Nothing’s easy with horses. That’s especially true for one of the most common and essential items your horse will need – the halter. It’s used to lead and tie up an animal, which is done almost every day. A lead line or rope is used too, most often attached under the jaw or sometimes at the cheek.
Understanding that is the simple part, right? The harder is deciding which variety you need, leather or nylon, the two most popular choices. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of each.
Leather halters
This is the classic choice, and one of the most popular reasons for it is because it looks good on your horse. That doesn’t, however, necessarily mean it’s the best. A more important issue is safety, and leather halters offer snaps – that means the horse can break away if the halter gets tangled or caught-up in something. Leather is going to cost a little more, but some consider the safety feature worth it. A minor downside is that you’ll need to clean them regularly, just like you do the saddle and bridle.
Nylon halters
This style is super-strong, which is the very problem most have with it – horses can get injured if the nylon halter gets caught or tangled in something. If you’re not planning to leave the halter on for an extended period of time, this might be a good option for you. However, some styles don’t include the knots that are intended to place pressure on specific spots on the horse. On the flip side, they’re more affordable, they come in a lot of colors and they clean up fast.
Other halters
It should be pointed out that although leather and nylon are the most popular, they’re not your only options. Rope halters are another solid option and share many of the same benefits as nylon, but they’re joined by knots instead of sewn into rings. Most designs have no metal, and a loop is formed on the left side of the crownpiece, and the right side is brought over the horse’s head.
Whatever halter you choose depends on the activities you and your horse like to do. Figure that out first and enjoy the rest.
