# Opinions on this? Keeping halters on a horse...



## lovemyponies (Jul 26, 2008)

I think its okay to leave break away halters on horses but I would usually only do it if there was a reason, such as a difficult horse to catch.


----------



## goldilockz (Aug 1, 2008)

I would leave it off, if it were me. In my neighborhood, everyone pretty much knows everyone else's horses though.


----------



## barefoot (Jun 11, 2009)

If they don't need a halter I wouldn't put one on. I only put them on if the horse is difficult to catch.


----------



## BackInTheSaddleAgain (Apr 20, 2009)

Not where i'm from. Too many stories of horses getting caught up and being found with the coyotes the next day.


----------



## Vidaloco (Sep 14, 2007)

I would leave it off. If she is easy to catch, it will keep the halter cleaner if nothing else. The ones I've seen that have been left on a horse are usually in bad shape pretty quick.
Personally, I don't leave halters on.


----------



## White Foot (Jun 4, 2009)

I always leave mine on when they are in the paddock, and know many people who do. My whole 16+ years and my fathers 40+ years of owning horses and knowing horse people we've probably heard of 1 bad thing that has happened, and even that was a scratch. I take it off in their stalls and when they're in the smaller paddock because I don't want the hair to rub off. But in my 9 years of owning Labre and 4 of Gunther, we've never had a single problem.


----------



## 1dog3cats17rodents (Dec 7, 2007)

I'm curiois, do you guys board?

I board, and EVERY horse wears a halter (break-away). It would take way to long for the workers to catch 26 horses, especially because each one needs a specific halter and the pastures are HUGE! I can gaurantee break-aways work, I've lost more then one, lol. I don't think I can remember a single halter related injury in the 8 years I've ridden there on any of the horses


----------



## lovemyponies (Jul 26, 2008)

I agree break away halters work very well


----------



## luvs2ride1979 (Nov 9, 2007)

Unless a horse is hard to catch, I never leave halters on. If the horse is hard to catch, I'll leave a leather track halter on or a nylon with a leather crownpiece. I'll only leave the halter on long enough to correct the hard-to-catch behavior, then the horse will be halter-less.

Halters left on can be a safety issue and they can just be irritating to the horse, especially in the summer. They sweat under the halter which attracts flies and bugs. My mare is a houdini and will rub her's off no matter what, lol. She has sensitive skin though and will get rubs down to the skin with a halter left on for just one day.


----------



## Scoutrider (Jun 4, 2009)

I do leave mine on. I live right on a main highway, and if my guys were to get loose I would want a handle on them. Partly it's habit from my first horse who could be a little demon to catch when the mood struck him right. However, they do live in small grass paddocks without anything to get caught on, and are being looked in on all day and are stalled every night. If I were to turn them out into our 40+ acre cow pasture (with dense woods, creek, and pond), or leave them out all night unattended, the halters would come off, sure thing. :wink: I've seen neighbors' horses running loose around the highway before, with no halters and refusing to stand still to put one on. Not a pretty sight. Well, the horses were pretty, running free as the wind, but you all know what I mean.


----------



## 1dog3cats17rodents (Dec 7, 2007)

Oh, and I forgot to mention. The "gelding pasture" especially would HATE being halterless. How would they spend hours a day playing halter tag like a bunch of idiots?:lol:


----------



## Spyder (Jul 27, 2008)

Against the law to have a halterless stallion out in the pasture.


----------



## BackInTheSaddleAgain (Apr 20, 2009)

Interesting!


Spyder said:


> Against the law to have a halterless stallion out in the pasture.


----------



## luvs2ride1979 (Nov 9, 2007)

Spyder said:


> Against the law to have a halterless stallion out in the pasture.


In your state/area, not in mine.


----------



## AussieDaisyGirl (May 21, 2009)

It depends. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. When there is bad weather coming I put the leather halter on with the horse info and my contact info on it. Otherwise, generally speaking no, just for rubbing issues nothing else. I've never personally come across a catastrophic injury from a horse being caught up by the halter.


