# Trail riding with a halter on?



## mls

I'm not sure what hard trail riding is?

If we are going to be out for hours, stopping for lunch, etc, I use a halter bridle combo. A habit I picked up all of my years distance riding. Less is better on the horses head.


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## Painted Horse

I do it all the time, Rarely if ever take the halter off.
It's purely a persons personal preference


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## Jacksmama

Personally, I agree with you, ESPECIALLY when riding green horses. It is definitely important to have a halter that isn't going to rub or cause discomfort or interfere with the headstall and/or bit of course. I often will have a halter on under my headstall on long trail rides, it makes it a lot easier and safer when you dismount and take a breather. At least IMO


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## FlyGap

I agree less is better. I'm not talking about a thick nylon or leather halter with snaps but a slim rope halter is not heavy.

I said hard trail riding meaning not your average easy hack through the local woods. These trails were NOT for beginners and had lots of spooky/baulky areas. I'm talking climbing steep rocky hills, encountering thousands of ******y things like flags, dogs, wildlife, lots of different surfaces, cars, atv's, dumped trash piles (sad), lots of other horses in different pastures. One ridge we climbed had a 150 ft. sheer drop off and we had to ride within 10 ft of it for over a quarter of a mile. The wind was gusting 35 mph. and it was a great day to train.
I would have just felt a little better with a halter on these green horses, especially since it was the first time I was on some of them. Just going on an easy trail ride or around the house on any horse, no halter.


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## Celeste

I leave halters on my horses when we trail ride. We may need to lead them or we may need to tie them while we take a break. If the halter rubs the horse, it didn't fit in the first place. 

They look prettier without them, but I look prettier in a dress and high heels.............


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## FlyGap

Wow Painted!!! That shot is AMAZING.


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## Corporal

I have been trail riding ever since I started renting horses to ride 1 hour/week (on my allowance) when I was 11yo. The reins and your bit (or mechanical hackamore) are the worst things to use to tie up your horse. If tied that way and your horse spooks you WILL have damage to his mouth, even if it's only sore for awhile, and it can be worse than that. Thanks, John Wayne movies and other Westerns that show a split rein wrapped around a tie pole. I'm not trying to scare you, just give you the facts.
Vis a vis your friend, well...you can tell a horseman, but you can't tell 'em much.
Only people who trail ride off and on and close to their barn don't realize HOW OFTEN you may need to dismount and tie up your horses.
This is what a halter and lead were made for. We ride that way pretty much all of the time. I only school _with just a bridle_ in my back yard acreage. I don't know about where you buy your tack, but bridle and rein leather (or synthetic equivalents) are a lot more expensive to replace than a halter and lead. If you tie up and horse breaks one rein, how do you get back (to the stable) or (to your camp)? Just FYI.


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## Kawonu

I personally don't like the looks of riding halter under bridle, but if everything fits I don't see any real problems with it. Even I, with a very strong preference of no halter, have ridden horses with a halter just in case. You never know when you'll need it on a horse that's been know to buck or fight. Otherwise, I ride halterless. There's just something about that face without anything but a little leather and a bit that creates a fuzzy feeling in me - old western style; trail air here I come kind of thing. Weird to say, but I'm sure everyone can relate somewhere in the horse world.

Edit; Long rides, I'd very much suggest at least packing a halter. Why tie a horse with your reins? You'd have to kinda be an utter moron, no offense to anyone who does this (Cause I agree with Corporal).


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## MHFoundation Quarters

Granted I don't do any hard trail riding but I've always put a halter on underneath when trail riding. If it fits well and doesn't interfere I see no problem with it.


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## QOS

I used to ride Red all the time with his halter on under his bridle. It isn't as pretty as without but it is practical. 

I purchased a Taylored Tack Halter/Bridle for endurance riding. (hahahah not going to be competing for awhile though:shock While halter/bridles aren't as pretty as just a bridle - the practical side wins out - they are fantastic on a trail ride. In a second I can unsnap the reins and snap it to the halter ring like I did yesterday while I dismounted and handed The Biscuit off to my riding buddy while I trotted over to check out a gate opening. I can drop the bit set off of this halter bridle with one little movement. I love it. 

I have a fairly new leather bridle that hasn't been on Biscuit since Christmas. I don't know that I will ever ride with it again - love the halter bridles!


