Need help on buying a show halter

[rubyviewminis]

Before I dive in I wondered if I cold get advice for the styles, colors, and types. I have seen so many, and a lot of them on Ebay. I wondered if those with beaded sides are durable or would break easy. I know show halters are not to be used for tying, and are used on well trained horses. Does anyone prefer certain brands or types? And is it a good idea to buy from Ebay for something like this? Thank you in advance.

 

[kaykay]

My advice is buy the best halter you can afford. The good ones last a long time if you take care of them. Only once over the years have I had trouble with an expensive one breaking.

Be sure to buy what flatters your horses head.

If I have a horse with a really pretty small head with a big eye, I use a halter with a thin nose band and not much decoration as I want to show the head off.

If I have a horse that is a little long from eye to nose, then I go with a wider nose band.

Sometimes those pretty clips you put on the side can draw attention to a big eyed horse.

Im not a fan of many of the halters on ebay but you could probably find a good deal.

There are the knock off halters that look pretty good and run about 30.00 a set verses 200-250 for the real thing.

Do not buy those cheap ones with the beaded nose band.

Colors:

I do cool and warm colored halters depending on the horse color

I do Silver for black based horses (blacks, silver blacks)

Gold for bays and silver bays

Green for bays

Blue for blacks

Red can kinda go with most colored horses but you have to be sure it flatters

 

[Mominis]

I'm not a fan of beads on a halter. Skip those. Do you have a photo of your horse's head? That would help us give you ideas of what will best flatter him.

 

[Michelle@wescofarms]

Victor halters are my all time favorite, and we have those in different styles/size/color.

Classic goes with most is the dark burgundy nose band, black halter.

Although I'm like Kay and have had custom halters made and bought for a specific horse.

Consider this an investment. There are alot of good halter/tack companies out there. Schneiders sells the Billy Royals on sale for $79.99 right now, normal is $130. I have a couple of those. They're good quality, not as good as the Victors but not crap.

Personally not a huge fan of the beaded but to each his own.

If you want to see what looks the best on horses - open up The World or Journal and look at the type of halters the NC/World Champions are wearing.

 

[Becky]

In addition to the ones mentioned above, I also like the Showtime halters. Good fit, quality products and they last.

 

[Minimor]

I am not at all a fan of the cheaper halters you find on e-bay. There are those that Double Diamond used to sell (maybe they still do? I haven't checked) for around $40 or $50--you got the halter, lead, chain and conchos for that price, and they were actually fairly decent. I don't have any of them but have used one that was borrowed at a show. I'm told that those particular ones that have the 'patent' nose do fade after a few uses.

My halters are all Victors and Showtimes, and a couple BKM. I like the Victors best, and as long as you look after them they retain their value--you'll have no problem selling the halter should you decide you no longer want/need it. I find the black patent noseband with silver trim suits the most horses (personally I do not like the burgandy nosebands at all!) but I also have a black w/gold one that was bought custom made for one specific pony.

I have 2 of the patent nostband (closed ring) shepherd halters from Showtime, and I have several silver and gold/silver bar noseband Showtime halters. I love them all, and can pick & choose which one best suits any particular horse.

I do use my Victors the most, but have certain ponies and horses that look better in either the Showtime patent nose halter (those have cable cheeks so look a bit finer than the Victors) or one of the bar nosebands.

Victor and Showtime halters are both very well made--I have no concerns about either of those breaking, even with a horse that might be a bit difficult or headstrong.

The cheaper halters...I do not trust them, I've heard of too many of them breaking.

 

[Carolyn R]

Before I dive in I wondered if I cold get advice for the styles, colors, and types. I have seen so many, and a lot of them on Ebay. I wondered if those with beaded sides are durable or would break easy. I know show halters are not to be used for tying, and are used on well trained horses. Does anyone prefer certain brands or types? And is it a good idea to buy from Ebay for something like this? Thank you in advance.

While I have always questioned the quick silver ones and their durability, and I am personally not a big fan of the knockoffs of the BKM halters that come with the conchos and the plastic lead, the quality is not the same in the noseband or the stitching. I like the Victors and I like the BKM halters. As far as buying the quality ones there when they pop up, there are plenty of good honest buyers and sellers, just check to see how long they have been members, their feedback number(transactions) and their score. Since I have given up on breeding and am working on shrinking my herd, I have no issues going that route to downsize on tack.

 

[Performancemini]

I purchased a Royal King from Horse.com (and found they got it from a Jack's Tack) and sent it back. The material was crumby. The crownpiece looked like some kind of pressed rubber-not even biothane. I wonder if this was a knock-off of a real Royal King? I paid $45.98 with tax for it. Sent it back-had to send it direct to Jack's Tack and not Horse.com and have yet (6-8 weeks) to see my money credited back to my card. I won't be buying from Horse.com again! I will stay with the good miniature vendors and pay more.