----------



## lovemyponies (Jul 26, 2008)

3 of ours always have break away halters on and they are fine, never had an issue at all. I leave mine off just because my lover come running as soon as she sees my truck and it keeps her halter cleaner.... the only thing I would say don't do it a non break away halterl left on in the field.


----------



## eventerdrew (Mar 13, 2009)

I almost never leave my horse's halters on. Even when I was in a boarding barn no one ever left them on. I only leave mine on if I am coming right back to get them.

When I went to get my new mare in Kentucky, the former owner's personal horses (and my horse) all had leather halters on. Granted, she has board fencing and no trees.

But if I would ever leave one on, It would most definitely be a breakaway. because all of my horses are accident prone!


----------



## Spastic_Dove (Oct 4, 2007)

I board and I do not leave my horses halter on ever. When I turned in horses (about 60 total) none of them had halters on (we used a neck rope to turn into a temporary halter in between pasture and stall. dont know how else to describe it). 

I've seen horses get hung up on fences and I just feel better without a halter on. My guy is easy to catch though. 

Breakaway halters I don't have too big of a problem with...it's nylon and rope halters.


----------



## Legend (Nov 15, 2011)

I've occasionally left my boys regular rope halter on, but by the morning its always gone... Somehow he gets it off... and its not breakaway... :shock:


----------



## Rachel1786 (Nov 14, 2010)

I have 3 horses, of the 2 kept at home one wears a halter the other doesn't. My old guy only wears a halter when I know the farrier is coming as he comes early at times and will catch him and start working on him. My appy is a bit of a ****** and can be difficult to catch and halter so if somehow they should get out(I've had someone not latch the gate right and they got out :evil So it makes me feel better to have a halter on him, he comes for treats but will snatch and run if he doesn't have a halter already on. My TB I board and she almost always has he break-away halter on, they have electric fence and it's not uncommon for one of the horses to run through it(especially when the neighbors scarey comes over for a visit).


----------



## HarleyWood (Oct 14, 2011)

i leave a halter on my 3 year old hes with my other 2 geldings about 2 acres for the winter and then into a 6 acre for summer. and we have a pole barn they can go into no trees adn a electric fence and he does fine hes just hard to get sometimes and its easier this way. my other 2 never have to have one my QH if you say "whoa Harley Whhooaa" he will stop and let you get him or he will come to you so will my other horse.


----------



## caseymyhorserocks (Apr 5, 2010)

So what the pen has nothing for her to get stuck on, she can very easily get a leg stuck in the halter. Even if they halter is breakaway, they can still do a lot of damage to their leg before the halter breaks. I would only use a breakaway halter with Velcro or something else that breaks really easily, IMO the leather with break, but not after possibly doing serious damage to the leg.


----------



## ConfusciusWasAGreatTeachr (Oct 29, 2011)

I never ever leave an unattended horse with a halter or headcollar on. Even if the horse is in a place where is it unlikely to get caught up, it could always escape for whatever reason and then get caught up. Why take the risk in the first place? It takes two seconds to put on a halter.
If someone has a 'hard to catch' horse, then they need to work on themselves to make it an 'easy to catch' horse. The horse didnt make it a 'hard to catch horse' by itself! Not the horse having the issues!


----------



## lubylol (Aug 8, 2011)

Where my horse is now, no one wears a halter, and at a few other barns I've been to their horses don't wear a halter either. But when I first started riding I was at a very over populated barn with about 60 horses, and all of them wore halters (not even breakaway ones!!!) unless they weren't used in lessons, and ate in the field. It was too much of a hassle for the kids to have to remember 60 some halters for each horse, especially when you fed twice a day etc...

When I left that barn I thought it was so weird how a lot of other barns don't put halters on their horses, but now I'm used to it and think it's a weird site when a horse a halter on in the field 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Legend said:


> I've occasionally left my boys regular rope halter on, but by the morning its always gone... Somehow he gets it off... and its not breakaway... :shock:


I know!! My horse undid his rope halter in the trailer.. scared me so bad.. I now trailer with leather and he hasn't gotten loose since. 

