How To

How to choose Your Rope Halter

When it comes to choosing a rope halter you first need to understand the horse you are working with
and what you, as a handler, are trying to accomplish. We’ll start off with the most sensitive types of horses
and most inexperienced handlers then work our way up in degrees of ability to deliver cues.
Horse stink eye

Sensitive horses and inexperienced handlers:
Soft 1/4" 2-Knot Halters

These two together isn’t typically a combination that you want to see. But when it comes to the type of rope halter that works best for them the Soft 1/4” 2-Knot Halter is the answer.

This is because the softness of the rope offers a more subtle feel.

We’re taking about the “I respond to the feel of a fly” Horses and “Can you explain what you mean by getting to the feet again?” Handler.

Sensitive horses don’t need greater direct pressure or greater points of contact to understand what’s being asked of them. To be clear, by sensitive we mean horses that are quick to follow your feel, they don’t push or brace against you and they respect the cues being given. They might be young colts just learning or they may be your most trusted bomb proof lesson horse. Age and experience don’t always translate directly to their level of sensitivity.

So why does an inexperienced handler need a Soft 1/4” 2-Knot Halter? As with any new skill, learning proper ground work takes time and some failures before you really get the hang of it. Using a softer rope with only two nose band knots gives the handler a bit of a natural brake to their clumsy first attempts and prevents them from over-correcting too hard on their horse.

Black horse with black halter

The "mostly well-rounded with some sticky spots" Handler and Horse:
Firm 1/4" 2-Knot Halters

When both the handler and the horse are fairly well-versed in ground work techniques but there is some room for improvement the Firm 1/4” 2-Knot Halter is a great choice. It offers more give than a stiff halter but has a firmer delivery than a soft halter.

This type of scenario in the horse might look like either a cue that isn’t being followed well or just a bit of heaviness in the execution. In a handler it may be someone who is a little too timid or soft in the feel that they are offering up. They need those cues to translate with a little more directness than a softer rope can give them.

Silly horse face

The Dull, Disrespectful or Distracted Horse and the Experienced Handler: Stiff 1/4” 2-Knot Halter

You just pictured a specific horse when you read that didn’t you? We’ve all known them. These horses fall into a few types which I’ll describe bellow but in general the Stiff 1/4” 2-Knot Halter is a good choice when working with them.

For the handler using this halter; he or she should be experienced in groundwork with good timing and greater control in both speed and application of feel than an average handler. This is because the stiffness of this halter does an excellent job in translating feel. However, that same high-degree translation paired with rough handling or poor timing can do more harm than good.

The dull horses are typically the result of being over-handled. That behavior can show up as leaning into their halters and generally moving with either a lot of heaviness or just lack of impulsion. 

The disrespectful horse, is pretty obvious in their attitude about going to work. They are the horses that have gotten used to taking control in a situation, they are pushy on the ground and frequently try to go “through” whatever they see as the problem rather than respecting and following their handlers. 

Lastly, the distracted horses are just that. They tend to look everywhere but towards their handler and following a feel is the last thing on their minds. 

The Stiff 1/4″ 2-Knot Halter is perfect for these scenarios.

The Extremely Dull, Disrespectful or Distracted Horse and the Professional Handler:
Stiff 3/16” 2-Knot Halter

** Coming to the store soon**

We recommend that our 3/16″ Halters only be used by Professional Handlers and Trainers.

These halters can do more harm than good in the wrong hands but for a trainer or handler they can be an appropriate tool to help the more serious cases. We’re talking about the horses that really need the next level of “pay attention this means something”. That’s where the Stiff 3/16″ 2-Knot Halter is a great solution.

The “it’s getting dangerous” Disrespectful or Distracted Horse and the Professional Handler:
Stiff 3/16” 4-Knot Halter

** Coming to the store soon**

As with the Stiff 3/16″ 2-knot Halter we recommend that our 3/16″ Halters only be used by Professional Handlers and Trainers.

The Stiff 3/16″ 4-Knot Halter offers the most abrupt cue delivery of any of our halters and should only be used in situations that call for it.

So there you have it!

If you have any questions don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’re always happy to talk horse stuff! 

Or if you’re ready to make a purchase you can find those handy links right here:

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