Rope Halter Instructions

If you have the time and patience, you can learn to tie a simple rope halter for your horse. Because of the knots, these will not be as comfortable as a manufactured halter, but they can be used when a halter is required in a jiffy. Learning to tie a halter will take patience and practice. The length of rope required and the spacing between the knots will depend on the size of the horse.

Things You'll Need

  • Rope
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Instructions

    • 1

      Measure a length of rope. Use 22 feet for an average or typical size horse, 20 feet for a smaller, medium build horse, like an Arabian, and 24 feet for a larger horse.

    • 2

      Measure 32 inches from the end of the rope for placing the first knot (30 inches for a smaller and 34 for a larger horse). Tie the first overhand knot. This is the right ear knot.

    • 3

      Measure 9 inches and tie the second knot, which is the right nose knot. Measure 8 inches for smaller and 10 inches for larger horses.

    • 4

      Measure 10 inches and place the third knot, which is the left nose knot. This length of rope stretches across the horse's nose. Measure 9 inches for smaller and 11 inches for larger horses.

    • 5

      Measure 33 inches for average, 31 for smaller and 35 for larger horses. Make the next knot, which is the throat latch knot.

    • 6

      Measure 10 inches and make a knot with a small loop at the end. This is the tie loop knot. Measure 9 inches for smaller and 11 for larger horses. Make the tie loop about 4 inches long.

    • 7

      Measure 10 inches from the tie loop knot (9 for smaller and 11 for larger horses). Take this point and thread the rope back through and into the existing left nose knot, tying it together using a double overhand knot.

    • 8

      Double the rope along the stretch that bridges across the nose, so that you measure a matching 10 inches (9 for smaller and 11 for larger horses) and again, thread the rope into the right nose knot for another double overhand knot.

    • 9

      Measure 33 inches (31 for smaller and 35 for larger horses). Take this point of the rope and double it back to the throat latch knot. Thread the rope through the original knot for another double overhand knot.

    • 10

      Twist the rope harness around so that it is roughly in the position that the horse would wear it. Then, continuing from the last double knot, measure another 10 inches (9 for smaller and 11 for larger horses) and connect this to the right ear knot with a double overhand knot. Now the harness should really look like a harness.

    • 11

      Grab the two 33-inch sections, which should be hanging down. Place these together and tie a knot in them at the bottom. Here is where the lead rope goes into the halter under your horse's chin. The knot should have loops approximately 4 inches long. Don't tie this knot too tightly as you'll need to adjust it once the halter is on your horse.

    • 12

      Trim the dangling ends of rope to the same length. If desired, use a flame to melt the ends of rope together to prevent unraveling.