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  Discussion on Halter on or off in pasture- yes or no??
Author Message
Member:
Cindylou

Posted on Saturday, Nov 22, 2003 - 6:38 pm:

Looking for feedback-all I have ever read is that it is not safe for horses to have halters on in the pasture- yet many farms still have horses in halters in their pastures. I have heard( know the person who had it happen) of a horse put down because he got his front hoof caught in the halter-which resulted in a terrible break. Have read that this is taboo- yet- I see it all the time- would appreciate anyone's experiences/views or opinions. If one is forced to halter( boarding situation) what is the safest way to go- a breakaway halter- and if so - what type is best??/Thank you!
Member:
Tagloili

Posted on Saturday, Nov 22, 2003 - 7:27 pm:

I would suggest:

https://www.jeffersequine.com/ssc/search_results.asp?CID=1&mscssid=US0KD8RQHB5K8K 11K5GRL1BBX0EC57H9&keywords=breakaway%20halter&category=All&animal=All
Member:
Mrose

Posted on Sunday, Nov 23, 2003 - 12:42 am:

imo-halter in pasture? NO, NO, NO.
However, If for some reason you must put a halter on a horse in pasture, why not use a velcro attached break-away, or make a break-away halter yourself by using light twine that will easily break (if the horse catches it on something)in place of the buckle. Once you catch the horse, fasten the buckle properly.
Member:
Bonita

Posted on Sunday, Nov 23, 2003 - 10:10 am:

It depends on the horse & the situation.

To start with, I buy (& LOVE) only Gatsby leather halters for all of my horses. They come in a variety of sizes - suckling, weanling, yearling, Arab, pony, cob, horse, oversize - & are well-oiled, soft, single-ply leather. They look nice, are cheap ($20-$30), AND the biggest plus in my opinion - they stretch &/or break under stress.

I would never, ever use nylon - even with the supposedly "breakaway" leather crownpiece - because in my experience the crown is not necessarily going to break unless the halter is caught in a very specific way.

With that said, if my horses are going to be out overnight or I'm not going to be around, they go out halterless. If I'm going to be home, I usually leave them on. Now for rambunctious youngsters that are still learning the "manners" ropes, I usually leave halters on for turnout, but again - the few times anyone has had an apparent problem, the halter has broken.
Member:
Shanson

Posted on Sunday, Nov 23, 2003 - 11:27 am:

It's true that horses have been terribly injured wearing non-breakaway halters in pasture. An acquaintance of mine lost her horse to this. She kept him in a large pasture wearing a nylon halter. She didn't know any better. This is one of those things where, most of the time, people get away with it with no problems. She wasn't so lucky. She came home one day and found him dead in the pasture with his foot caught in halter. Evidentally, he tried to scratch or something and it caught. He struggled until he was mortally injured and died. She was devastated. Never leave a halter on an unattended horse at pasture. Or, if you absolutely have to, be sure it's a breakaway.
Member:
Cindylou

Posted on Sunday, Nov 23, 2003 - 12:10 pm:

Thanks everyone for your input. I am going into a new boarding situation and I am not sure if I will have a choice- I am going to respectfully ask that my horses are not haltered in any cirumstance- but does anyone know ( if the answer if no...) where I could find a true breakaway halter- I mean velcro- so I know it is going to breakaway-without question. I know leather will break- but I would think it would have to be quite a large amount of pressure before it does. My horses never run away or are hard to catch- so I am hoping they will agree to have mine go harlterless. At the same time- I need a solution I truly feel comfortable with-velcro sounds like a great option- but I can't find one anywhere. I found one that has a leather tab- but I just worry that the pressure would have to be just right.
Member:
Bonita

Posted on Sunday, Nov 23, 2003 - 12:25 pm:

What type of turnout will your horses have - private or group?

I know that some boarding facilities I've encountered that turn out in large groups tend to leave halters on as a "people" safety issue. When it's time to come in, trying to halter each & every one of a large group milling/ootzying around the gate can be hazardous - especially if they don't all have perfect manners.
Member:
Westks

Posted on Sunday, Nov 23, 2003 - 2:16 pm:

A horse cannot get hoof caught in a properly fitted halter, but they can get it caught on a steel post and results can be horrible. It is best not to do it, however I have left halters on horses that are very hard to catch until I got them to be easy to catch.
Member:
Cindylou

Posted on Sunday, Nov 23, 2003 - 5:30 pm:

I am hoping I have a choice. I will be a new boarder and there are only so many things one can request- but I will request this-for safety reasons. I only wish I could find a true breakaway- with velcro so I wouldn't have to worry.As I said earlier- my horses are always easy to catch- they will walk up to you- and they will be in a pasture with only one other horse- they are all friendly. I think I will buy breakaways anyway- because even if they say ok- my horses will be the only ones without a halter- and I fear the staff may get confused- so I will have one just in case. Thanks again everyone.
Member:
Tagloili

Posted on Sunday, Nov 23, 2003 - 6:20 pm:

