

(Check them out....you won't be disappointed in your investment)...Also, you may want to look at getting a "carrot/handy stick" as well if your are working on groundwork with your horse...it acts as an extension of your hand and is a great tool. A wise horse trainer shared all this knowledge with me (I was so grateful) and now I am passing it along to you. HAPPY TRAILS!!!