Show Halters - any with closed ring?

[rupper]

I'm looking for a new show halter for our yearling colt and would like to get one with closed rings for more control and that he's less likely to "slip" out of. I know that there are Victory halters that have a closed ring. Do any of you know of any other brands/makers of show halters that have closed rings?

Thanks!

 

[squeaky]

Hi,

I think Prime Design still has some show halters with the closed ring. Here is a link to their website:

Prime design Tack

Amanda

 

[promise]

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[Meshale]

Good question.....i am looking at show halters now too.....now what is a "closed ring"...i have two 2 yr olds that i will be showing for the first time..is that something i need???

 

[Jill]

I recently bought four new show halters from Victor! Woohoo

However, now that Arab show season is going, I do not think he's making any more mini halters at this time.

Additionally, though, I bought a beautiful closed ring halter from SStack.com that could easily be mistaken for a Victor. It's gorgeous

 

[promise]

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[Meshale]

AAHHHHH...ok i see!!!....thank you Promise*S*

 

[nootka]

Jill, are those the same old Victor style we know and love or the new ones w/the huge side plates they are closed but not just a ring like the old ones...would love to see pics and get links to where you got 'em if you did get the "old style".

I have two old style and I love the type but I also love the Showtime halters just wish he would offer them w/a closed option as it is a lot nice w/some horses even if it can be a little less elegant with some designs.

I will say that some of the "closed" types are not truly closed they are tack-soldered or welded and they are made of a weaker material overall (as in the cable is not attached right) and so they are weak and I've seen them break with disastrous results (check how they are made before you buy).

Even if your horse is truly "dead broke" you will regret not having them be almost unbreakable at some point in either their show career or the next horse that gets the "hand me down".

Liz M.

 

[Jill]

They are the "old style" classic Victors and they are awesome!!!

I got 2 miniature versions of 9D (a large and a small, with silver piping and silver rings), a miniature version of 9H with gold metalic where the picture is burgundy, and a miniature version of 9H w/ burgundy just as pictured. The prices new, custom and direct from Victor were less than 1/3 of what these were selling for used....................... !!! (from http://www.victorcustomtack.com/ BUT I don't know that he's got time to make them now that his Arabian show season is going... We (myself, Erica & Kim) had to order ours before the end of the year and were scared to say anything before we knew he had time to do and finish ours...)

Then from sstack.com, I got this one, which is also stunning, with gold nose and rings (from http://www.sstack.com/ )

AND then, I got a neat flared BKM for Sunny, who looks better with ferules than with conchos / plain sides. Got Sunny a bugundy band, gold inlay, black piping & mixed ferules (from http://www.starlakefarm.com/ )

It was pretty cool. I rarely ever approach this horse stuff from a sensible in terms of money basis, but I decided to go on and sell the beaded and other show halters I had formerly used, since I knew I'd never use them again with the above available and the cash flow was a wash

Let me tell you, that just never happens with me and horse things!

This show halter and three thin / dainty western show halters were the only ones I decided to keep for future use

(from http://www.minitack.com/ AND http://www.starlakefarm.com/ )

I am a tack junkie, and there is my show halter collection. It's stupid how often I get this junk out just to gloat over it. I'm a lost cause.

 

[promise]

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[susanne]

While I haven't seen one in person, the Schneider Tack (sstack.com) closed ring halters are elegantly beautiful -- not tacky like so many show halters. These have class -- especially the Elegant Thread -- and are very reasonably priced.

Jill, I hope you tell us all about yours when you get them!

 

[Jill]

AND, I just can't help it, here are some of the pretty conchos I also bought... For the burgundy Victor halter, it has oval silver and gold petite conchos made by Victor himself.

These are the ones I got for the other halters. I thought some were fairly "unique". They all look way, way prettier in person. I swear that I'd wear them as pins if I could figure out how.

The above are all available from sstack.com .

Susanne -- I've had all the halters for a month or so. Maybe longer. I just love playing with them

Like jewelry for horses!

