# Tying the halter to your pants?



## SlideStop (Dec 28, 2011)

I was riding in the park the other day and I saw a woman with a rope halter tied to her belt loop. I would assume it's so she has less of a chance of her horse running away if she falls off? Am I right?
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## texasgal (Jul 25, 2008)

I'm visualizing a very .. um .. embarrasing situation if THAT goes wrong.. lol


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

LOL, doing that wouldn't be terribly effective, though. I've never really seen many people tie leads to their belt loops, but it is proper to carry the lead section of a mecate set tucked under your belt, mostly so you don't have to untie it from your saddle whenever you get off, but also if your horse is really broke but you still fall, it will _sometimes_ provide enough resistance to make them stop trying to get away.











In my experience, having had many belt loops torn off of pants in various situations over the years, it's not enough resistance to stop a horse from running off if you fall. All that would really accomplish is tearing your pants LOL.


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## SlideStop (Dec 28, 2011)

Lol, yeah I figured a belt loop wouldn't do much. I was thinking more along the lines of having something to grab, idk. That's why I was like why the hell would someone do that? 

Lol Texas, I hope this woman wears something she doesn't mind walking down the street in 
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## texasgal (Jul 25, 2008)

^^ right? I would imagine a belt loop would tear first .. but you never know!


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

SlideStop said:


> Lol, yeah I figured a belt loop wouldn't do much. I was thinking more along the lines of having something to grab, idk. That's why I was like why the hell would someone do that?


I suppose that makes sense, if she's notorious for dropping her reins while she's riding or something. I've dropped one of a pair of split reins a lot of times and had to stop a horse with just the one rein so that I could either bend down to get the other or get off to pick it up (mostly that happened when I was young and just learning to ride with them on one side LOL).


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I would never TIE the line , or any line, to my belt loop. but tucking the mecate line under the belt in a way that it will come out unimpeeded is typical.
I am embarrassed to admit that I am so fat in the belly that I dont' wear belts anymore. I have had the experience of my belt catching on the horn when the horse galloped up a hill because my big belly was over the horn when I leaned forward. being caught on the horn is a BAD feeling. So, if i have a meacate, I just tuck it under the waistband of my pants, or tie it to the horn ( a less safe choice, I know).


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## Iseul (Mar 8, 2010)

Generally, since I'm the only one with a reliable trail mount, I keep a lead (nylon or rope halter under my bridle) run through my actual belt. If I were to come off, she'd most likely shy away and/or trot off, but with the resistance of the lead she'll stop and stand.

With the "get down" rope, I can hop off in a hurry without trying to bring my reins over her head if I need to get to somebody that's on the ground. While she won't lead at my shoulder, she'll stay a safe distance behind me so she doesn't step on anyone or anything.

Though, I'd she were to run off after I fell, the lead wouldn't be tied to anything on me, only drawn through, so I wouldn't be drug very far, if at all.
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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

tinyliny said:


> So, if i have a meacate, I just tuck it under the waistband of my pants, or tie it to the horn ( a less safe choice, I know).


I don't see how tying it to the horn is any less safe. Heck, I do that sometimes too. Other times I coil it up and tie it to my saddle via the saddle strings.

The only problem I've run into is that it takes longer to get it loose when you get off and need it.


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

smrobs said:


> but it is proper to carry the lead section of a mecate set tucked under your belt, mostly so you don't have to untie it from your saddle whenever you get off,


 
Can save you from a very long walk home. Always my goal.

Amazing that, as fast as falls seems to happen, if you have that mecate tucked under you pant's or chap's belt, you remember to grab it as you go down.

Another good reason: Hubby had a cousin who came off a colt in a funny corner of a large pasture. The corner kind of dipped over a hill into a coulee and wasn't easily visible from the ground.

He didn't come home and they sent a plane looking for him. The pilot and spotter could see the horse standing in the corner and sent a crew to see if the cousin was with him. Saved his life. He'd been laying there for a couple days already hanging onto that mecate.


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## hberrie (Apr 28, 2012)

Stupid question...what is a mecate?


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Not a stupid question at all. A mecate is a very long rope, traditionally made from braided/twisted horse hair, though more commonly found these days made from yacht rope. They average 22-24 feet in length. You can use them on snaffle bits or bosal hackamores and they are long enough to give you a single "sport" type rein and the left over will be a lead or a "get down" rope. They attach to a snaffle bit by way of slobber straps


















And they are attached to the bosal by winding and twisting it a certain way around the base of the bosal noseband


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

tinyliny said:


> So, if i have a meacate, I just tuck it under the waistband of my pants, or tie it to the horn ( a less safe choice, I know).


I tuck mine all down into my pantleg! The boys taught me that, Even if pulled through my belt loops it came out. So I tuck it down into my pantleg and I can feel it if it starts coming out. However it does take a while to get used to horsehair rubbing on your thigh and even worse if it gets yanked out! LoL!


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

hberrie said:


> Stupid question...what is a mecate?


 
And then there's the weird way it's pronounced.

meh-car-tee

Whoduvthunk


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

boots said:


> And then there's the weird way it's pronounced.
> 
> meh-car-tee
> 
> Whoduvthunk


LOL! Forever I spelled it...McCarty


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## Ian McDonald (Aug 24, 2011)

COWCHICK77 said:


> LOL! Forever I spelled it...McCarty


Either way is proper, from what I hear. 

You tuck it down into your pants? What's the benefit in doing that? I'd think it'd feel like a friggin' cactus in your drawers. :-?


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

LOL, I must be in an oddball part of the country. I know most other areas pronounce it "macarty", but I've always heard and said it "meh-cah-tee".


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

Ian McDonald said:


> Either way is proper, from what I hear.
> 
> You tuck it down into your pants? What's the benefit in doing that? I'd think it'd feel like a friggin' cactus in your drawers. :-?


LoL! It does, but you get used to it. 
Even if I tuck it through a couple of belt loops it comes out sometimes. If you tuck it down your pant leg you can feel it if it starts to come out, but if you get get bucked off you aren't tied to it. Yet it still has a little resistance that you might think about grabbing it so you don't have to walk to barn....tee he


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## Iseul (Mar 8, 2010)

Well, ya learn something everyday..I've always pronounced it meh-kate, haha.
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## BlooBabe (Jul 7, 2012)

smrobs said:


> LOL, I must be in an oddball part of the country. I know most other areas pronounce it "macarty", but I've always heard and said it "meh-cah-tee".


I pronounce it meh-cah-tee most of the time but I'm from around Boston so my R's sound like ah's if I don't catch myself.


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

Ugh. The controversy!

Must be why somebody invented the term "get down rope."


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## MHFoundation Quarters (Feb 23, 2011)

smrobs said:


> LOL, I must be in an oddball part of the country. I know most other areas pronounce it "macarty", but I've always heard and said it "meh-cah-tee".


Guess I'm an oddball too. That's how I've always heard it as well.


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## OutOfTheLoop (Apr 1, 2012)

I always called it a meh-kate as well, glad ive never had to say it outloud!
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