But on topic, I never leave my horse with his halter on.. there's too much for him to get latched on or his face rubbed off badly.


----------



## Lins (Nov 8, 2011)

I've seen horses strangle to death from getting the halter stuck in a way that they couldn't break it when they were turned out. I've also seen horrible injuries from them rolling or playing and getting tangled up. So I never leave a halter on a turned out horse or a horse in a stall. Especially a horse in a stall.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

Would I leave a halter on that horse? No.
But, I do not leave halters on any of my horses. 

I prefer horses be left naked. But I can see a reason why some places/people prefer to leave a halter on. If the halter is fitted properly it is probably not an issue.


----------



## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

Legend said:


> I've occasionally left my boys regular rope halter on, but by the morning its always gone... Somehow he gets it off... and its not breakaway... :shock:


He either un-halters himself, or he has a friend who helps! It is amazing to me what I missed before I got my horses in my back yard (2000). My two 5yo geldings love to play with one another's halters--I used triple-ply nylon Hamilton-types. "Buster" (5yo QH) will play with "Sweet Cup and Cakes" 's halter and I've _watched_ him work on it and undo it twice now. 
I do not leave halters on my horses during turnout and never in a stall. If I go camping, they are haltered and teethered, but we prefer to use their leather halters for that, and they can break free with them. For regular stuff I use the nylon ones, but I do not fully buckle them, just hook the pin in the grommet, and I don't leave them outside of my sight. I've had >30 horses over the years, and I give my horses turnout probably 90% of the time. I have had several incidents of horses getting caught in the leads and panicking over the years. It is possible to undo the halters if they are not buckled, but you could get hurt if they are and the horse is scared. 
The BEST insurance policy is to train your horse to ropes around their legs and to train your horse to relax when you help them. DH even told his horse, "Tyke" to sit down when he got his back legs caught while tied to a tree. He did sit. My horses all know, "open the gate", "field", "back up", "walk on", and other commands I've forgotten that I've taught them. If you add, "Come here," you'll never have to chase your horse again...probably!


----------



## jannette (Aug 24, 2011)

i dont leave halters on ever...if they r hard to catch at first ill put them in round pen and work with them on that...none of my horses when i first got them were "easy" to catch but with time and work theres not one i cant go get at anytime...but back to the halter on yes or no i say no...one misshap is all it takes, that's not a chance i'm ok taking with my horses...

i've also have a rescue horse that never had a halter left off and she has a nasty lump across her nose were it rubbed all the time ;(..so even if there is NO danger of getting hung up, however with my paint if there is a will there's a way and she'll find it, i would worry about marks being caused by long term use... :?


----------



## gypsygirl (Oct 15, 2009)

caseymyhorserocks said:


> So what the pen has nothing for her to get stuck on, she can very easily get a leg stuck in the halter. Even if they halter is breakaway, they can still do a lot of damage to their leg before the halter breaks. I would only use a breakaway halter with Velcro or something else that breaks really easily, IMO the leather with break, but not after possibly doing serious damage to the leg.


 
how loose are your halters that a horse could get a leg in it ???!!?


----------



## diggerchick (Nov 8, 2011)

i dont keep a halter on my horses when i turn them out but if you want to, i would go with a break away halter as well just to be safe then sorry, and at where i work, we do not leave halters on the horses in pasture, stall or paddock.


----------



## Delfina (Feb 12, 2010)

No halters on any of the horses where I board. 

The horses have all day turnout and dinner is put in stalls *before* the horses are brought in, so every single horse is at the gate and waiting. Occasionally a wrong halter gets used, but that's not a big deal. Also, since dinner is waiting and stall doors are open if a horse manages to escape, 95% of the time, it just runs into it's stall and starts munching.


----------



## VetTech2011 (Nov 3, 2011)

The facility I board with currently keeps halters on during turn-out. It's mostly because some are hard to catch and convenience in managing a larger barn. Some of the horses are in nylon halters and others in break-away's all depending what the horses owner buys for them. 

