Newb Question - Halter vs Get Down Rope

[yycyak]

I'm generally a newb when it comes to horses and horsemanship, with most of my experience being around ranch horses and that culture (as opposed to hunting-specific riding/packing.) With that in mind, I have what I'm sure is a dumb question:

I know you're not supposed to lead a horse around with the reins. So a lot of the western ranch horse guys run a "Get Down Rope", which to an uneducated guy like me, seems to be a small under-bridle thing that you run a rope through, and then bowline around the horse's neck. These same ranch guys frown hugely on running halters underneath a bridle. Big faux pas I guess.

But in looking at the Get Down Rope setup, vs a thin and lightweight rope halter, my uneducated brain looks at them both and says "They accomplish the same thing: leading a horse around using not-the-reins."

I get that in a cow pen or a show arena, this stuff probably matters. But when I'm out in the mountains, see a critter, and want to either dismount and walk or temporarily tie the horse up, does it really matter whether I'm running a $400 Get Down Rope contraption, vs a $14 thin rope halter? At the moment I'm inclined to run the rope halter, unless you smart guys here know something I don't.

(Wanted to add that I also wouldn't highline/trailer/long-term tie a horse up with a thin halter - I use a chunkier or flat halter for that.)

 

[Robster]

This is what I use. Not this exact one, but rope halter and lead. I put the bridle over it and run the lead rope through the gullet then loop around the horn.

https://www.statelinetack.com/item/silvertip-no95-halter-w-12ft-lead/E023853/

What I think you were referencing that the ranch guys use is a bosal, usually a pencil bosal or bosalita with the get down rope. I know traditionalists do things different than the mountain/hunting horse groups.

https://www.craigcameronstore.com/Get_down.htm

 

[Cwsharer]

Leading your horse with your reins is absolutely ok. Now tying your horse up is a different story . I usually throw a rope halter in the pack saddle or you could put it on your horse . If your horse leads good you won’t have any problems .

 

[Logan T]

Just use your normal halter and put your bridle on over it when your in the mountains. Then just take your bridle off and tie up anywhere you may need.

 

[missjordan]

The California traditional horsemen use the get down ropes for their spade bit horses. If you lead by the reins and ‘pull’ the horse to go forward to follow you. Then you run the risk of driving the spoon into the roof of the horses mouth. Hence the reason for the get down ropes

Same thing technically happens with horses in other types of shanked bits also. Just exercising a little bit of common sense goes a long way. Don’t betray your horse by driving the curb into the roof of their mouth

Run the halter under your bridle if you want. It’s all fine


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[BigAntlerGetter]

The California traditional horsemen use the get down ropes for their spade bit horses. If you lead by the reins and ‘pull’ the horse to go forward to follow you. Then you run the risk of driving the spoon into the roof of the horses mouth. Hence the reason for the get down ropes

Same thing technically happens with horses in other types of shanked bits also. Just exercising a little bit of common sense goes a long way. Don’t betray your horse by driving the curb into the roof of their mouth

Run the halter under your bridle if you want. It’s all fine


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Would be forcing the spade into the tongue, pulling back when riding puts the spade in the roof of the mouth


Run a rope halter I do on all my hunting horses, my employee runs a get down rope, he’s constantly messing with it falling out of his belt Etc. I simply throw my lead rope over the saddle horn and go


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[missjordan]

Would be forcing the spade into the tongue, pulling back when riding puts the spade in the roof of the mouth


Run a rope halter I do on all my hunting horses, my employee runs a get down rope, he’s constantly messing with it falling out of his belt Etc. I simply throw my lead rope over the saddle horn and go


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The spade bit is a ‘signal bit’. Designed for the lightest of hands. The theory behind them is if you’ve already done your homework to getting your horse light and supple, the horse will respond off your seat and legs before you need to grab ahold of the bit

They are not a bit for most horsemen.

Pat Puckett on YouTube is a great horseman who is committed to riding and training in the California traditional style. Check him out i love his videos


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[wyosteve]

I've always kept my flat halter on with a lead rope and then put the bridle over it. Never a problem. Your idea of a 'rope' halter will work just fine. I keep my lead rope around my saddle horn so it's easily and quickly accessible if I need to dismount and tie up or lead 'em.

 

[Wyomuleskinner]

The whole scene has turned into somewhat of a costume show lately. Look at professional packers. I don't know of any using get down ropes. Hunting, packing, backcountry riding is different than ranch work. I wouldn't say anything to someone who insisted on using a get down rope in the mountains but I would keep a close eye on them.

 

[cshire]

Never packed but have used something like this for riding in the past.
Use as a halter for trailering, tying, etc.

Hang the bit and reins for riding. easy on/off if you need to tie or lead in the middle of a ride.
Can also lead with the bid in, reins looped over horn, but using halter ring so no pulling on the bit.

https://www.twohorsetack.com/p-42-traditional-halter-bridle-with-bit-hangers-made-from-leather.aspx

 

[fort fireman]

Leading your horse with your reins is absolutely ok. Now tying your horse up is a different story . I usually throw a rope halter in the pack saddle or you could put it on your horse . If your horse leads good you won’t have any problems .

Depends what you have in the horses mouth. Alot of the halter vs Bosalito with get down rope is dependant on location and style that one is participating in.. Just like weather one ties hard and fast or dallys when working cattle. A grazing bit in Texas is fine to lead a horse by the bridle reins. Now you go somewhere ( say Montana or Nevada) with more of a Buckaroo tradition and that is a huge no no with a spade bit or half breed bit.