And, I would like to second what Liz / Nootka says regarding breakable halters. That's what concerns me about people using the less expensive halters, especially some of the beaded ones I have seen (the ones I sold were expensive & well made).

In my experience, not only is it a safety risk to use tack that is not strong, but also, about the last thing you really want a horse to learn is that tack is breakable. Horses do not forget anything they learn.

As for some very cheap ($15) show halters, I bought some to practice w/ from Brian at Sugar Rock. They are made of beta biothane, which feels like leather (not shiny and slippery). From what I can see, these do feel strong and maybe a good option for someone just starting out or like me, wanting something to practice w/ so as not to get the "real" stuff dirty. I do not think these ones would break easily -- http://www.sugarrockfarm.com/

 

[nootka]

Jill, I am the same way about show halters that I think some women must be about shoes (I do love shoes, but I love show halters even more!) and wish there was a nice way to display them on the wall.

Guess how "sick" I am, I've been contemplating sculpting a miniature horse sized head to "wear/model" them on the wall so I can look at them all year round. Right now I have a little "shrine to show season" on the wall in my computer room which has neck ribbons and show halters, photos of a couple of my horses and a framed poster of Buckeroo. Just need a spritz of Show Sheen and eu de horsie and it'll be complete.

:

Thanks for the tip, Jill, I was under the impression that no more Victors were ever being made this at least gives me hope that the tattered ones I have won't have to last forever since I would love a few more sizes, too.

Very nice choices, btw.

Liz M. (is anybody else thinking it would be fun to have a "mini horse halter" party like the old tupperware parties *LOL*)

 

[Jetiki]

What about taking a pair of pliers and making the U shape a little smaller? We have done this to one or two of them and haven't had a problem with them. Just a thought.

Karen

 

[tini-z]

Hi Jill,

I have seen your post about the halters and conchos.

I have 3 Victor halters and now looking for some more conchos to change.

I like the ones with the golden horse head from SSTack, dose they fit a miniatrue show halter??

 

[Jill]

Tin-z, I just sent you a PM about the conchos

And, Liz, I wish you had not told me about the model horse head. I do not need any encouragement in this department

: I have this brass hook / wrack thing that I keep the show halters on when not in use that is in my sun room / Florida room. In that room, I have a wall covered with "the good ribbons" and above the valances show pics of the horses and the trophies. I like to go in there and just like breath deep and sigh. AND, I can look out of one of the window walls in that room and see some of the ribbon getters, too

Like I said, I am hopeless...

 

[Miniequine]

Victor called me last week to let me know

that my new halters were ready!

Thank you Jill!!!

They are being sent to my office,

I have been driving our receptionist CRAZY!! hehehe

Victor said he is busy, but he will take orders.....

Sandy

 

[Michelle@wescofarms]

Great news Jill that Victor is making halters again! I know a couple of tack dealers were trying to get him to and he wouldn't a couple years ago. I bought six Victors (all that I could find) at that time.

BTW - I love the concho collection. I ordered three sets by a mini tack dealer in Maine that kept the money and never sent anything!

The Schneider ones I do like, but find they're a bit large for the smaller minis. I did buy two or three of the different ones last year. They arent' Victor's but they are nice.

One thing if you have a good relationship with your tack dealer, see if they can custom order. I needed a specific color combination and we had it made (with closed rings) by BKM (I think that was the manufacturer). I wanted something to bring out the points on perlino's and they did a nice job with the colors. (We've never used that halter unfortunately as our stallion came down with WNV before Nationals last year.)

 

[Jill]

Michelle, you are right about the SStack ones! They run really large. I was tempted to order an XL for my B division gelding, but Erica told me to go with the large and she was right. I'd say that the SStack Large would be like an Extra Large in BKM. Also, I feel that the Victors run a little small and that his Medium is more like a Small in BKM. I was thrilled to hear that he cold make us some mini halters, that is for sure