I went through a custom made break away halter the first winter there. During the summer I was finding my horse was rubbing a lot with it on - I added fleece covers and all but nothing helped. He is on special request to have his off during turn-out because he is not difficult to catch so it just sits on the fence post now while he is out during the day. 

Some horses do fine with them on, but mine, is not use to that and has to have it off or he ends up with a bald face from rubbing.


----------



## SarahAnn (Oct 22, 2011)

gypsygirl said:


> how loose are your halters that a horse could get a leg in it ???!!?


My thoughts exactly! And what the heck is your horse doing to even get its leg stuck in its halter? I actually laughed when I pictured a horse with his leg stuck in his halter! 


I don't usually leave halters on, although I have been lately because we just got new fencing and it "breaks" under pressure so I was nervous about what happens if someone decides to run through it. Its been a few months and all is good. They seem to respect the fence for the most part (with the exception of my Percheron filly.) So I guess it's time to take them off again. Nice reminder. They love being naked, and I never ever have halters on in their stalls unless I am getting ready to tack up.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Sharpie (May 24, 2009)

If my horse is to be left generally unsupervised (stall overnight, paddock or turnout in the day) he is naked. He also comes and accepts a halter easily. He'll come racing in if he thinks you have food. That said, simply tossing a lead over his neck is just as effective at leading/"catching" him as a halter, so I have no reason to take the risk, low or high as it may be.


----------



## diggerchick (Nov 8, 2011)

If your putting a halter on a horse that his leg can get through, your definitely an inexperienced horse owner/handler.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Legend (Nov 15, 2011)

caseymyhorserocks said:


> So what the pen has nothing for her to get stuck on, she can very easily get a leg stuck in the halter. Even if they halter is breakaway, they can still do a lot of damage to their leg before the halter breaks.


I think that the halter must be _*w-a-y*_ loose for a leg to be caught!

And SarahAnn, and gypsygirl; I think a horse could get his leg caught if he had his head bent down, grazing, and if he took a step forward close enough to his head he could have got his leg stuck, but then again, that halter must be dragging on the ground! Sheesh...


----------



## DuffyDuck (Sep 27, 2011)

I'm assuming break away halters are halters with metal rings?
All our horses wear, and always have worn, break away halters in their fields. In the moment our new barn has no trees etc so no chance of getting caught, and we certainly don't have anything big enough to kill a horse


----------



## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

No Duffy, breakaway halters are ones with a leather crown piece.

I don't keep halters on my horses unless I have the vet or farrier coming, and then they're only on as long as needed to get the work done.

I wouldn't worry about getting a leg caught in a properly fitted halter, but a horse _can_ get a halter caught on a gate or t-post. Why take the chance if you don't have to?


----------



## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Usually breakaway halters are nylon with certain parts made of leather, like the crown piece.

Usually when a horse gets caught on something, they panic and try to get away.. causing a lot of damage to themselves and to the thing they are stuck on.. so I try to reduce any and all panic by turning my horse into his stall or out to pasture without his halter on. He's trained to come to me and that's how we roll


----------



## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

Speed Racer said:


> No Duffy, breakaway halters are ones with a leather crown piece.


Break away halters can also have a leather link near where you would buckle the crown piece, the whole crown piece is not leather in this case. There are also models that have a velcro link.


----------



## DuffyDuck (Sep 27, 2011)

Thanks Speed Racer!

In which case no, we don't use break away halters, and I have never seen one!

I just use your regular headcollar with metal rings for tying up etc, and to be fair if a horse got caught for whatever reason, the headcollar would break when the horse tried to get away. 

Its not convenient for my yard to take headcollars off with 40 or so horses out in the fields.


----------



## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Duffy, sometimes you don't have a choice to use or not use a halter. Sounds like the place where you board is one of those. Many commercial establishments keep halters on all the horses.

If you're concerned, you can always buy breakaway halters for your own horses. Might give you a little extra peace of mind.


