What Is the Difference Between a Slip Horse Halter & Regular Horse Halter?

Traditional halters and slip halters both serve a purpose for restraining, leading and working with your horse while you are on the ground. Slip halters, sometimes known as rope halters, serve an additional purpose for training and even occasional riding. While many people appreciate the convenience of a traditional halter, horses that need training in ground manners respond well to a slip halter. If you choose a slip halter for your horse, contact a trained professional to show you how to use it properly for training. A slip halter can be a useful training aid, but if used improperly, can cause your horse distress and pain.

  1. Pressure Points

    • Traditional halters restrain a horse and allow you to lead him from one location to another. A slip halter can apply pressure to key points on the horse's head to increase focus. Your horse will yield to minimum pressure from a rope halter versus the broader strap on a traditional halter. Be careful not to choose or make a slip halter with knots over the nose or across the poll of the horse. These additional knots can cause unnecessary pain.

    Material

    • A thick slip halter can educate a horse without causing pain.

      Traditional halters are typically made with nylon, leather, or a combination of the two materials. Slip halters are made with rope and pre-assembled, or you can customize your own halter to suit your horse. The severity of your corrections will depend on the width and size of the rope used on a slip halter. A thicker rope will give milder, less severe instructions to your horse while a thinner rope will give a sharper aid.

    Daily Use and Emergencies

    • A traditional halter can be kept on while the horse is in a stall or turned out in a field to make catching him easy. It is also a safeguard in case he gets loose. In an emergency situation such as a fire or natural disaster, a traditional halter can have your horse's name and your contact information inscribed on it. A slip halter should only be used when you are working with your horse, as the rope can get caught on fencing or another object and the horse may panic and become injured.

    Training and Riding

    • A traditional halter should only be used when you are working with your horse on the ground. Riding a horse with a traditional halter can result in mixed signals and a horse that may be difficult to control. A slip halter, when used in conjunction with reins, can be used as a bridle due to the pressure a horse feels on the noseband when you pull on the reins. A slip halter can be used frequently if you neck-rein your horse. Neck-reining is typically used in Western riding. The rider lays a rein on the horse's neck, and the horse yields to the pressure and turns away from the rein.