• Your horse needs a quality halter.tete de cheval image by philippe theret from Fotolia.com
  
  No matter what type of horse you own or what kind of riding you prefer to do, there are a few basic pieces of tack you need to acquire. Perhaps the most basic piece of equipment is a sturdy halter. The halter is used to lead your horse and in some cases, to train and show your horse, as well. Understanding the basic functions of each type of halter will help you get the right equipment for your needs.
  
  

Nylon Halters

• As the name implies, the nylon halter is comprised of a flat piece of nylon, and these halters are often used in normal day-to-day situations such as leading, hauling and turnout. Nylon halters do not make good training tools, however, since they are unable to apply pressure to the horse's poll and nose the way a training halter does. In addition, horse owners who plan to leave the halter on their horse in the pasture should be sure to use a breakaway nylon halter. These halters are specially designed to break apart should the horse become hung up on a fence post or other impediment.
  
  

Rope Halters

• Rope halters are sometimes called training halters or cowboy halters as well, and in fact these special halters play a big role in modern horse training. Unlike traditional flat nylon halters, rope halters have specially tied knots that lie against various pressure points along the horse's poll, nose and jawline. When pressure is applied to the lead rope, those knots work against those pressure points and encourage the horse to comply with the commands of the handler. Experienced horse owners can purchase rope at the local tack shop or hardware store and tie their own rope halters. Others can purchase a wide variety of rope halters from feed mills and tack shops, including specially designed training halters endorsed by top trainers in the industry.
  
  

Show Halters

• Halter classes are designed to show off the horse's conformation, and the right choice of halter can make an excellent animal look even better. In a halter class, the judge is looking for the horse who best typifies its particular breed standard. That breed standard varies from breed to breed, and the type of show halter chosen can make a big difference. For instance, competitors in Arabian classes tend to use slender rolled leather halters that show off the delicate features, small ears and tiny dished faces most associated with the breed. Halter competitors in Quarter Horse, Paint and Appaloosa halter classes often choose larger and more ornate halters, with lots of silver and chrome to get the attention of the judge. While at the end of the day the halter class is still judged on the qualities of the animal, how that animal is presented and the type of equipment used can still make a big difference. Any horse owner who plans to show in halter classes should look at the types of show halters typical of the breed and choose one accordingly.