----------



## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

An inexpensive (thinner leather) halter will work the same as a break away halter does.


----------



## DuffyDuck (Sep 27, 2011)

Speed Racer said:


> Duffy, sometimes you don't have a choice to use or not use a halter. Sounds like the place where you board is one of those. Many commercial establishments keep halters on all the horses.
> 
> If you're concerned, you can always buy breakaway halters for your own horses. Might give you a little extra peace of mind.


True! I've never thought anything different, never heard of an incident of a horse in a field being in trouble because of a headcollar! 

The only headcollar incident I've heard of is when a 2yo was left in a roundpen with a knotted headcollar, she was messing around, we think, got it stuck, and broke her neck because it didn't give way- very sad.

Sure is something to think about!


----------



## DuffyDuck (Sep 27, 2011)

Alwaysbehind said:


> An inexpensive (thinner leather) halter will work the same as a break away halter does.


 
Try finding an inexpensive leather headcollar round here ;D


----------



## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Well it's not necessarily price, but quality of leather. A thinner more supple leather is more breakable than a thicker stitched leather halter. I use a very thin leather halter for in the trailer. 

I just don't really see a reason to keep them on, even at my old boarding place they had a LOT of horses to turn in and out and they would halter each and every one every time. I guess for convenience it'd be easier to keep them on, but the risk and effects (rubbing, getting stuck), in my opinion, outweighs the need for saving 2 or 3 minutes per horse to be caught and lead.

I have nothing against those who do decide to keep them on their horses, I just wouldn't.


----------



## MahoganyBay (Nov 18, 2011)

I just tie a piece of baling twine around the neck of a hard to catch horse. It's not any money out of my pocket if they loose it and it helps with a hard to catch horse until I can retrain them.


----------



## HollyBubbles (Jun 22, 2009)

Personally I don't leave halters on, my horses aren't generally hard to catch, although my tb can have his days where it takes longer to catch him than it does to ride, but I don't leave the halter on because I know full well that he scratches his head with his hind legs, so I'm terrified that if I leave a halter on he'll get his hoof caught in it (he's pretty accident prone *sigh*)


----------



## jannette (Aug 24, 2011)

HollyBubbles said:


> Personally I don't leave halters on, my horses aren't generally hard to catch, although my tb can have his days where it takes longer to catch him than it does to ride, but I don't leave the halter on because I know full well that he scratches his head with his hind legs, so I'm terrified that if I leave a halter on he'll get his hoof caught in it (he's pretty accident prone *sigh*)


 
i have one of those too lol it is nerve wracking!!!! padded room comes to mind when i think about the safest way to keep her from harm :?


----------



## Legend (Nov 15, 2011)

jannette said:


> i have one of those too lol it is nerve wracking!!!! padded room comes to mind when i think about the safest way to keep her from harm :?


Haha, I have one too :shock: Investing in a padded room sounds like a good idea!


----------



## easyrider (Nov 23, 2011)

I normally do not leave the halter on the horses. I have one that will come up to you the other tends to shy away when I walk up with the halter, however, when I have left the halters in the past, they rub the horses nose some sores in the jaw area. So, I try to make it a habit not to leave the halters on.


----------



## Appyt (Oct 14, 2007)

NO halters are left on horses here at my place.. I don't catch them anyway, they come up when I call if they can hear me.. If not, I walk out til they can see/hear and they beat me back to the barn.. I only leave them on when the trimmer is coming and they are all in the arena..