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## FlyGap

I agree 100% Corporal. 
The trails around me can be INSANE in some areas. LOL big time on tying a horse with a bridle! Nope. We were holding the horses when we stopped, but I would have rather held them with a lead when they got antsy. We were using snaffles on the greenies and ported curbs on the fresh horses and they did fantastic, but you can't expect them not to act adversely in a bad situation when they haul off and slam on the bit.
When I think of old time riders I see them having a lead attached to a halter under the bridle wrapped around the horn etc. 
My friend is AMAZING with her horses, she's my mentor. But I can't tell her anything. LOL, love her to death! Different strokes for different folks I guess.


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## FlyGap

QOS, I love your purple halter/bridle! I dig them for the practicality too, and the fact they don't get moldy! Biscuit always looks so purdy!
Fancy lookin, no. Functional, yes.


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## huntfishnride

I ride with halters on. Have done multi-day trips for years and never had issues with sores or any other problems due to riding with a halter on. I have however been saved by the halter many times when a bridle or reins broke etc...


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## Joe4d

My headstall is specifically designed to be quickly snapped on and off a rope halter. There is also no throat latch in the desgn, the rope becomes the throat latch part.


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## Allison Finch

I trail ride in a halter/bridle combination. The bit snaps onto the halter and is easy to take off. Then, you just have the halter.


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## Heelsdown

wow Allison that's a beautiful shot! 

So if a person only rides with a bridle and no halter, how do you tie your horse?

I only ride with a bridle now but I'm a greenie riding short trails not far from the barn. If I was out on a long trail or weekend trek, I'd definitely do the halter/bridle combo.
I can see why someone wouldn't want to do it, but I can't imagine why someone would so strongly object to another person doing it.


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## Joe4d

I never liked the bit hanger style combo halter bridles. Seems I couldn get the horse to hold still, was just a pain dealing with the bit hangers. Also seemed to busy and too many doodads on his head.


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## Spotted Image

I always have an halter under my bridle or an halter bridle combo on, but I also did 11 hour trails rides in the mountains where you have to take breaks An short ride for us is 6 hours with 1 break. It just makes sense to us, because when I times the green horses need ponied. Looks wise, I know it doesn't look at good, but safety manners more.


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## Painted Horse

Most trail rides for me are ALL day. So we are getting off and eating lunch. During hunting season, I get off, tie the horse to a tree and go watch some elk terrain or push thru some brush. During the summer, I often stop and fish for an hour along a river. By leaving the halter on, it's always there when I need to tie the horse up. 

I may slip the headstall off so its more comfortable to the horse not to have a bit in his mouth while he waits for me. But I don't have to worry about finding a halter or the off chance that the horses will leave me while I have the headstall off and trying to put a halter back on.

But then I often turn my horses loose to graze around camp. If that is where the trailer is, They know that is home, They may wander around but usually come when called.

A mare rolling in fresh grass while out grazing with camp in the back ground.


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## phantomhorse13

Joe4d said:


> My headstall is specifically designed to be quickly snapped on and off a rope halter. There is also no throat latch in the desgn, the rope becomes the throat latch part.



I am with Joe. My bridle is designed to attach to a rope halter:

(Excuse her thrilled expression, I was trying to get pics of her in her new tack and she was less than impressed :lol


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## Tianimalz

phantomhorse13 said:


> I am with Joe. My bridle is designed to attach to a rope halter:
> 
> (Excuse her thrilled expression, I was trying to get pics of her in her new tack and she was less than impressed :lol


Just wanted to say I love your tack set!! It looks really nice, and very flash on your mare


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## mildot

When a trail ride is just an hour or two long, I don't bother, particularly if riding with someone else. 

Now for a longer day in the saddle, a rope halter under the bridle and a coiled lead rope make a ton of sense.


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## HanginH

I think it just comes down to personal preference I guess. I do ride some colts with a halter on as a combo with my bridle but that is only for the first 6 rides maybe. Personally I just don't like the look and that is about the only reason I can come up with for not using one. We spend lots of days in the pasture riding 20-30 miles checking cows and when I need to get off I will either just wrap the reins around a tree. If my horse really wants to get a way they would be able to pull loose and not injure their mouth at all. Most of our horses are hobble broke so if we are stopping for a long time I just strip the bridle and put the hobbles on. Last resort I always have a lariat on my saddle and I just make a halter or put it around their neck.

Don't think there is anything wrong with a halter under the bridle but for me I just haven't found the need.


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## Heelsdown

> My headstall is specifically designed to be quickly snapped on and off a rope halter. There is also no throat latch in the desgn, the rope becomes the throat latch part.
> 
> I am with Joe. My bridle is designed to attach to a rope halter:


What brand is this? It sounds nice. So the bit part snaps off?


