# Halter/lead for adult Boer Buck?



## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

Hey everyone, I am making a list of things my kids will need for the upcoming show season.

I'm wondering... for those who have adult Boer Bucks, what kind of halter do you use for leading them around to/from shows, stand, etc. We use these and love them!









Problem is, they are getting small on him, no lead room lol!

So I was curious if anyone had any other suggestions?

Ideally I would like to order the leather halter w/lead from a breeder, but not sure if my budget will allow for it since I want to get a new goat stand (I think they are $50+ but very nice!). So I want to have alternatives just in case since it's a 'show' halter, but I think my son wants to continue showing in a prong collar.


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## spidy1 (Jan 9, 2014)

I dont show, but on Diesel (Full Blood Boer buck) I use a yearling horse halter, I did have to add holes as needed to size it right, and a string from nose band to crown band for over night in stall where.


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

That's a great idea Spidy! Thanks! I live in horse country, and there is a great horse supply in town. I may have to measure his head and see what they have that would fit him. His head isn't massive, but overall he's a big guy (306lbs on the scale yesterday).


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## spidy1 (Jan 9, 2014)

yearling with added adjusting holes would probably work, Diesel's 300 lbs as well.


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## Damfino (Dec 29, 2013)

I don't have Boers but I prefer to use halters! Although they are versatile and fit most sizes of goats, I don't care for halters that slip through because you can't tie with them, and as you've discovered you can run out of rope when the goat gets big! My favorite halters are made by Sopris: 
http://www.soprisunlimited.com/halters.html

They were originally designed for llamas, but they seem to fit goats better than any other style of halters I've tried (and I've tried quite a few!). I find it's much easier to control a big, strong goat in a halter than with any type of collar.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Sopris here too.


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## lottsagoats1 (Apr 12, 2014)

I use old sled dog collars. Between my dogs and my friends, who have 35 dogs and change out the collars every couple of years, I have an unlimited supply of quality, rugged free collars for my goats. This, of course, has nothing to do with the original post. However, back when I did show my Boers (and dairy) I used regular nylon dog collars. This was before I had sled dogs. Lol


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

I just put a normal rope around their neck and tie and lead them. With the one buck I don’t even tie if there’s a rope around his neck he follows. If I was trying to be a little more classy looking because I was at a fair lol I would probably just get a collar and lead. 
One thing you can look into that might be cheaper then what’s labeled as goat is a calf show halter. It’s the same exact thing as the leather ones your talking about and I think they sell for like $20-30.


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## jaycee (Aug 3, 2011)

If the problem with the rope halter you pictured is that you dont have enough lead rope because all the rope is around his head, but you are happy with it otherwise, then I would just suggest getting the same type of rope halter that is made for cows:

https://www.jefferspet.com/products/graphite-cow-rope-halter-color-lime-zest-black

They should be more than long enough.


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

Thanks so much for the suggestions! I will look them over and when we get ready to order I'll figure out which direction we will go! 
I will say that we can not use a regular collar on him, he's too strong! We do have one longer halter like the one I posted above, but it seems to fit him oddly and uncomfortably.

My son plans on showing him, so we want something we can use to control him when we are at the shows, and here at home when working with him, bathing, clipping, etc. 
My son shows him on a large prong collar.

I'm almost considering getting one of these if I can come up with the $$ (planning to buy a new goat stand for taking to shows, and the many necessities for show season...will be here before we know it!). These are super nice! I want to say they are around $50.


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## Damfino (Dec 29, 2013)

I've seen that style of show halter used on miniature horses, llamas, and zebu cattle. I wonder if you could find a used one cheap on eBay or at a local tack swap. Sometimes searching for "goat halter" can really limit your choices, and halters made for goats are probably not going to be large enough for a big buck like yours anyway. The leather looks very classy. But if you use it for working with him at home, I would replace the chain lead with a leather horse curb strap under the chin so it can't cinch down if he pulls back when tied.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Obviously it's time to dig my leather tools out again... I could make a similar halter for about $10.00.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

goathiker said:


> Obviously it's time to dig my leather tools out again... I could make a similar halter for about $10.00.


Right! I was thinking the same thing! I want to make one for my daughter since she is tiny and has a hard time keeping heads up and control over the Goats with a chain. But seriously they shouldn't be $50


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

When I flicked through Bing search to find show halters I saw ones like this for Llamas. They were around $20 to $25 and were all duded up with conchos and rhinestones.