----------



## csimkunas6 (Apr 18, 2010)

I dont like leaving, or having any halters on my yearling. First off, theres no need, he is beyond easy to catch, he walks right up to you, and practically puts the halter on himself, and secondly, it rubs his face if left on consistently, so Id just rather have it kept off


----------



## VelvetsAB (Aug 11, 2010)

1dog3cats17rodents said:


> I'm curiois, do you guys board?
> 
> I board, and EVERY horse wears a halter (break-away). It would take way to long for the workers to catch 26 horses, especially because each one needs a specific halter and the pastures are HUGE! I can gaurantee break-aways work, I've lost more then one, lol. I don't think I can remember a single halter related injury in the 8 years I've ridden there on any of the horses


_I take lessons at a barn with about 40 or so horses. They do not halter anyone, unless they have become hard to catch._

_Only a few horses are actually led in, so it isn't a problem. When the horses are being turned in and out, the appropriate gates are opened or closed, so that they go to/from the stall/field to the right place. It works much easier and faster then having to lead them all in by hand. _

_During the winter, the horses are in before lessons to eat, but during the summer are quite often left out 24/7...so each horse has their own halter on their stall for the owner/lesson kid to fetch the horse with._

_So it is quite doable for a large barn to not have to leave halters on everyone, as long as the setup is right for it. I know if I was going to build a barn, I would also have a closed yard. Side note...the place I rode at while on vacation in Ireland did the same thing as my barn, but they would have to use a quad to get the horses to some of the pastures, since they were further out._


----------



## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

What I've done when a horse has had to wear a halter in turnout is to run the strap thro the lower part of the buckle. The buckle tongue is up and flat against the underside of the strap. I will then run a length of butcher string thro the hole and tie it to the buckle. Should the horse get hung up the string will easily break.


----------



## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

I once treated a horse that had caught his halter on a tree and struggled severely. He broke his jaw. He was so swollen that I had to do a tracheotomy so that he could breathe. He had to eat feed pellet soup for months. He got better eventually after running up a huge bill at the state university vet school.

I treated one horse that managed to get the bottom part of the nose piece to his halter in his mouth. It caused an ulcer in his mouth. He got over it pretty quickly.

Most horses do not have issues with halters; however, it only takes one accident to make an impression.

Even break away halters cause rubbing and discoloration. Black hair starts to turn white.

Halters also cost money. My mare will lose as many halters as you wish to leave on her. 

I would look at risk versus benefit. If there is a really good reason, then it might be worth the risk.


----------



## franknbeans (Jun 7, 2007)

Only leather or breakaway-and I also would NEVER think of trailering in anything but one of those either!

That said-mine are naked most of the time. We are no longer at a huge barn.....so no need to leave them on when turned out. Mine are easy to catch, especially at meal time! lol


----------



## PaintMare (Nov 23, 2011)

I think leaving the halters on when horses go outside is safer then taking them off....as long as they are break away halter s and you know that your fence is safe and the pasture doesn't have any tress/objects that a halter could get stuck on. Because if a gate were to get left open and the horses got loose it would be safer if they had halters on then if they had no halters on.


----------



## Cowgirls Boots (Apr 6, 2011)

When I first got my boy I was required for the first few weeks to leave his halter on just in case he had to be moved and so the BO didn't have to run around a chase him. I just started taking it off about a week ago because he a) comes right up to me in the field anyway so I know I won't have to chase him around just to get him and b) he loves goin in the wooded part of his paddock and he would be the oneto get his halter hung up on a branch or something. So I just keep it off 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## JuniorHunterChamp (Oct 20, 2011)

If you horse is easy to catch, a halter shouldn't be necessary. If you _do_ keep her halter on while she's turned out, be sure that it fits her snugly without being too tight. I've heard stories of horse grazing with a loose halter on, and their hoof gets caught in it. Not pretty....

But anyway, the field sounds totally safe. But like I said, make sure the halter is not too loose!


----------



## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

Not unless it's a breakaway and even then, since she's friendly, I personally would not.


----------



## kevinshorses (Aug 15, 2009)

I think that leaving a halter on a horse while turned out anywhere (pasture, paddock, stall, ect.) is like putting up a sign that says "I'm too lazy or too ignorant to practice good horsemanship. You decide which.".


----------



## mselizabeth (Oct 29, 2011)

I would say, if there's no practical reason for leaving it on. Take it off. 

Not only is there a concern of them hanging themselves (i've seen a foal do it on a round bale holder). But do you want halter rubs? Most horse with nylon halters on 24/7 get them.. If you must keep it on. Get a leather one, it won't rub as much. 

