Why Rope Halters are Cool

What is the weakest point on any halter? Believe it or not it's the points where the halter material connects with the metal buckles and rings.  This is true for any halter, whether it be nylon or leather; however rope halters for the most part don't have any metal parts.  Sure there are some these days with a metal ring or two, but for the most part a rope halter is still one piece of rope knotted at certain points to make an incredibly strong and durable product.  I prefer rope halters over leather or nylon because of that strength, and also for their simplicity and versatility.

       

A basic rope halter

                                     
Not only do I lead and tie off with a rope halter, but I also ride and lunge with them.  By doing this I can do all my training for the day with just one piece of equipment, instead of needing a halter, lead rope, lunge line and bridle.  My ropes stay on my halters so all I really need to grab is one thing.

"But do your horses respect the rope halter when you're riding in it?  My horse is very headstrong and I think he would run through a rope halter."

Start in the round pen the first time you ride in rope.  Before you even get on, make sure your horse will give to pressure readily on the ground; flexing to both sides and backing with just a light touch.  When you ask your horse to stop the first few times, turn him into the fence.  Make sure you keep a loose rein so that when you pick up on one rein your horse doesn't get mixed signals.  Always start slow and small.  Keep it to a walk and stay in the round pen for the first few rides, until you get your horse stopping and turning consistently.  If you do that, your horse should learn not to run through the halter.  I personally have only had one horse run through the halter, and it was because I didn't prepare her correctly.  Totally my fault.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NFJbTutrKo

The above link is really good for learning how to make reins on a rope halter.  If you want to get right to how to tie the knot you can skip to 3:23, but I would recommend watching the full video as there are some good points said.  This guy's horses also give to pressure incredibly well, so watch for that and let it be your example for when you are teaching your own horse to give to pressure.  There is like, half of an almost curse word said at the beginning, so parents might want to watch before kids, but it's really not bad.  A little kid probably wouldn't pick it up anyways.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6s-KZWOssak

A properly fitted rope halter

This other link is really good for learning how to properly secure your rope halter on your horse.  The video also shows how the halter should sit on your horse.  The noseband should sit about halfway between the eyes and the nostrils (a little higher is also acceptable) and the throatlatch should tuck behind the jaw to prevent the halter from sliding off.  The throatlatch should also be tight enough to keep the halter on, but loose enough so that nothing is restricted.  It is much tighter than a bridle throatlatch, but don't worry: rope halters are designed to be tighter, and if fitted properly shouldn't restrict breathing or swallowing.  No naughty words in this one, so kids can watch and learn.

So that't the basic stuff on rope halters and why I like them and why you should like them too.  Good luck with your horses and happy trails!

P.S.
I would recommend going to your local tack shop to get a halter so you can really look at them and feel them and get one that's right for you and your horse.  If you really want to buy online here are some links:

Clinton Anderson's rope halter is mentioned in the first video.  A good simple halter.

Double Diamond has a large selection of halters, however they are wholesale only and you'll have to find a store that sells their stuff.  Also make sure to wrap the metal end in duct tape or electrical tape to prevent possible eye injury.

B&H gives you a ton of options for a more customized feel.  They're not wholesale so you can order a halter straight from the site.