Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 3: Approach the Horse
• Part 2 of 3: Put on the halter
• Part 3 of 3: Halter Your Horse
• Warnings

A halter is a horse bridle without a bit that can be made of leather, woven tape, or rope. It is used in conjunction with a reins to move a horse from one place to another. If you are just learning the basics of horse care, you may not yet know how to put a halter on your horse. The process is simple enough. You just need to carefully approach the horse, fasten the halter buckles on its head and check that it fits correctly on it.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Approach the Horse

1. 1 Prepare the halter. Before you start putting the halter on your horse, you need to prepare it. If the horse starts to resist, it will be difficult for you to prepare the equipment along the way.
   • Unbuckle the corner bridle strap. This strap is located behind the ears on the horse's head. Inspect it, it must have a buckle or clasp on it.
   • Fasten the halter to the halter in advance. You need to be able to promptly lead your horse to the desired location as soon as you put the halter on it. Clip the halter to the lip of the halter strap. The underlip strap is the lower half of the strap that goes around the nose of the horse's muzzle.
2. 2 Call your horse. When approaching a horse, call for it. This will allow you to alert the animal of your arrival. Refer to the horse by its name, or simply say something like "I'm coming!" So that she knows that you are entering her pen or stall.
3. 3 Approach the horse with the halter in your left hand. Be sure to hold the halter in your left hand when approaching the horse. You will be putting on the halter on the left side of the animal. Therefore, the horse must initially see what is happening. If you try to trick the animal by hiding the halter, the horse will stop trusting you. This will worsen your relationship with the horse.
4. 4 Slowly approach the horse on the left side. To put on the halter, you should always approach the horse from the left side only. Halters are also always fastened to the left. Therefore, you need to approach so that you stand next to the head of the animal on the left side of it.
5. 5 Let the horse sniff your hand. Do not put a halter on a horse suddenly. So you can scare her. When you are about 30 cm from the horse's head, let him smell your hand. This will allow her to become familiar with your scent. She must distinguish your scent from the scent of potential predators that she may encounter.
   • It is helpful for an anxious horse to bring a treat with him as a reward for staying calm.

Part 2 of 3: Put on the halter

1. 1 Position the halter in the same direction as the horse's head. The halter must be pulled on the right side of the horse's head. As soon as you approach the horse, position the halter in the same direction as the horse's head. The muzzle strap should point in the same direction as the horse's nose.
2. 2 For control, loop the rein around the horse's neck. When the halter is in the correct position, loop the reins around the bottom of the horse's neck. This will give you some control over the animal if it starts to resist putting on the halter and tries to escape.
3. 3 Pull the halter over the horse's nose and ears. Now you need to gently pull the halter over the horse's nose. Pass the nose of the horse through the loop formed by the muzzle and lip straps. Next, slide your right hand under the horse's throat. With your right hand, place the belt behind the horse's ears. When doing this, gently bend your ears back if necessary. Adjust the position of the halter so that it sits flat on the head and does not bump into the horse's ears.
4. 4 Button up the halter. When the halter is on your head, buckle the waist strap. To do this, hold the halter in place with your left hand. With your right hand, line up the ends of the angle belt and fasten the buckle on the left side.
   • Check that the halter is not too tight. He should sit on the head tight enough not to slip off her. However, at the same time, he should not be very tight, so that his straps do not cut into the horse's skin. If the halter you are using turns out to be overly tight or loose, you will need to take a more suitable size gear next time.
5. 5 Cheer up your horse if necessary. The horse may feel nervous about putting on the halter. Encourage and comfort her as she works. Talk to her in a soothing tone and stroke her if you see her feeling worried or angry.
6. 6 Make sure the halter is well adjusted in size. The halter should fit well on the horse's head. An unsuitable halter can hurt an animal. If the halter bumps into the horse's skin or coat, its size needs to be adjusted with the buckle on the lap belt. However, keep in mind that sometimes the halter can be just too small for the horse. If re-strapping the old halter to its maximum size does not work, you will need to visit an equestrian store and purchase a new, larger halter.
   • The horse's head can be measured to determine the correct halter size. Take a measuring tape and attach the end of it to the side, at the level of the protruding cheekbone bone and approximately halfway between the eye and nostrils. Then run the tape over the horse's nose to the same point on the other side. Write down your measurement. This is the size of the muzzle strap (capsule) you need. If your horse does not respond well to a tape measure, attach a string to his face, and then measure the string.
   • Place the end of the tape measure under the cheekbone behind the horse's eye. Pull the measuring tape behind the animal's ears to the cheekbone on the other side of the head. The resulting measurement will give you the size of the angle belt. Keep in mind that sometimes the waist strap is combined with the cheek straps - in this case, you will also need to take into account their length. Next, place the end of the tape measure a few centimeters behind the horse's eye and run the tape down the side of the horse's throat. Then run the tape under the throat and to a similar point on the other side of the head. This measurement will give you the size of the chin strap. As with measuring the muzzle, a string can be used for measurements if the horse does not like the tape measure.
   • If your horse is custom sized, you may need a special halter for it. For example, draft horses usually need halters designed for larger horse breeds. If you decide to use a halter designed for narrow-headed horses for such a horse, you will probably need to try out a lot of options. Try on halters from different brands until you find one that works best for your horse.
7. 7 Observe basic safety rules. There are some basic safety rules to follow when putting a halter on your horse. First, you need to take care of the safety of the horse.
   • Never let your horse run freely with the halter on. The halter can catch on a tree branch or fence and cause injury.
   • Leather halters are easily damp and can get moldy. A damaged halter can simply jump off the horse. Clean the halter regularly and store in a clean, dry place when not in use.
   • Never tie or wrap the reins around the horse's head. If the horse gets scared, it could be injured.

