[mvp]

My horse doesn't wear his triple stitched halter in T/O any more than you'd wear your prom dress to eat nachos on the couch.

What's the best BAD T/O halter?

But I do have standards:

It must be all leather.

It can be single ply India stuff-- like Gatsby halters. He and his buddies really prefer single ply for chewing purposes.

It should be cheap enough that I don't care if he puts that nasty nacho cheese on it and chews it to death.

So give me your cheapest, your tired, huddled bad leather halters yearning to be on my horse!

[maudie]

The moldy halter in the tack compartment in the trailer. It was there when we bought the saddle, and I haven't touched it. Might have been nice at one point... But just think! Breakaway, no one will chew on it

[arktos19]

Before my TB was exiled from group turnout he was going through halters like kleenex, as he and his little paddock pals liked nothing better than a rousing game of halter tag. I learned quickly to love the Gatsby's as they are inexpensive and with a little bit of wear soften up nicely.

[Renn/aissance]

Dover Hampton. Almost always on sale for $20. At that price I don't care if it tries to get up and walk away. Actually, given my horse's chewing habits, getting up and walking away would be a smart choice.

[Derby Lyn Farms]

I got some on sale last year from Horseloverz.com. They were $5 each, but it was a one time deal. They are cheap and thin. Bought them for the young horses b/c they play so much and they will break easier if they get stuck on something. I don't remember what brand they were, but it looks like there are some cheap halters on there still.

[Simbalism]

I'll put in a second for the Dover halter. It holds up well( course my mare doesn't chew on hers or wear it for turnout). Her current one has been in use for about 2.5 years and is in good shape. The last time I had an order with Dover, I ordered one to have on hand since they are so inexpensive.

[tBHj]

My horses TO halter is a 3/4" Walsh. It's been holding up quite well.

If you're looking for cheap.. Greenhawk has $19 leather halters that get really soft after they are worn for a while. Hardware is also pretty sturdy on them.

[ReSomething]

Southern States el cheapo $22.95, comes in about 5 sizes from foal to full. Not bad looking for what you pay, the BO told me about them.

[citydog]

Nameless Indian leather things from the feedstore. The entire halter seems to be constructed of the crap the nice halters use from breakaway crowns. Oddly long-lasting but will break so easily they're probably as safe as having no halter on in TO at all. *And* they're even cheaper (under $10) if you buy them in bulk!

[Calling Duck]

Number one thing for me is to accessorize my cheap leather turn-out halter with is....just the right touch of duct tape.

Cheap leather halters always seem to have those stupid buckles and straps under the chin.

That is a magnet for my horse's pasture buddies to use as a tugging device. So I have taken to putting duct tape around the strap/buckle to keep the strap being so accessible.

Now, under his chin is a disgusting gooy blob of duct tape. Sure, they still chaw on ithe blob, so I occasionally have to cut through the 2" of tape and reapply a fresh batch.

No one at the barn would ever pick up my halter "by mistake." The duct tape gives it away. I call that a "custom halter."

[mvp]

Thanks so much for your ideas!

I had to ask because a) High-end tack shops here either don't carry the trusty old Gatsby POSs or want too much dough; and b) Low-end tack shops keep offering my nylon with bad hardware and perhaps a fuse or leather crown.

No nylon... or wire hangers. Or I'll get me a custom Craigmyle with a leather crown and never, ever (ever!) be in this T/O halter market again. Craigmyle-- the immortal nylon halter.

Anywhoo, I do want an English chin but I thought that was too much to ask. Yes, I could fake one with duct tape. A fine if fugly idea!

Any of you guys use Quillin's version of the T/O halter? Perhaps this would achieve the desired balance between economy and vanity for me?

[Ozone]

Dover Hampton. Almost always on sale for $20. At that price I don't care if it tries to get up and walk away. Actually, given my horse's chewing habits, getting up and walking away would be a smart choice.

Yeah Those Dover ones are Crap! And, Gasby? I think that is what they are called.

[CBoylen]

I have had a couple of those Dover $20 ones for a year now, and they're still going strong. They look perfectly decent from a distance. The only "complaint" (I am embarrassed to complain about something cheap and useful) I have about them is that the bottom rings are square and wide and some cross-tie snaps are hard to use with them. The snap on the throatlatch works just fine, even though my horses can be counted on to crust the halter in mud every day.

[cxt]

I second the greenhawk halters if you're looking for chewable.

The horse's buddies ate the buckle strap under the nose - pretty easily replaced if i ever got around to it. The pony's buddies ate the noseband. I guess they all have their preferences

[rugbygirl]

Weaver.

Weaver products are actually well-made, but they are often on sale for dirt cheap. $20 for a WB size halter, and that's in Canada.

[foursocks]

I get mine at kyhorse.com. They do cheap nameplates and $5 shipping, and you can customize if you want a snap throatlatch, adjustable nose, etc.

These aren't the *super* cheap ones ($29 with a snap throat), but if you want a surprisingly good quality leather TO halter that wont cost too much, go there. I buy my guy a new one every couple of seasons, although, now that I think about it, his last one went for over a year, because my new barn doesn't turn out with halters on!

So, final solution: don't turn them out wearing their halters, which can stay in safe isolation on the hook outside the paddock gate.

[SmartAlex]

I buy mine from Fennells just because I loff Fennells.

My horse chewed through two chin straps in three days. How the heck he got ahold of the CHIN STRAP I'll never know. So, last time I was in KY, I just bought a bunch of new chin straps. Luckily, he stopped. These Fennell halters are holding up great. I clean them about twice a week which involves throwing the muddy mess in a sink full of hot soapy water and wiping off the grit. Heck, I'd throw them in the washing machine if I thought I could get it past my husband Then I go over them with saddlesoap, and they look like new.

[Lucassb]

I use a Quillin halter for turnout and have had no problems at all!

[dauntless]

Pleasant Ridge in Brantford, Ontario is the absolute best for cheap halters. I got two for $15 and they are comparable to the Greenhawk $50 Connemara one. Plus, the service there never fails to be delightful. I've had too many bad experiences with GH - grumpy customer service, never having the items in stock, months to receive back orders etc - to be willing to give them business.

I strongly recommend them for any of their leather products, if you're looking for something low-ish end. Much better quality then any other "economy" leather options I've seen - and usually better prices as well.

http://www.pleasantridge.ca/

[BAC]

Any of you guys use Quillin's version of the T/O halter? Perhaps this would achieve the desired balance between economy and vanity for me?

With Quillin you can get the English chin you want. I used to use their sale halter as a turnout, I also use Walsh 3/4" for turnout.