Putting on a rope head collar?

[Dry Rot]

I've just been looking through some YouTube videos on the use of rope head collars.

Assuming you are not violently opposed to rope head collars, how do you put yours on?

This may sound like a silly question (trivial, yes, silly, no!), but all the videos showed the person passing the long part that goes over the poll UNDER the horse's neck with the left hand and catching it with the right hand (after it has been passed over the horse's neck), then adjusting the nose band etc. and fastening it up.

The very first video I watched showed the collar being crumpled up in the right hand with a couple of fingers holding onto the long bit that goes over the poll. That hand is then used to rub the horse's neck and the bundle is simply dropped over the horse's neck (while still holding onto the poll piece with the fingers). It is then caught with the left hand and the putting on completed as before.

This last method seems so much more logical to me. I often stroke my ponies' necks and it is very simple to just drop the head collar over the neck without them being aware of what is happening. Very handy with a nervous youngster or one that doesn't want to be caught. But nobody seems to do it this way and I can't find the video any more!

Well, I did warn you it was a trivial question!

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Stand at horse's left shoulder, treat in left hand, give treat put noseband round nose, lift head-piece over ears, adjust right cheek and 'throat-latch/lead-rope'. TBH I couldn't really understand your descriptions but then I had real trouble describing my method, I just do without thinking about it really. The only variation is giving the treat before putting noseband on to a good-to-catch horse or keeping hold of treat until nose is in noseband if likely to grab treat and dash off.

 

[Spring Feather]

I just put them on in the same way as I do a regular headcollar. Noseband on and capture or flick head piece over poll, attach to other side cheekpiece.

 

[StormyMoments]

stand at horses left shoulder, my right arm under his neck so its on the right hand side of his face and my left hand on his left side. hold nose band open and slip over nose, run hands up either side of his face to put the head collar in the right place my right had goes higher and flicks the rope over his neck, bring right hand back to left side and do the knot, adjust it so its sitting right on his face. i put it on like a normal head collar really... didnt think there was a wrong way to do it really

 

[Dry Rot]

The difference is I drop the head collar over the horse's neck, while holding on to the long end that goes over the poll, obviously, then catch it under the hose's neck with the left hand. Horse is now "caught". The last thing that goes on is the nose piece. So I suppose I do it "back to front", but then I'm contrary! The advantage is that I can rub the horse's neck with my right hand with the head collar scrunched up and drop it over his neck before he's realises what has happened. I don't PUT it over but drop it over, if you see what I mean. Think I'll have to put it on video.

As I'm a breeder, I'm mostly dealing with youngsters so I find these little things help.

 

[Tinypony]

This is how I was taught. I'd now put a headcollar on pretty much the same way. I find this is much more logical if I'm dealing with a horse that isn't that happy about having something put on it's head, once I'd done a bit of preparation.
It seems much less awkward than the balancing noseband on nose and flicking bits over ears approach that I learned in my youth. As my horses are very used to this they all drop their noses into the halter when they see it under their necks.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-x4CUVFhkg

 

[Alyth]

I'm pretty much with Dry Rot!! Right hand holding long piece of halter over neck, ask nose to tip towards me, slide nose piece over nose, do up.....with end of tail around loop, not around itself....imo no need for treats!!! Simple politeness from both human and horse!!!