Review by Karen Pickering
The halter works like a side-pull, but is soft on the nose as it does not have a hard lariat rope across the nose. It is a halter made of soft yacht braid rope with rings on the side and a curb strap to adjust to fit your horse. The adjustable curb strap helps keep the Riding Halter in place and prevents it from pulling up near the eye. The rings are placed so the angle of the rein will pull from the side of the face allowing the proper bend at the poll and neck. When riding with a regular rope halter the reins (or lead rope tied off as reins) are attached on the lead rope loop under the jaw. When you pull to turn… the angle of the rein tends to tilt the lower jaw to the side and UP twisting at the poll rather than bending. Also, with several horses the reins actually wind up pulling only/or mostly, on the neck/windpipe when you stop or back up. The Riding Halter can also double as a regular halter. The reins are soft yacht braid as well and make for a very nice set up for those interested in riding with a halter (this info straight and untouched from Barb).
I found the halter easy to use. My mare seemed to respond well to the pressure and I was able to maneuver her easily from side to side, stop and ask for her head. It’s very soft braid and nice to work with. The reins didn’t easily tangle were great to ride with. A nice alternative to riding the trails with a bridle. The snaps on the ends of the rein make it easy to undo and use as a regular halter
For more information visit www.BarbApple.com, (360) 832-3616 or horseplay1@barbapple.com*
*This link no longer active at the time this article was added to the website in 2019.
Published August 2011 Issue
Owner/Publisher Karen’s lifelong love of horses began at a very early age when she wore out a couple of rocking horses before convincing her parents to get her the real thing. That ill-tempered bay gelding, Brandy, was a challenge for the young horsewoman, but it drove her ambition to become a horse trainer. After attending Canyonview Equestrian College’s Horsemanship Program, Karen realized she needed work that was a little more lucrative than training, so she took a job with Customs Brokerage to pay the bills. There, she discovered an affinity for computers and a talent for creating informative, entertaining newsletters. The Northwest Horse Source began as such a letter in December 1995, with a distribution of 1000 copies for its 12 black and white pages. Now 25 years later, it’s an online magazine and website with a reach of over 10,000 per month and growing! Not bad for the results of one woman’s dream to work with horses!
Today, Karen remains involved with every aspect of the magazine and treasures the community of thousands who share a common passion. Now excited to start a version of her original magazine in Colorado!