# Collars & Chains vrs Halters



## Devin (Feb 6, 2011)

I hate collars and plastic chains! I have a doe that will literally choke herself until she is wobbly from lack of oxygen because she just has to get to that limb that has leaves on it, or that patch of wild onion . . . and plastic chain collars? Forget it! They break so easily! So I went to a halter for her, no more choking, no more wobbles. But I wasn't completely satisfied with the web halters that are available at our local TSC, my goats must have fairly big heads and the TSC only seems to carry size small. Which fit, but just barely! and they are kinda bulky for a goat! So I spent hours adapting instructions for a horse rope halter and made one goat sized  I love it. I have made a few of them now, and that is all I use for my goats. This was todays project. The gorgeous model is Arabella lol! She looks good in Lime doesn't she!?!


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Very nice!


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## GreenMountainNigerians (Jul 3, 2013)

I love it. Very nice work! I saw these type of horse halters at the feed store and wished they made them smaller. 


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## canyontrailgoats (Jan 4, 2014)

I used halters on my stake out goats. It definitely reduces choking, And it's easier to control the animal. I bought a large sheep halter for my big buck and it fit well.plus it keeps him from horning my hand!
The only problem is that if a tied goat runs full speed on a rope and gets jerked back hard, it can injure or break their necks.


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## Devin (Feb 6, 2011)

Thanks guys! I should say I never leave a halter OR collar on a goat, and I don't tie out either. This is just for daily leading, to and from the milk stand and such. 

I love halters when training to lead as well. Much more control than a collar gives you! They can't pull as hard. It always seems that collars slip down the neck and they pull with their chests.


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## Chadwick (Jan 24, 2014)

Nice knot work! And I work at a Girl Scouts camp, so I see lots of knots!


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## Devin (Feb 6, 2011)

lol! Thanks  It took me a few hours to figure it out!


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## ptgoats45 (Nov 28, 2011)

You should sell those! I've got one for my big wether, but it is one of those where the nose will tighten on him if you pull on it. One of these would be really nice for him.


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## GreenMountainNigerians (Jul 3, 2013)

I would pay for a couple. Those are cool. 


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## Devin (Feb 6, 2011)

Actually, I have had a couple people express interest. I would be happy to make anyone here a halter. Let me know via PM if you are interested. I have a smaller young doe that I could measure that would probably fit a Nigerian Dwarf or young standard sized goat. I can make an adult standard doe halter without any problems at all. And I have a bull headed buck to measure if you need a particularly large halter lol!


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## rainman_buck (Mar 21, 2014)

I hate using halters. I once left my goat on a halter to walk my other goat. I was gone for 5 minutes and he had tried to get away by backing up and he tightened it on his nose and he chocked to death. I use them in sheep tho cause they have thicker bones


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## Devin (Feb 6, 2011)

That's terrible! I hate the halters that tighten too! All my animals fight them.

This is not a normal "goat" halter. It does NOT tighten on the nose, it is fashioned after a horse halter.


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## rainman_buck (Mar 21, 2014)

Oh, that makes since! Sounds like a great idea!


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

That is great. We always show in halters. I never ever use a collar on the goats. 

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## rainman_buck (Mar 21, 2014)

Really? Here where I live we Arnt aloud to show in halters, we have to show in chains.






like this. This is not me.

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## ptgoats45 (Nov 28, 2011)

I think different breeds have different rules. With dairy goats you wouldn't want to use a halter because the collars can help stretch the neck and make it look longer/more elegant. Sweetgoats has Cashmere goats and I would assume with them you would use a halter so you can better show off their hair, and stay away from the horns


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## Devin (Feb 6, 2011)

I modified it with a pinch buckle! Now, as long as it is on just one goat all I have to do is snap it together, and only tie it to size once! LOVE! I will be testing this buckle out over the next few months to see that it doesn't break too easily. I probably wouldn't use it while training a goat to lead, but most of mine lead great already.


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## SlapHappy (Mar 27, 2014)

Do you have a link to the website that you learned to make these from? :lovey:


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

We by all my halters at caprinesupply.com. They are great and have xs to xl.


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## Abra (Aug 11, 2012)

Do you offer these in any other colors? LoL
I might just buy a few!


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## SlapHappy (Mar 27, 2014)

I love this idea. I think I am going to try this. I like doing crafty stuff (especially in the winter).

You can really jazz them up with beads and such too. I googled beaded horse halters in images and there are some very pretty ones but I am not good at native American type of beading so I then Googled, Macrame Horse halters and that was more on the lines of what I was thinking.

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q...QBIR&pq=macrame+horse+halter&sc=0-0&sp=-1&sk=

Being as I do not plan to ever leave a goat unattended w/ a halter on I don't think beads would be a possible hazard.

I like your design better than most in the images so, I would macrame over those ropes after the harness was made.

If you like crafting you might could make some good money making fancy ones too. I don't know.

I wouldn't want to sit and macrame a bunch of halters to sell. LOL I have arthritis. I will do good to get one or maybe 2 done. LOL

Just some thoughts.


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## CritterCarnival (Sep 18, 2013)

I recently started making a similar style of halter for our whole Crewe. I am making everybody brand new halters for spring and each is custom made to fit perfectly.

Here's a few pictures:

First model is Dusty, trying to get the cookie from my hand. 








Sammy is NOT amused! :ROFL:








But cookies are accepted as an adequate apology.








Safety Note: The halter placement on Dusty is correct, with the nose piece up high on the bridge of the nose, where the bone is strongest. Sammy's halter is a little too small and that is why it's so low on her nose. This was our first "test fitting", I need to do some tweaking of the knot placement to get it up higher on her nose for a perfect, safe fit.


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## Riverside Fainters (Feb 6, 2013)

Crittercarneval that halter is awesome!!


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