fieldsafe headcollars - best type and sizing help pls

[milliepops]

Since moving yards my mare has become intermittently tricky to catch. Never had a problem before but I guess it's probably all related to the changes in her lifestyle etc

Anyway, couldn't catch her tonight so have left her to it and will have another go in the morning. Hopefully she will want some company and food by then

Planning to leave a headcollar on her until we are over this problem. There seem to be 2 main types of field headcollars, the velcro ones and the rubber ring ones.

Any views as to which are best? I don't mind it being a fiddle to put back together if it means she will be safe

also, she has a cob size Horseware headcollar at the moment which fits on the last but 2 holes - how do the Aerborn ones compare size wise?

thanks

BTW I don't want a leather one, I want something designed to break & that I can repair myself, ta

 

[Montyforever]

I would try the rubber ring ones, have no experiance of them but find the Velcro one I have doesn't break that well unless under a lot of pressure!

 

[Natti]

A few of the horses I know wear the velcro headcollars. These come apart easily if your horse gets stuck and aren't too hard to put back together! I'm not sure about sizing though, sorry!

 

[milliepops]

I would try the rubber ring ones, have no experiance of them but find the Velcro one I have doesn't break that well unless under a lot of pressure!

Ah, thanks, that was my worry. I live 20 miles away so don't want to be stressing out 24/7 about her hanging herself on something!

 

[Horse-mad]

http://www.cottagecraft.co.uk/Headcollars/turnout-safe-headcollar-.aspx
I use these ones with my two, they have velcro and a clip which makes taking them off lot easier as you no not have to undo a buckle (there is also a buckle though)!
My 15.1 (and a bit mare) is very danty so has a pony but a cob would have probably been better TBH and my 14.2 again danty has a cob which is on the highest hole but it does the job!
I think they are Brilliant and would suggest them to anyone!!!
Hope this helps!!
sorry about spelling

 

[HihoGinger]

I had an Aerborn one with the rubber rings, but I found it broke TOO easily, but that was mainly because I tried to lead my (occasionally) bargy cob in it. When they do break, you have to glue the rings back together too, which is a bit of a faff.
I now have the Cottage craft velcro one, and that's much better. Although the velcro does seem quite strong, it does also have the option to clip part of it together by either a plastic, or metal D ring, so that would be an easy break point.
ETA. This is the cottage craft one. You can see where it's clipped onto the plastic, rather than the metal rings.

 

[milliepops]

very helpful pics, thanks - couldn't work out how that one was constructed from the shop pictures. I read an old thread that suggested tying the rubber ring ones up with leather shoelaces instead - anyone tried that?

I'm only leaning towards the Aerborn style rubber ones because she's gone a bit oversensitive since this catching problem started so I'd really be happy with something that gave easily if she got tangled. I think she'd freak out more if she had to pull too hard to get free (6 months ago she was unflappable, but her change of address has had a big effect )

Happy to lead with a second headcollar over the top once she's caught

 

[Meowy Catkin]

I read an old thread that suggested tying the rubber ring ones up with leather shoelaces instead - anyone tried that?

Yes, leather shoelaces work really well, infact better than the rubber rings. I have a pony sized Aerborn one for the grey, she normally fits a pony sized headcollar.

 

[HihoGinger]

Happy to lead with a second headcollar over the top once she's caught

I would definitely say the Aerborn one would break more easily, so sounds like that may be the best one for you, but I would definitely recommend the second headcollar. One sharp pull, and you'll be standing there holding the remains of your headcollar while your horse rampages round the yard owner's private barn, just like mine was

 

[milliepops]

One sharp pull, and you'll be standing there holding the remains of your headcollar while your horse rampages round the yard owner's private barn, just like mine was

Righto, warning duly noted

 

[Holzdweaver]

I made my own very easily out of an old headcollar and some velcro from the pound shop lol xD

No sewing required, and i did the noseband strap and the poll strap as my horse is a ruffian

 

[ebonyallen]

I use the Horseware one, mine is a full and is on nearly the top hole, so they do come up quite big.

 

[Pedantic]

Just bought the rubber ring one today as I wanted something to tie a cattle fly tag too to keep the flys away from his face, I dislike face masks, if I was going to use it for turning in and out with, I would go for the Velcro one as the rubber rings ones are a bit weedy strength wise.

 

[horsemadelsie]

I hate the rubber ring ones, had one and it broke without the horse catching himself on anything (wasn't even wearing it at the time) and never been able to fix it I think if I had grabbed hold of it to catch him and he had pulled away it would have broken in my hand- not helping me catch the horse! I now have a horseware velcro one- I must admit the velcro is quite strong, but then horses can break double thickness baling twine with their heads and I can't! It came with two different strengths of velcro as well which I thought was excellent, and you can always attach the velcro looser to make it come apart easier. Sizing came up quite big- full size easily fits my boys head and he has an extra full bridle.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

hate the rubber ring ones, had one and it broke without the horse catching himself on anything (wasn't even wearing it at the time) and never been able to fix it I think if I had grabbed hold of it to catch him and he had pulled away it would have broken in my hand- not helping me catch the horse!

This is why the leather shoelaces work better than the rubber rings.

 

[milliepops]

Thanks everyone for your experiences, I've got a temporary thing cobbled together from old bridle parts for the morning (looks a bit like a bitless in hand bridle, only tatty ) and will then see what I can get hold of tomorrow afternoon. I feel a tour of the region's tack shops coming on

 

[npage123]

(Grrrr... my long reply never got posted because my laptop crashed... Here's a shortened version.)

I prefer the Aerborn with rubber rings - prefer the fact that it breaks easily because that's what it's supposed to do. Initially I repaired broken rings with superglue (have also used stronger rubber rings from e.g. B&Q) but baler twine instead of rubber rings works a treat!

I found that it works perfectly well if I clip the leadrope onto the Aerborn. If my horse suddenly pulls away, then I just follow his movement for a few steps - he then soon realise that it's no good pulling and would stand still. Then I would put his normal headcollar over the Aerborn (and clip the leadrope onto the normal one obviously).

The Aerborn is very nice and soft - and it's so lightweight that the horse wouldn't even know it's there, even if worn for long periods of time. Also, if it does get wet from rain, it dries out very quickly.

My 16.2 TB usually have full/horse size headcollars, and this is the size of Aerborn that fitted him nicely.

If you buy yours from a tackshop, then surely they'll let you exchange it for a bigger/smaller size if necessary (keep the receipt).

Hope this helps :0)

 

[littlescallywag]

I use a kavalakade (sp?) Fieldsafe headcollar on my lad to aid in keeping his grazing muzzle on. It has a elasticated noseband and headstrap that releases enough for it to come off the horses head when caught on something as demonstrated by mine when he somehow managed to get his headcollar caught on the stable door bolt (first and last time he has had a headcollar on in stable), couldve been nasty but it just pinged off safely and horse was none the worse for it thankfully. Highly recommended

 

[milliepops]

oooh, never seen them before. Have an aerborn one on order (hoping to pick up tomorrow) but may invest in one of those for normal use, I'm so paranoid about her getting caught on things

Is the elastic quite firm? (could you use it as an everyday headcollar, I mean, or is it too weak to tie up with etc). I'm assuming you can loosen the elastic so it isn't taut on the horse's head.

 

[CarolineJ]

Merlin can get out of his velcro one in about 5 minutes flat by rubbing his head against a telegraph pole....!