I have been using the safety breakaway halters with the leather fuse (is actually very thin leather and will break easily) and have encountered no problems with them.
Member:
Mrose

Posted on Sunday, Nov 23, 2003 - 10:24 pm:

I had a velcro one. I think it was a Hamilton. It wasn't in the catalogs. If I remember right, I called either the catalog (maybe Stateline?) or Hamilton and they had them in stock. The one I had was for a burro we had adopted. She wore it until she was trained to halter.
Member:
Ajudson1

Posted on Sunday, Nov 23, 2003 - 11:43 pm:

I remember seeing an article once about useing a string somehow on the halter. You used the string thru the buckle, so you didn't change the halter any, but it was then a "breakaway halter".
Sorry I can't remember the details, but maybe someone does. Probably in a "Horse Illustrated" or "Equus" mag as those were the ones I got for yrs.

If I leave halters on, they are very snug fitting and go off asap, like when they are back in the main pasture.

What about when you see horses with a collar like thing around the neck? Usually with a tag on it. People leave halters on because they are afraid they can't catch the horse. Maybe the collar thingy would be an idea that would please everyone. Unless they are too strong and dangerous also.
Member:
Beezle

Posted on Monday, Nov 24, 2003 - 1:11 pm:

One of my horses was hard to catch and was boarded in a 75 acre turnout. There was NO WAY I could catch him there without a halter, unless I caught all the other horses first and he thought it was dinnertime. I used the kind of breakaway halter that is a normal nylon halter with a small leather tab that breaks with pressure (not the kind with the full leather head piece). I know it works because my horse pulled back in the ties once and broke it. I think they have these kind of breakaway halters at State Line Tack.

I do prefer turnout without a halter, but if you have to turn out with one, I think this kind is okay.

Becky
Member:
Dommay

Posted on Monday, Nov 24, 2003 - 1:25 pm:

Where can we go to read how to get a hard to catch horse a not so hard to catch horse. the only time i can catch a 5 yo I recently purchased is by locking him in the stall either at breakfast or dinner time. And I do leave a halter on him, but do not want to. I have it very snug on him as well to avoid looseness and catching something.
Thanks!
Member:
Trouble

Posted on Monday, Nov 24, 2003 - 3:21 pm:

If you can't find a breakaway halter you might try buying an inexpensive nylon halter and take it to your local shoe repair shop and ask them to sew a piece of velcro about 5 or 6 inches long on the crown.

Our local shoe repair guy can sew just about anything. He has repaired many a horsey item for me. All I have to do is show him what I want. Hope this helps.
Member:
Kel4s

Posted on Monday, Nov 24, 2003 - 3:36 pm:

Cindy,

I found the following at: https://www.theartfarm.com/riveroutpost/products.html#halter

I think it makes any halter a breakaway and it uses velcro like you want. I've listed their advertisement at the bottom. Good luck

Kellie

From Website:
Break Away Halter Attachment
Today's nylon horse halters are death traps. It is natural for a trapped horse to try to get away. Some fight til death. If they don't die, the unbreakable nylon causes their faces to become disfigured or their muscles permanently injured.
The halter attachement consists of a nylon webbed strap lined with velcro closures and a superior quality smooth and 'horse' comfortable buckle that fastens to the regular halter at the crown. This new product works! The velcro pulls apart if a horse becomes caught or entangled.
The Break Away Halter Attachment can prevent injury:

On the trail
During pasture turnout
When picketed overnight
When tied to your trailer
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Available in: Red, Brown, Blue, Green or Black
9.95 plus 3.95 shipping and handling
Member:
Mrose

Posted on Tuesday, Nov 25, 2003 - 12:40 am:

The Horse Journal's latest issue has an article on Breakaway halters, listing pros and cons of ea. model, price, etc.
Member:
Cindylou

Posted on Tuesday, Nov 25, 2003 - 6:24 pm:

I went to the website Kellie suggested and got velcro strips that you add to the halter- perfect! Thanks again everyone!
Member:
Goodie

Posted on Tuesday, Dec 2, 2003 - 7:52 pm:

I have my own horses on the same property with the 30+ that I manage. I have all ages and attitudes and have found that the breakaway crowns are the best for us. It doesn't take a lot of pressure at certain angles (I think someone finally did some research and lightened the leather) and although I had a lot of misgivings about taking care of so many horses with halters on, I have found that the breakaways really do work. I like the crowns better than the jaw (2" piece of leather at the jowel area) breakaways as the jaw tend to snap the second any type of pressure is applied, such as a tug while leading. That was a dangerous lesson learned but thank heavens it was in a pasture. The crown pieces we use we get from Stateline Tack and are only $15 for the halter and $3 for a replacement crown. My personal horses wear nylon collars because I don't like how the faces get all rubbed up by the halter. My collars fit with a 3" gap and I can lead and catch my horses with no problem. I know that someone is going to get upset with this, but most of the time, I don't even use a halter. My horses respond well and stand with just the collar. My babies have been wearing collars for 5 years. I make my own out of nylon and buckles or velcro, depending on how safe I feel their pasture is. (I did a lot of moving around)
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