Hope this helps.


----------



## kevinshorses (Aug 15, 2009)

This is a blue roan gelding that I rode this summer. A previous owner had put a halter on him as a yearling and didn't catch the horse again until it was a two year old. This horse was well put together and had a nice disposition but he'll never get to his full potential because someone thought it would be okay to leave the halter on. 

If I get a little heated about this topic I'm sorry but this isn't the first time I've seen this happen.


----------



## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

I am not sure leaving a halter on for two years is comparable to 'do you do your daily turn out leaving a halter on'. Of course it is wrong to leave a halter on a growing horse.


----------



## t4gal (Dec 13, 2011)

kevinshorses said:


> I think that leaving a halter on a horse while turned out anywhere (pasture, paddock, stall, ect.) is like putting up a sign that says "I'm too lazy or too ignorant to practice good horsemanship. You decide which.".



Couldn't have said it better myself.


----------



## paintedpastures (Jun 21, 2011)

I never leave halters on my horses,pasture,stall or paddock,not setting them up for an accident:-(. Horses seem to have the uncanny ability to find things to hurt themselves on as it is. :shock:. Just this spring a friend lost a youngster that caught her halter & hung herself up on the paddock fence.:-(


----------



## highlander (Oct 26, 2008)

I don't leave headcollars on anywhere, if their not being lead or tied up they don't need them.
We had a youngster on our yard who's owner left headcollars on. I went up one day to find the youngster had managed to tangle herself up in the water truff, the owner got very lucky her 9 month old filly didn't drown because of her stupidity!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## HollyBubbles (Jun 22, 2009)

kevinshorses said:


> This is a blue roan gelding that I rode this summer. A previous owner had put a halter on him as a yearling and didn't catch the horse again until it was a two year old. This horse was well put together and had a nice disposition but he'll never get to his full potential because someone thought it would be okay to leave the halter on.
> 
> If I get a little heated about this topic I'm sorry but this isn't the first time I've seen this happen.


Ohh poor boy :-( this happened to my miniature who to this day has dents from a foal halter being left on before we rescued her.

Is that just me or are that geldings front legs hobbled? Just wondering why is all.. I've never understood tying legs together/hobbling etc


----------



## Saranda (Apr 14, 2011)

Where I board, only those difficult to catch wear a halter. Not my gelding, though.


----------



## kevinshorses (Aug 15, 2009)

HollyBubbles said:


> Ohh poor boy :-( this happened to my miniature who to this day has dents from a foal halter being left on before we rescued her.
> 
> Is that just me or are that geldings front legs hobbled? Just wondering why is all.. I've never understood tying legs together/hobbling etc


I wanted to keep him close to my camp but still allow him to graze.


----------



## HollyBubbles (Jun 22, 2009)

kevinshorses said:


> I wanted to keep him close to my camp but still allow him to graze.


Ahh right, that makes sense 

Had he not had the halter off for long before that photo was taken? Or was it bad enough to take a long time to heal? I can't believe people actually leave halters on growing horses especially.. Makes me want to bash my head against walls.


----------



## Tnavas (Nov 29, 2011)

Mine all come when called so I've never left halters on. My school ponies all wear theres as it makes it easier to catch them for lessons. I've never had a problem with them but a friend who left his horses hater on and it got caught on a tree branch and cut his face quite badly.


----------



## kevinshorses (Aug 15, 2009)

HollyBubbles said:


> Ahh right, that makes sense
> 
> Had he not had the halter off for long before that photo was taken? Or was it bad enough to take a long time to heal? I can't believe people actually leave halters on growing horses especially.. Makes me want to bash my head against walls.


Unless his current owner gets him reconstuctive surgery the hole will never heal. The halter had been off for at least a year.


----------



## HollyBubbles (Jun 22, 2009)

kevinshorses said:


> Unless his current owner gets him reconstuctive surgery the hole will never heal. The halter had been off for at least a year.


Oh wow that is horrible  it'll be a very painful reminder though won't it


----------