 

[fort fireman]

The spade bit is a ‘signal bit’. Designed for the lightest of hands. The theory behind them is if you’ve already done your homework to getting your horse light and supple, the horse will respond off your seat and legs before you need to grab ahold of the bit

They are not a bit for most horsemen.

Pat Puckett on YouTube is a great horseman who is committed to riding and training in the California traditional style. Check him out i love his videos


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I like Pat Puckett and his info. Someday, I'll have a horse that can carry a spade and I hopefully will have the hands for one. I work on it everyday and have been since I was about 12 but I don't think I'm there yet. My guy is in the two rein with a half breed right now.

 

[missjordan]

I like Pat Puckett and his info. Someday, I'll have a horse that can carry a spade and I hopefully will have the hands for one. I work on it everyday and have been since I was about 12 but I don't think I'm there yet. My guy is in the two rein with a half breed right now.

Me to! Having a light and responsive horse is a long term goal of mine also. I purchased Pats missing link snaffle for a gelding I’m putting some time on and that bit has been awesome. Also highly recommend


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[BKehoe05]

Most of the time
My horses wear a cheap paracord style halter. I get those halters custom made because of how I prefer my knot setup over the nose but you can purchase Mustang brand rope halters for less than $10 from Teskeys. However I also use hand made mule tape leads as well with no hardware attached.

In a quick situation a rope halter is much easier to cut off than a flat nylon halter and will last longer. If you’ve ever see a horse catch itself on a nylon halter you’d stop using them.

Horses are for the most part complete morons who when faced with a bad situation need to switch back to the left side of their brain as quickly as possible. The problem children are the horses who get stuck on the right side and can’t seem to get back.

 

[EdP]

I've gone both ways after training my horse buckaroo style. Now I use a halter under the bridle. The extra rope halter is a PITA. It's so much easier to put a standard halter under the bridle with a lead rope going to the horn. More secure too IMO. Use the lead rope when leading and to tie.

 

[BKehoe05]

I've gone both ways after training my horse buckaroo style. Now I use a halter under the bridle. The extra rope halter is a PITA. It's so much easier to put a standard halter under the bridle with a lead rope going to the horn. More secure too IMO. Use the lead rope when leading and to tie.

This

 

[Pony Soldier]

I guess I'm not a horse person because you gents have more vocabulary than I have parts. I'll share what has worked for me and you can figure out what I did wrong.

For years I used a tom thumb bit until I got a gelding that was prone to taking off. After asking around I changed most of them to curb bit thats hinged on either side of the curb as well as the side pieces. It solved my problem (with a light hand). I make my own head stalls and halters out of latigo. With maintenance they last for over 30 years.

Like many of you I have a halter (flat) under the bridle. I leave it on all season so they are easy to catch. During the summer I graze them on a 40 ft rope. They learn to work a rope and I don't have to mow the barnyard.

As many of you have said I leave a lead rope attached to the halter and hang it over the horn. I make those out of a cotton rope that I buy in bulk. For the problem children, I use a locking snap and a little heavier hardware. Sometimes I braid in link to allow me to change the hardware as it wears. The lead ropes are about 6-7 ft long out of 1.5-2 inch rope. On the other end I braid in a loop about 6 inches long. This allows me to run the hook end through the loop on a tree at about shoulder high then re-attach to the bridle. The loop came about when I have had ponies that got bored and spent their time untying the knots in the lead rope.

Since I often leave them tied to a tree all day and I hate to fix reins, I have snaps on my reins so I can attach them to the breast collar until I come back.

For the problem children, I carry an extra lead rope and tie them between two trees. It makes it harder for them to play with the ropes.

I usually leave them tied in a second growth thicket for a little shelter and safety from over- eager shooters.

It has worked for nearly 60 elk seasons so I guess I'm just lucky.

 

[rayporter]

most often i use a flat nylon halter under the bridle and drape the lead rope over the saddle horn. we have one now that get the cross tie treatment when we tie him, but he is just an escape artist and the cross tie stops that.

in the backcountry i leave the halter on continuously, but at home i always remove the halter when the horse goes in a pasture or stall.

i have seen them hung up on halters, most often rope halters, but any halter left on has a probability of getting one in trouble. a horse can get a rear hoof caught in a halter quicker than you can turn around.

 

[Pony Soldier]

I only have shoes on them Sept to Feb. I try not to get any hang over on the shoes so there isn't anything to catch. I been fortunate to not ever have had a problem.

I pull halters at the end of season and they are on and off during the summer depending on which pasture or whether they are on a string. A lot of things depend on which horse and what I can expect. I have a pull-back queen that is always a concern. Last fall she was tied to the dozer and got in one of her moods and was going to show me. She put everything she had into it and when she gave up she launched forward and nearly knocked herself out in bouncing off the fuel tank. She was good the rest of the season. I guess those antics are why I got her for $850.

 

[Pony Soldier]

I got to thinking how things evolve. Setting the shoes so the heels didn't protrude past the heel of the hoof was started because I had a mare that forged (stepped on her heels with her rear feet). I've had more problems with shoers than not so I just learned to do my own. At least mine don't fall off in the middle of the season.

Some of my picket line training I got out of Joe Back's book - Horses, hitches and rocky trails. I have seen some of my new horses wrap a picket line around all all four feet and fall. After a while they are infinitely thankful when you rescue them.

I have a weanling this year and a friend told me to have her drag a lead rope around in the corral for a week or so. It worked! It started with an entertaining rodeo but at the end of the week she was at peace with it and worked around it without even stepping on it. It will be interesting to see how this evolves.

Sorry about hijacking the thread but some of these things are connected.