Turn Out and Every Day Wear
Horse halters come in many different varieties. For every day wear, my horse has a cheap synthetic halter
in a bright color. If she loses it, the halter is easier find and if it gets broken I haven’t spent a fortune. I don’t really like my horse to wear a halter while turned out, but I have to follow the stable rules. Cheap halters break easier if the horse does get a foot through while scratching with a hind hoof, or catch it on gate latch or branch. The straps probably won't break, but the metal fittings will. (You can replace damaged snaps easily and cheaply.) I’d much rather replace a cheap halter than have my horse injured or worse, from getting tangled.
You can buy inexpensive break-away halters for turn out. These horse halters cost a bit more than the cheapest halters, but have a leather crown that will rip if the horse gets in trouble.
Leather halters are good for turn out too. The will break if caught, which is a good thing. But the expense of replacing lost leather halters or repairing them is a consideration. Because they are usually brown, they're hard to find if they get lost. A good quality leather halter can last a long time however. I have one that is over thirty years old. It was made by a harness maker, then in his eighties. The leather is still in excellent condition, despite the fact several horses have worn it over the years.
Tying
A horse that struggles against a very strong rope and halter can severely injure itself. Neck and back injuries can occur, and a panicking horse can be a hazard to anyone near. I feel that the tack should always break before the horse. I rarely tie solid, and always use a halter that will break easily. But you might encounter a situation where it might be more dangerous to have a loose horse. An example of this might be someplace where a horse must be tied close to a busy highway or crowds of people (camping or showing) where the risk of injury to humans may outweigh the injury to the horse. (I find these situations very rare.) In this case, you have to decide if you should use a very strong, almost unbreakable halter for tying.Trailering
I like a leather halter for trailering. I want a halter that is strong, but will break if the horse struggles because it gets upset or loses its balance. Leather is less likely to abrade if the horse does pull, unlike synthetic materials that burn and cut easily.Showing
Because you won’t be tying or turning out your horse in a show halter, it can be made of almost anything. Show halters can be made of colorful synthetics, flat or rolled leather and decorated with fancy stitching, braids, rhinestones and metal fittings. The sky is the limit when it comes to price.
Rope Halters
Rope haltersshould not be used for anything but training. A horse that is tied with a rope halter can be seriously injured. Rope halters are usually made of very strong cord or rope that does not break easily even under great strain. In addition to the neck injuries horses can get when struggling against a rope and halter, severe rope burns can occur. Rope halters have their place, but shouldn’t be used for anything but working your horse in hand, or riding.
Preventing Chaffing
If your horse’s halter rubs the hair off of its nose, or behind the ears you can get tubes of furry fabric or sheep skin called halter fleeces, that slip over the nose band and crown. The sheepskin ones are more luxurious and may be great for trailering and tying at shoes. But the fake fur are easier to wash and better for every day use. I find some of these tend to slip. I put two or three stitches of heavy thread through the fake fur and halter strap to keep it in place. I’ve also held the crown cover in place buy cutting a tiny hole in the end closest to the halter buckle, and slipping the tongue of the buckle through the hole.Once you've decided what type of halter to buy, you will want to make sure that you get a halter that fits. How to Fit a Horse Halter has suggestions for measuring your horse and buying a halter that fits.
