leather or breakaway halters?

Bex7

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Which is your preference for turning out in, if you needed to turn out in a head collar?

(took 40mins to catch Bert in his lovely new grassy paddock this morning)
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The horses on my yard all go out in headcollars and I bought one of those fieldsafe ones, but it is hopeless to lead in as the rubber rings break and you end up with a loose horse! I understand there are better types though, I'm going to get George a leather one, but probably a cheap-ish one that will break if necessary!
 
I have a leather one on order that I had planned to get before todays catching issue as I am sick of buying nylon ones every other month. Was wondering if it would do the trick or if it is better to get a field safe one....

He can yank when leading so that could be a whole different issue.
 
I would only use an old leather one, as many years ago I saw a pony dragging round a bathtub, that was a water container. 2 lessons, take the taps off the bath if you must use one for water, and always use an old leather headcollar, purchased cheaply from a sale.
 
I have just bought a fieldsafe headcollar. I just worry that a leather one wouldn't be easy enough to break if they got caught up, eg scratching their ear and getting their hoof caught. The fieldsafe ones are easy to snap but am hoping it will help with catching issues. To lead to and from field I will then change to normal headcollar as last night whilst leading her in a fieldsafe, she ate the YO's trees and I was frightened to pull her away in case the headcollar snapped, so they are no go for leading.
 
My pony had a filedsafe one but learnt very quickly that as soon as I caught her she could pull away while I was trying to get the leadrope round her neck and headcollar on, and snap the rubber rings. I now use a leather one for turnout, but don't bother looking after it in the hope that it'll be more likely to break that way! I couldn't get one to fit my mare, but Cottage Craft do a fieldsafe headcollar with two rings, one velcroed on for turnout and another fastened on in the normal way. So you lead to the field with the headcollar clipped up on the normal ring, then before taking the leadrope off clip the headcollar ring onto the velcro bit. Very good idea IMO, and much better than having to have multiple headcollars. I think Equestrian Clearance have them.
 
get a normal headcollar with plastic fittings. remove the plastic ring on one side, and replace it with green garden twine. This snaps under extreme pressure, or in a panic, but it holds tight for leading.
 
There is one make of fieldsafe headcollar (sorry, can't remember it off-hand, maybe someone else can) where, when you turn the horse out, it is fastened by a velcro strip. When you catch it and before leading, you exchange the velcro strap for a buckle (all on the headcollar permanently)
 
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