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

Thanks Everyone! 

I do agree about the chain under the chin loosening, so on that particular halter he couldn't be tied up. It is a show halter though, and works well. My friend has one and her daughters buck who wouldn't walk very well on a prong collar did very well in the ring with this type of halter. 

I may let my son decide which of the styles listed here would be his preference, but I do think it needs to be something we can tie him up in, that away when he is getting a bath and needs tied, or for misc. reasons we can tie him up without worrying about him getting out of it. 
We never tie goats unattended.


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## Kaylam (Jan 31, 2017)

HoosierShadow said:


> Thanks Everyone!
> 
> I do agree about the chain under the chin loosening, so on that particular halter he couldn't be tied up. It is a show halter though, and works well. My friend has one and her daughters buck who wouldn't walk very well on a prong collar did very well in the ring with this type of halter.
> 
> ...


Can I ask, what tie up style halter and show halter did you chose? I think like we'd be more comfortable with something that has more control.

I still haven't tied up my bucks and I think I need to do that but I don't have anything I can use for yet.


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## Dwarf Dad (Aug 27, 2017)

@Kaylam there is a post on here somewhere that has a link to make a halter out of a piece of rope. I will look for it for you. It is good enough for teaching and if you have some spare rope, very easy.


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## Dwarf Dad (Aug 27, 2017)

https://m.wikihow.com/Make-an-Adjustable-Rope-Halter
@Kaylam if you want.


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## Kaylam (Jan 31, 2017)

Dwarf Dad said:


> https://m.wikihow.com/Make-an-Adjustable-Rope-Halter
> @Kaylam if you want.


Thank you! Amazing, my artsy hands-on daughter would have a great time with this


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

My son ended up not showing his adult buck much, so we opted to just go with his regular prong collar, and actually used a halter similar to the original one I posted - I couldn't justify the cost of a nice show halter for a buck for only 1 or 2 shows. 

For young bucks & yearlings who are manageable, I recommend a prong collar. Small size for young guys and medium size for 150+lbs. 
I highly recommend the Bling in the ring Halters (like the one I posted above) if they will be shown off and on through the year. Not sure I'd want to buy one just for one show though, not if a prong will work. 

On your post about the bucks, I posted pics of a young buck I had clipped. The prong collar on him is what my kids use for their bucks and does.


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## Kaylam (Jan 31, 2017)

At the show where we picked up our Buck #2, there was a place to buy equipment, and so we bought two prong halters. I don’t remember the size being on it, but it seems to work still. 

I did check out the Bling in the Ring halters. I’d really like to get one sometime. They appear to give the handler more control. Is that right?


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

Sorry I am just getting a chance to get on and saw your reply. The prong collars you bought should work fine. 
Bling in the Ring is great. Their halters are really good compared to other brands - I have friends that use them. If you have a buck that is hard to handle on a prong, chances are he may show better on a halter.


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## Kaylam (Jan 31, 2017)

HoosierShadow said:


> Sorry I am just getting a chance to get on and saw your reply. The prong collars you bought should work fine.
> Bling in the Ring is great. Their halters are really good compared to other brands - I have friends that use them. If you have a buck that is hard to handle on a prong, chances are he may show better on a halter.


No problem at all. I did contact Bling in the Ring and their products look great. I have spent quite a bit $$, since we are just starting out. And so I searched on Amazon for similar halters and it does appear there is a Weaver brand halter available but they are out of stock right now. I'm not sure what I will do yet.

Thank you


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## Kaylam (Jan 31, 2017)

Update:

I bought the bling in the ring halter and tried it in my buck this morning. I think it’s probably too late for him to adjust to it before the weekend. He does not like it and swings his head and turns it sideways and lags behind, haha, stubborn goat! He loves coming out but he just drags along not wanting to do what we want him to do, almost the entire time! Then when we try to put him in stance he resists that too! The other buck just moves along fine!

Anyway, I think I can add links to the prong collar right? Do I just order another Weaver prong collar from Amazon and take some links off and put it on the one I have for him - it would probably help to have it fit better, I think it’s too small.

What do you all think? I need it before next weekend.


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

I'm sorry the halter didn't work on the one boy, but does on the other. Yes, you can order an extra collar and use the links from it. I think it's cheaper that way vs. buying extra links. Plus you'll have extra ends in case you lose any (my kids lose them randomly).


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