DAHL HOUSE DAIRY
How To Tie A Rope Halter
Easily adjustable, customizable, and incredibly strong, rope halters are versatile pieces of equipment that belong in every tack box or feed room. Originally designed and used for horses out of both necessity and convenience, these halters have made their mark as invaluable training aids when used by gentle and consistent hands. Its translation to use in ruminant handling was a no-brainer for many farmers and ranchers in the business. The halters put pressure on the poll, where it should be, rather than the throat and all the delicate structures therein. It also puts the handler in control of the animal’s head, which gives them the upper hand with strong animals who try to run through collars. When teaching animals to lead, the halter is a gentler option for animals who are very resistant and try to set back. The animal is unable to tuck its head and slip out of the halter, like it might would a collar, and it keeps the handler from accidentally choking the animal by keeping pressure well away from the neck. Animals will learn quickly to move away from pressure applied anywhere on the halter by the handler, and will aid in making a supple and willing animal that leads without pulling or escaping.
Learning to tie the rope halter correctly is critical to safe usage, and will keep your halter in service for much longer than if the halter is tied incorrectly. The poll piece should be pulled through the loop to the right, crossed behind the loop to the left just above the knot, then crossed again to the right underneath itself but in front of the loop before it is pulled tight. The top of the loop should be above the tie, so that if the animal sets back and tightens the tie, the handler can push the loop up the poll piece to create slack so that the tie is free to be untied.
Dahl House Dairy’s goat rope halters do differ a bit from other designs, such as horse halters, in that the knot in the throatlatch is removed to better fit the goat’s significantly shorter muzzle. Our rope halters are made with 550 paracord, or utility rope in the case of our heavy-duty halters, and feature two double overhand knots on the wrapped noseband, a fiador knot with loops to connect a lead rope, and two single overhand knots to connect the cheekpieces to the throatlatch and poll pieces.
An Alternate Way to Begin Your Knot
Begin by putting the poll piece through the loop so that the length of your rope is in front of the loop, and the tail is pointing in toward your goat. Put the tail of the poll piece up and through the two cords that make the poll piece and pull it snug. Then tie using the directions below.
Detailed Instructions
These are the two pieces of your halter that are going to be tied. This tie will hold fast if your goat pulls or sets back, so if the goat gets caught or hung up on something, the halter will not break. Do not leave your goat unattended when wearing your new halter.
1. The long piece with the knot at the end (right) is the poll piece. It is the piece that will actually be tied. The loop (left) is what the poll piece will be tied to.
2. Pull the poll piece through the loop (from behind) and to the right.
3. Pull the poll piece left, behind the loop and just above the loop’s knot.
4. Wrap the poll piece around and in front of the loop to the right, and pull it through, in front of the loop but behind itself. The excess poll piece should be pointing up and to the right. If the piece is pointing down, untie and try again.
Tighten by pulling the poll piece and admire your new knot! When an animal sets back in a rope halter like this, that knot will tighten and you won’t be able to get it untied again unless you have tied it correctly, as I have just shown you. To loosen, hold the tie with your right hand so that your thumb is on the front of your knot, and your fingers are holding the excess poll piece (to the right in this photo). Be sure you are not holding the loop with this hand. With your left hand, push the loop up the poll piece while pulling the tie toward you with your right hand. This will give you enough slack to loosen and untie your knot.