Things You'll Need
- Halter
- Lead rope
- Horse
Instructions
Nylon and Leather Halters
Make sure that you can properly identify the main parts of the halter. The halter is essentially two large loops connected to one another. The first loop, called the noseband, is permanently connected and is made up of the nosepiece and the chinpiece, which also bears the tie ring. This piece will slide over your horse's nose. The second loop is able to be unbuckled and is made up of the throatlatch, which passes in front of the horse's throat and the crownpiece, or poll strap, which passes behind its ears.
Inspect your halter and lead rope to make sure they are in good repair. The buckle on the halter and the clip on the lead rope should be in good working condition, not coming loose from the halter nor rusted. The nylon should not be frayed and the leather should not be torn.
Unbuckle the halter. It is important to do this before you begin so that you won't have to fight with the buckle under your horse's head while trying to put the halter on.
Clip the lead rope to the tie ring on the chinpiece. This also should be done before you begin to halter your horse, as the lead rope acts as a restraint during the process.
Approach the horse from the front left side with the halter and lead rope in hand. Although the halter will fasten correctly on either side, horses are traditionally handled on the left.
Pass the lead rope in front of the horse and loop it over its shoulder until you can hold both ends of the rope in one hand. This creates a loop that helps restrain the horse while you halter it.
Slip the nosepiece over the horse's nose. It should fit snugly about 2 inches under its cheekbones.
Pass the crownpiece with the buckle on the end behind the horse's ears and bring the throatlatch up to meet it.
Buckle the halter.
Cinch the halter if needed. It should fit snugly, but not so snugly that you are unable to put two fingers underneath the straps that run down your horse's cheek and over its nose.
Unloop the lead rope from around your horse.
Rope Halters
Make sure that you can properly identify the main parts of your rope halter. The construction is very similar to that of a nylon or leather halter but there will be no rings or buckles. Instead of a tie ring, there will be a loop underneath the chinpiece and in place of the buckle there will be a loop on the end of the throatlatch to which you will tie the loose end of the crownpiece.
Inspect your halter and lead rope to make sure they are in good repair. The rope should never be frayed or worn.
Untie the halter. It is important to do this before you begin so that you won't have to fight with the knot under your horse's head while trying to put the halter on.
Tie the lead rope to the tie loop on the chinpiece. One good way to do this is to use a square knot. Pass one end of the lead rope through the front of the tie loop, then take this end, which is now sticking out of the back and loop it around the front and toward the back again. Insert it through the tie loop from the back side, and pull it through. You now have two intertwined loops, or a square knot, securing your lead rope to the halter.
Approach the horse from the front left side with the halter and lead rope in hand. Although the halter will fasten correctly on either side, horses are traditionally handled on the left.
Pass the lead rope in front of the horse and loop it over its shoulder until you can hold both ends of the rope in one hand. This creates a loop that helps restrain the horse while you halter it.
Slip the nosepiece over the horse's nose. It should fit snuggly about 2 inches under its cheekbones.
Pass crownpiece behind the horse's ears and bring the throatlatch up to meet it.
Tie the halter by passing the loose end of the crownpiece through the backside of the loop on the end of the throatlatch. The rope should now be exiting the front side of the loop. Wrap this rope around the back of the loop left to right and then pass it between the rope and loop so that it forms a knot. The end of the rope should now be sticking away from the horse's face.
Cinch the halter if needed. It should fit snugly, but not so snugly that you are unable to put two fingers underneath the ropes that run down your horse's cheek and over its nose.
Unloop the lead rope from around your horse.