A halter is something that is good to have on hand when working with cattle, sheep and goats, and is an absolutely necessary item on a farm. It is much cheaper to make an adjustable halter than to go and buy one for horses from a specialist shop only to find that it is not the right size for the animals you need to use it on.
Homemade halters are great for training animals such as cattle, sheep and goats, for moving them, for managing their daily activities and for keeping them still when needed. The low cost of construction allows you to make a few more to leave in different places on the farm in order to have them available where and when they are needed.
Steps
Step 1. Get a three-strand string 3.5-4.5m long and 13mm in diameter
Any type of rope, from cotton to nylon, will do. The choice depends on how sturdy it needs to be, how long you want it to last and the cost. A thinner rope that has a diameter between 6, 5 and 10 mm is suitable for sheep and goats.
Step 2. Close one end of the string by rewinding it, locking it with a ferrule, dipping it in a closing substance or melting it with heat
Note that the method you choose depends on your needs and the type of rope used. Failure to close the end of the rope will cause it to fray and split into bursts.
- Temporarily close the other end of the string with tape or string.
- You will need to form a crown knot at this end once the halter is complete.
Step 3. Mark a point with your hand about 30-38cm from the closed end of the string
Refer to this length as the short side of the string; the remaining length is the long side.
Step 4. Place the short side on your right and the long side on your left
Grab the string at the mark made about 30-38 cm between the thumb and the first two fingers (index and middle fingers) of both hands.
- Move one hand away from the other about 5 cm.
- Rotate the string clockwise with your right hand and counterclockwise with your left. This will separate the strands of the string into the piece you are holding.
Step 5. Take one of the separate puffs with your left thumb and forefinger
Use your right hand to insert the sealed end of the short side of the rope under the opening of the line until the ring is created approximately twice the diameter of the rope.
Step 6. Position the string so that the ring is on your left hand with the short side facing 3:00 and the long side facing 6:00
Grab the ring and the single puff that crosses the short end of the string between the thumb and forefinger of the left hand.
- With your right thumb and forefinger, grab the short end of the string near the ring.
- Twist the loop and short end of the string with your hands until you have separated two puffs between the thumb and forefinger of your right hand.
Step 7. Use your left hand to insert the long end of the string from the bottom up, under and through these two bursts
Pull it all the way through so there is no more play. If you've done everything correctly so far, one part of the ring will show three softly placed puffs next to each other. This is important because they will be placed in contact with the animal's face
Step 8. With the ring in your right hand, grab the short end of the string between your left thumb and forefinger about 5 cm from the sealed end
Grab the string in the same way with your right hand, 2 cm further from the sealed end (hands should be 2 cm apart, left closer to the short side of the right).
- Open the puffs by turning clockwise with your right hand and counterclockwise with your left.
- When the puffs open, bring your hands together. This will cause the puffs to fold, forming three loops.
Step 9. Line up these three loops neatly and insert a pointed stick of the same diameter as the rope
Use your right hand to slide the long end of the string through the loops, starting with the one closest to the ring. Remove the stick from one ring at a time as you thread the long end of the string through each of them.
Step 10. Thread the long end of the string inside and through the center of the ring
This completes the halter!
Step 11. Permanently close the long end of the halter as you like
Consider making a crown knot at the end, because this and a back seam create a comfortable handle.
