December 2002

Show Halters: The Secret Is The Fit

All the sterling in the world won’t help if the halter doesn’t fit your horse properly. The judges simply don’t care about silver.

Correct halter fit and adjustment: neat and ûworkmanlike.

An exhibitor fusses with her horse’s forelock during the last moments before their halter or showmanship class. She slips off the stable halter and slides on a masterpiece halter with silver, rubies and gold. The buckle is half the size of most rural towns. The price tag was more than some people paid for their first car.

Is all this necessary? No!

Glitz has gotten out of hand in most areas of the show-pen world, where the appearance seems to indicate that you must have gobs of money to compete. Imagine not showing your horse because you thought you needed a halter that cost hundreds of dollars in order to look acceptable.…