Part 3 of 3: Halter Your Horse

1. 1 Whenever possible, start training your horse at a young age. It can be difficult to accustom an adult horse to a halter. Therefore, if you have the opportunity, start training immediately after the foal is born.
   • Foals must be taught to humans immediately. It is important that the horse gets used to human touch as early as possible. Try putting a halter on your foal in the first few days of its life.
   • Put on and take off the halter daily as the foal grows. So he will begin to perceive this accessory as a completely ordinary thing. Later, he will be more relaxed about putting on a halter as an adult.
2. 2 Touch the head, ears and neck of an adult horse regularly. If you have an adult horse that is not yet accustomed to the halter, you will need to slowly start training it. First, just touch the horse's head, ears, and neck. Stroke her neck, ears, and head.
   • Reward your horse for letting you touch him. Offer treats such as carrots or apples if the animal remains calm when you touch it.
   • Talk affectionately to your horse as you interact. Use soothing words to prevent the animal from getting nervous or angry.
3. 3 Introduce the halter to your horse. When your horse is comfortable with your touch, introduce him to the halter. For several days in a row, simply hold the halter in your hand as you pet your horse. Allow the animal to sniff at the halter and thereby get used to its smell and presence. Then start gently pulling the halter over your nose and behind your ears.
   • You may need more than one try. If the horse becomes worried as soon as the halter is on the nose, remove it. You can try to wear it the next day.
   • It will probably take you a few days to get the halter on and properly buttoned on your horse. This is completely normal. To avoid scaring the animal, it is important to be patient and allow the horse to move at its own pace. If the horse develops an aversion to the halter, it will become even more difficult to accustom to it.
4. 4 Start driving your horse on the leash. Once your horse is accustomed to the halter, you will need to train him to walk on the leash. Clip the halter to your halter and start exercising.
   • In the first lessons, stand to the right of the horse. Pull on the rein, applying enough pressure to induce the horse to move. As soon as the horse turns its head towards you, praise it. Reinforce the desired behavior with a treat. For example, treat your horse to apple slices as it turns its head.
   • You can teach your horse to step forward by pulling the rein forward until it moves. Stop putting pressure on the rein as soon as the horse takes a step. Then pull it back. When she steps back, stop applying pressure. Consider rewarding your horse for good behavior.
   • Move forward gradually in learning. When your horse learns to walk back and forth, try leading him along. Increase tasks a little every day. For example, start with five steps, then work up to ten.Continue in this manner until the horse is comfortable with you on the leash.
5. 5 Don't punish the horse. You need to make sure that the halter training process is enjoyable for the horse. Any negative association with a halter can seriously set you back in the process of accustoming to it. Therefore, do not punish the horse during this process.
   • Do not yell at the horse, whip or act aggressively. The halter is a new and unfamiliar subject for her that she can reasonably fear. Be patient. If the horse doesn't obey, take a break and try to do the lesson a little later.
   • Every horse session should end on a positive note. Even if you only managed to pull the halter over the horse's nose, this is also an achievement. If you feel that the horse is starting to get nervous and uncomfortable, stop.

Warnings

• Adjust the halter so that the straps do not touch the horse's eyes.
• Never remove the halter from a horse where it may suddenly jump onto the road when released.