 

[minimomNC]

I suggest if your going to a show, find out if there will be a tack vendor and if they will have show halters. All of the ones I know will let you try halters on your horse so you can find not only the best style but the best fit. We are still using halters we bought from either Star Lake or Mini Express over 6 years ago. I don't get anything fancy, I stick with black or burgandy nose bands and I don't get the little things on the sides. I like plain halters. This way they can go with almost any horse. I have some in gold and some in silver so I can chose. The price I paid for those halters 6 years ago is a whole lot lower than they are now but they are still in great shape. The one thing I do recommend is for your show lead, get leather and make sure it has a buckle, not a snap. We have had a few snaps come loose in the ring, so we only use buckles now.

 

[Minimor]

performancemini-Royal King is a very cheap product line, so the halter you got was likely a Royal King & not a knockoff of Royal King. LOL I don't think the cheap product lines have knockoffs.

 

[Charlotte]

I'll add my vote for Show Time. Very high quality and last for years and years. I prefer a very simple halter with plain sides and a caveson (patent) noseband that has a slight flare in the middle of the noseband. These look good on any horse and since there are different horses using our halters each year that is a must for me.

Also, I insist on a leather lead that buckles to the chin chain. We have amateurs and youth showing and a slippery biothane lead or one with an easy to unfasten snap are just asking for trouble.

I agree with others...a good halter is well worth the initial cost. The Show Time halters can have the crown piece exchanged so that is a big help too.

Charlotte

 

[Jean_B]

My recommendation is with the others...do NOT buy a cheap one on eBay - the quality just isn't there, and if you plan on competing at all, you want to set your horse off to its best advantage. Look at this as an investment. I bought a number of show halters over the years from Star Lakes Tack and Mini Express. They carry top quality and they stand behind their products. I used them for MANY years and they held their value. When I got out of breeding/showing, I was able to sell them for a good price. Take a look at some of the halters on my horses' pictures on my website. You'll see what I mean about a good halter being essential.

 

[Tremor]

I just bought this halter for my 2011 filly. I had to go for the weanling size, but I should be getting it next week.

http://www.horse.com...E001010/?ref=cj

I'm hoping that its good quality, but I'm thinking that I should have went for this halter instead.

http://www.horse.com...lter/SLT901216/

Have any of you had any luck with these halters?

If it doesn't work out I don't think it would bother me a whole lot, since I'll only use the halter a few times this year. 3-4 times tops. Plus, I have a halter for her next year that looks to be pretty good quality and expensive. (we got it with our old show mare.)

 

[PrestigeMiniHorses]

I have a few of the Royal Kings and the other ones can't think of the name right now. I never paid very much for them and I did buy them from Ebay as well. They work great for my needs but I do like the BKMs, Showtimes and a few others.

 

[BlueStar]

My vote also goes to Showtime Tack! Quality is second to none and they last forever! You can customize exactly how you want it as well.

 

[rubyviewminis]

Thanks for all the tips! Luckily, I had already decided the beaded looked very tacky, and I haven't bought anything more than books on Ebay, so I was right about the product quality. Jewel in my avatar and her mother have tiny muzzles and dishy faces with large eye and I thought that the thinner nose pieces in gold, burgandy, and red go well with them. I have 13 regular halters in different colors and that helps. I have bought all of my miniature tack and equipment from Star Lake and Ozark and am very happy with their quality and service. All of the other tips were so helpful!

I still have my leather and silver western show halter from ages ago showing Quarter Horses, can't bring myself to part with it, but the quality of it has let it last for over 20 years now, geez! correct that, 30 years, gads!

I would like to know about the closed nose and the halters with open hooks? That's what they look like to me, or are they all the same?

Thanks so much.

 

[Minimor]

Some people prefer the closed ring halters because they say they are more secure, the chain cannot come off. I personally have not had a chain come off the open hook halters either--I'm not even sure how the chain comes off at all, because all it does is ride up the cheek piece.

However, I generally roll my chain so it works kind of like a chain bumper bar--it won't actually tighten on the horse's chin, and it won't loosen either. That probably helps to keep it more secure on the hooks. (I roll the chain on my closed ring halters too) In a few cases I use the biothane chin straps instead of a chain.

 

[K.C. Lunde]

I invested in one really nice halter (a Tiffany) and bought 5 ebay ones. I love, love them. Great for using for training and pictures. I just imagine how heartbroken I'd be if my $200 halter broke during a photosession...

The ones I've bought on ebay have been sturdy. I dont have a problem with them.