Halter from the old German book on saddlery.

[Klara]

I was not only wondering about the snap hook on the headcollar (btw., I'm not convinced that pulling the halter over the horse's ears and closing the snap is so much faster than removing a well-cared for strap from a buckle! Also, with the buckle you can secure the halter as a headcollar around the horse's neck while you are putting on the bridle - that's how I learnt to do it), but about snap hooks in general. Were they even easily available (for whatever purpose) when the book was written?

Does the author say why there is a browband on the halter? I mean, I have one on my horse's halter, but a) it has a fringe against flies and b) I have cheek pieces for the halter to attach a bit and the browband stops the halter from sliding back and pulling the bit up in the mouth. So I wonder whether the halter in the book is also prepared for transformation into a bridle?

 

[Mulesaw]

Hi Klara

I was taught to do a similar thing with the halter when putting on the bridle, except just throwing putting it all over the head of the horse, like a giant necklace. If the horse is calm I prefer to do it without it, but inside a stable or in the box he can't run off anyway :-)

I can see on some of the pictures that the author does describe carabiners, so they must have been commonplace too, but maybe they were just more expensive? I guess that you are right actually about a well cared for strap being fast too. I think I am going to try it out, just for the experience.

There is no mention of why a headband should be added, but practically all the halters are shown with a headband. My guess is that the halter sits a bit more securely, but that is just a guess.
It is a bit interesting with the anti fly fringe. Cause I haven't seen those mentioned anywhere in the book - and for comparison, he devotes half a page and 3 illustrations on different types of hats for the horses to protect against the sun. 

As far as I can see, none of the halters are designed to be transformed into bridles. The author distinguish between halters and bridles, so I guess it was just the norm at that time. One of the halters he calls a marching halter, and that one seems to be more adjustable so that it would sit neatly to the head of the horse and I guess allowing it to be lead without a risk for the halter to come of by accident.

 

 

 

The upper halter on this page is the one I am trying to make. It looks just like a modern halter - but with a head band. (save for the missing carabiner)

 

[Mulesaw]

I completed the halter this Sunday. I decided to give polishing the edges a new try. I haven't had much success in that previously, but this leather seems to take a nice polish, and that came as a surprise for me. I just did used a it of sand paper followed by some beeswax and a rubbing of a piece of canvas. I would like to try some Tokonole, but I haven't got any out here.

I really hope that it will fit the horse, otherwise I guess I'll just have to call it an experiment.

All in all a nice doable project with minimal tools and equipment required. The biggest obstacle was to make the round throat latch due to me bringing too narrow a strip of leather for that. I am also amazed with the length of leather required to sew a halter. I had hoped to make two and I was pretty sure that I had brought plenty of leather with me for that, but I soon realized that I would only have enough to make one.

Prior to polishing the edges, but with the head band installed.

The name embroidering.

Polished nose band.

Headband and neck band both polished now.

 

[Klara]

Very nice work!

Regarding the edges: Jo from JH Leather, a professionally trained saddler, never seems to use Tokonole. I believe what is necessary depends on how the leather is tanned.

Now that I see the browband installed it occurs to me that the absence of a snap hook on the throat latch might be annoying. For you can't simply throw the crown piece over the horses head... But you'll see how it works when you get the halter to Bent (love the emroidered name!)

 

 

[Mulesaw]

@Klara Thanks. When I made the breast plate, I used a different type of leather, and I found those edges were more difficult to polish.

I guess I'll just have to see if it becomes a problem with the missing carabiner, and if it does  I'll just install one. That shouldn't take long.

The top of the N in his name bothers me a little, it is not completely in line with the rest of the letters, but honestly I don't think that Bent will mind. 

 

[TomE]

On 10/25/2021 at 7:22 PM, Mulesaw said:

I completed the halter this Sunday. I decided to give polishing the edges a new try. I haven't had much success in that previously, but this leather seems to take a nice polish, and that came as a surprise for me. I just did used a it of sand paper followed by some beeswax and a rubbing of a piece of canvas. I would like to try some Tokonole, but I haven't got any out here.

I really hope that it will fit the horse, otherwise I guess I'll just have to call it an experiment.

All in all a nice doable project with minimal tools and equipment required. The biggest obstacle was to make the round throat latch due to me bringing too narrow a strip of leather for that. I am also amazed with the length of leather required to sew a halter. I had hoped to make two and I was pretty sure that I had brought plenty of leather with me for that, but I soon realized that I would only have enough to make one.

Not sure how I missed this post, but wanted to say it's a beautiful piece of work! Really like the look of the leather, and the stitching is spot on.  Do you have a clamp onboard to hold your work as you sew?  Hope that Bent approves.

[Mulesaw]

On 3/31/2022 at 6:25 PM, TomE said:

Not sure how I missed this post, but wanted to say it's a beautiful piece of work! Really like the look of the leather, and the stitching is spot on.  Do you have a clamp onboard to hold your work as you sew?  Hope that Bent approves.

Hi Tom

Sorry for the late reply, but I have just returned to the ship, and I never take the time to sit at the computer while at home, so I have just seen your comment now.

Thanks for the very kind words on the halter :-)

I haven't got a clamp onboard. I have often thought about making one, but never taken/found the time to do so. So I just hold it in my hands and accepts that it takes a bit longer to sew out here.

Sadly the halter didn't fit if the browband was attached. It is funny since I made it according to the measurements in the book, so I guess that Bent's head is a bit larger than a standard riding horse in those days. But the rest of the halter fits nicely. Anyway it was also mostly a project meant to occupy my mind while sailing, so I have no problems with the headband needing to be a little bit longer. I can make another one some day when I am in the mood for it :-)

Brgds Jonas