Poll: Put this to bed for me forever - is it better to do up headcollars using the headpiece buckle or under jaw clip

How do you prefer to fasten headcollars?

  • Total voters
    243
Another clip user here ?‍♀️. Mad doesn’t like the faffing involved with buckling the headpiece (she’s tricky to catch) so I go for the quickest option.

I tack up with her loose in the stable too *waits for slapped wrist*.
 
I don't ever buy headcollars without lots of adjustable straps i.e. bottom clip AND adjustable noseband too; if you have a good few horses you can make one "do" almost everything in the yard and it is false economy to buy something you can't adjust.

I also keep a headcollar in the car just in case I see a loose horse somewhere. It has happened..............

I'm a "bottom clip" user; sooh much easier to just slip the head through and then clip-up - especially if you're bringing a lot in at the same time. Can't think of any other sensible way to do things tbh.
 
I got my first head collar with a clip with my last horse and used the clip for a while. I didn’t find it any easier or any more difficult. But I’ve now reverted back to the buckle, I find its quicker to get the head collar off that way if needed e.g. when I took mine back to the field and the mare wound him up something chronic and I couldn’t get the damn headpiece over his ears while he was doing pirouettes - in the end I flipped the buckle and the whole thing came off - easy! My OH hates using the buckle ?‍♀️
 
Headpiece buckle and thats the way I teach everyone.
Once you've got the hang of it it's easy.
Get someone who hasn't been taught that and hand them one without a clip I imagine they'd get into a bit of a pickle.
 
I'm definitely old fashioned.
Head collars have to be leather with a buckle at nose, jaw and head. I always use the headpiece to put on and off. I also won't have a swinging ring under the chin.
I work with a lot of young horses and the nose buckle is very useful if you need to be able to put a bridle on over the headcollar, then be able to take the head collar off - such as on horses first exciting outings!
Dever saddlery do such head collars in their Ascot range - meant for race horses I think!
 
I'm going to be controversial & say I use the buckle on a nylon one as I just find it quicker & easier when catching in from field but I use the clip on my leather one as the buckles are quite stiff.
 
It's risky to bring a horse in without a properly secured headcollar in case it spooks. Its impossible to use a headcollar with the headpiece unbuckled, but it is possible to leave the clip loose.
Takes 2 seconds to do a buckle, so why take the risk ?
 
Every pro yard I've been on uses the throat clip. I always used the headpiece until I stabled on pro yards, now I use the clip. Whatever works for you, do that :)
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I always did the headpiece until I replaced my headcollar and found the headpiece buckle fiddly and annoying so I switched to the jaw clip.

My preference might change depending upon the size of the horse and whether it is head shy or tricky to catch.
 
Headpiece buckle for me - I find it easier that way not to get tangled in thick manes or squash ears!

What really annoys me is when OH turns out the boys, uses the buckle, but then does it back up to hang up the headcollar - why?! All I end up doing is picking up three headcollars and trying to unbuckle all of them whilst walking to the field ? (I have asked him why he does this, he has no idea and no normal inclination to be tidy, so it’s a mystery!)
 
My children and husband prefer the clip. That’s all well and good if you don’t use the same headcollar on different sizes of pony. All goes wrong when it goes from little pony to bigger one and consequently doesn’t fit!!

Some of my ponies prefer buckle - nothing being dragged over their ears. There are also the headcollars with broken clips (now tied up with twine) where the only option is the buckle (and a few come without a clip under the jaw). I always use buckle - when I was learning, there was no clip under the jaw on any of the headcollars we were using!
 
To me, the clips are more where the throat latch is on a bridle so , it’s just like putting on a bridle. But it does depend on the horse as anything head/ ear shy wouldn’t welcome that approach!
Don’t think there’s a right or wrong way, just whatever suits?
 
Either or, doesn't make a difference to me. I did once have a very ear-shy horse and so used the buckle until we had got him out of the ear problem, then always used the clip so he didn't forget and revert to being frightened of his ears.
 
Penguin_Toes said:
For years and years I have felt like the only person in the world who prefers to fasten a headcollar using the headpiece buckle.

Every time I come to put a headcollar on any one else's horse the clip under the jaw is undone and the headpiece done up. Any time anyone else leads my horse somewhere this is how I find my headcollar afterwards.

There is something wrong with me because even though I have owned horses for years every time I try and do the jaw clip headcollar thing I end up making an absolute hash of it. It slips down and is between the lips, or an ear gets caught and I don't notice. It is my kryptonite. I can see no benefit to under the jaw clips!!!

So I thought I would do a scientific poll to see what the preferences are out there :D

Thank you for indulging me!
Click to expand...
Thing is in my days there was only one option, the head piece bit, I find depends on the horse or pony as if it is head shy, putting over head makes it scared so cheek piece is better, otherwise the clip. Also it depends if you can reach the horse to put over the head. So not sure which to vote for.

My ID mare has times when the thought goes awaol and she is scared if I put over her nose and slide over her head. So undoing the head piece is the only way, so again depends on circumstances.

So I will refrain from voting due to these reasons.
 
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