# Halter attire/tips



## ducky123 (May 27, 2014)

Go to youtube and search "halter class". You'll get plenty of tips. 

And the hat is fine.


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## VestorDunIt (Dec 22, 2014)

That hat is fine, but hats should always be nicely shaped, just ask the shaper to do the quarter horse style. In halter they aren't judging you on your performance rather than the horses. Just everything needs to be crisp and clean and sharp looking


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## beau159 (Oct 4, 2010)

In order to make the BEST presentation of your horse to the judge, you will need to teach your horse to "square up". In my mind, showmanship and halter are the exact same class. However, in showmanship the HANDLER is judged while in halter the HORSE is judged. But you still want to present your horse the same. 

Here's one article you can read over:
Showing Your Horse at Halter – America’s Horse Daily

And one on squaring your horse:
Square Up Your Horse | EquiSearch

Your horse should also be in-shape and fit. Again, you want to present the best picture to the judge. For an open local show, you don't have a splurge on an expensive silver halter if you don't want to (I used a nylon halter for years at local shows) but whatever halter you choose, it should be a flat halter (not a rope halter, unless you are doing ranch horse) and it should fit like this:

How to Fit a Halter for Showmanship - HorseChannel.com

You don't have to be wearing the most expensive outfit in the world, but everything should be neat, clean, pressed, and polished. And don't be afraid to make direct eye contact with the judge! Be confident. 

You should also follow the "quarter system" which always gives the judge an unobstructed view of your horse, without you in the way. The bottom of this article explains that. Basically, when the judge is behind your horse, you need to be on the same side they are. When the judge is in front of your horse, you need to be on the opposite side they are.
Show Your Stuff: A Guide to Showmanship


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## barrelracer7155 (Mar 14, 2015)

I use this western hat for all my open shows (performance and speed), it's just a plain black (like the one you pictured) with a band around it. I only show in Open Shows, so you should be fine!


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