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## Kawonu

I'd love to have a halter/bridle combo.


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## Allison Finch

Stoddard said:


> I'd love to have a halter/bridle combo.


A few models

Tory Halter Bridle Combo - Horse.com

A nice inexpensive model

Padded Nylon Horse Halter/Bridle Combo W/Reins GRN PONY on eBay!

For hunting season

ORANGE HORSE HALTER/BRIDLE COMBO & REINS Trail/Endurance Beta Biothane ANY SIZE - Bridles










Some rope combinations


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## Celeste

I like the Tory model you show because the bit snaps off easily. If you have to fool with buckles, it seems like it would be a pain. I have a cheap nylon bridle that has a snap like that for the bit. I don't know who makes it. Maybe I can find an old tag and figure it out.


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## Skipsfirstspike

While I agree it certainly Looks better without, I usually have a rope halter under the bridle, and a lead rope attached to my saddle. Have used them on many occasions. 
And though some may prefer otherwise, I can't for the life of me figure why they would strongly object to you doing so, as long as everything is fitting comfortably.


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## trailhorserider

I don't like the look of a halter under the bridle, so I rarely used it. Thus I would end up tying my horse by the bit, by the reins tied around the neck, all sorts of dangerous and unsecure ways. Sometimes if I knew I was stopping for lunch I would ride with a rope halter underneath, which works great, but still I tended not to use it as often as I should. One time when I got off to pee I dropped the reins and my horse galloped home. 

Then, my wonderful trail riding buddy bought me one of these:

Craig Cameron American Horsemanship

I love the "look" and now I use it on every ride! It gives a more western look, and not a tacky "halter-under-the-bridle" look. So I am very happy with it. I even use it as a halter to go catch my horse, tie with it to tack up, ride with it, tie up out on the trail with it, everything. So I would feel really lost without it. 

I LOVE my get-down-rope!


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## QOS

Dawn, Dreams has that look on her face like my daughter did when I put bows in her hair!!! "Seriously mom? They are dorky!!!"


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## RubieLee

Most of the time I ride in just a halter. If I feel like my horse is fresh or I know we'll be racing I use a bridle. Most of our rides are under 5 miles and none are longer than 20 miles. If we go to McDonalds or the tack shop then I put on her halter/bridle, mines made by zilco. My friend uses a tie down on her horse...so when we need to stop and get off she uses that. Pretty convenient.


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## phantomhorse13

Heelsdown said:


> What brand is this? It sounds nice. So the bit part snaps off?


Mine bridle is by Taylored Tack, which calls it a Convert-A-Bridle. I have also seen the style offered on a couple other distance-riding websites.

The browband snaps around the halter, so when you want to remove it, you just unsnap both sides and pull the headstall off. I find it easier to deal with than bit hangers (granted, Dream doesn't use a bit) and less bulky than a traditional halter-bridle.


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## Alekazam

I always ride with a rope halter under the bridle. Unless we are doing a parade or something, and then I will go sans halter. For me it is a safety issue, whether it be for tying, or extra control. Sometimes on trails I will eventually take his headstall off during the ride and ride with just the rope halter. As for how it looks under the bridle, alot of his tack is black, and his rope halter is plain black. I don't think it looks too shabby  

I ride with a group of friends sometimes who are very opposed to riding with halters, and on one of our trail rides one of them had an incident where the headstall buckle broke and came completely off. We finally rigged it up MacGuyver style with someone's shoelace (my friend rode the rest of the trail in just her socks!). But this could have been an easier fix if they had a halter on the horse. Not to mention it was hard to get the horse stopped when the incident happened. 

I do not believe in heavy clasps or anything hanging from the halter, I have a no clasp, knotted lightweight rope that ties onto my saddle. My gelding LOVES a good head rubbing on the tree or post he is tied to, so usually I tie him with the lead rope, and slip the headstall off for lunch breaks. Which is another advantage, IMO, because I do not want him scraping up his headstall and/or bit on whatever he decides to rub on.

Just my opinion


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## DraftyAiresMum

I always ride with a halter under my bridle. As soon as I can find a halter bridle that will fit Aires, I'm going to get one. My friend has one (she does endurance with our trainer) and loves it. We went on a ride yesterday and stopped at some corrals to have lunch. It was so nice that she could snap of her bit and let CJ run around with just the leather halter on. I could have unbridled Aires (since he had his halter on underneath the bridle), but I just snapped off his reins, which meant he was running around with the bit in his mouth (not a bad thing, I guess, since he was a bit more manageable on the way home).


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