horse collars

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  • January 15, 2010 at 12:31 am #41305
    mink
    Participant

    wondering how many of you unbuckle your collars for ease of putting on or off? mine have buckles instead of the lever tops so i slide mine on and off but sometimes they go a little hard if the horse raises their heads to high for me. any suggestions or secrets anyone wants to share ?………mink

    January 15, 2010 at 2:00 am #56982
    Donn Hewes
    Keymaster

    Hi Minks, Most horse collars go on without opening. Most all mules will have their collars opened and a lot of halflingers and fiords as well. It doesn’t really hurt a collar to open it, but it will probably last longer by not opening it.

    Try and put the collar under the throat before you push it over the head. Then grasp it either side of the eyes and lift and spread it slightly as it you push it over the head. Once they get use to it most will actually push a little and make it pretty easy. Good luck

    January 15, 2010 at 2:49 am #56983
    jen judkins
    Participant

    I actually slide the collar on upside down (wide part at the top) then flip it around while its at the narrowest part of the neck before seating it in position. Haven’t had to open it yet. Like Donn, my horses help by squeezing their head through good naturedly.

    January 15, 2010 at 3:12 am #56984
    near horse
    Participant

    I’m with Donn as well – just slide them over their head. They’ll learn to push through like everyone has mentioned but one of my horses is a fat head – literally – so you do have to start with the throat then the top – or imagine putting it on at about a 45 degree angle with the top tipped forward and the bottom inward.

    My fat head has a pretty thick neck so no rotating the collar once it’s over his head.:eek:

    Like most stuff with horses, do it easy and gentle at first so it’s not too scary and then repeat, repeat, repeat ……

    January 15, 2010 at 12:35 pm #56978
    Carl Russell
    Moderator

    I always open my collars when putting them on. My horses push too, as even open my collars fit tight.

    Granted I use pads in the collars so they actually don’t open very wide, but I have collars that I have used for ten years without damaging them at all.

    I have found that if a collar is small enough to fit snugly, then it is probably too small to slide over their head without opening.

    Furthermore, the buckle is not there just for show.

    Carl

    January 15, 2010 at 1:15 pm #56986
    mitchmaine
    Participant

    i open my collars too. but i had an adjustable collar that we used once and slid it on and if your in that group, i’m with jen. slide it on buckle down and spin it. you can slip a pad in up on the thin of there neck but it’s a pain. be careful to wipe the face of your collar clean of salt and sweat for there eyes sake. that goes without saying, cause you won’t do it twice.

    January 15, 2010 at 2:11 pm #56980
    J-L
    Participant

    I open my collars. They won’t break down if you don’t just flop them open. Carefully open them and keep ahold of both sides, slide them up and on. Not hard at all.
    Like Donn said, it’s necessary to open them with mules. When I worked horses more we’d have them stuff their head through most of the time unless they had pads on.

    January 15, 2010 at 2:18 pm #56981
    Does’ Leap
    Participant

    I open my collars as well and they still have to push. I taught my horses to put their heads down on command, which helps with the on and off process.

    January 15, 2010 at 4:43 pm #56985
    Big Horses
    Participant

    We do both. Never seen one that was broken down from opening if handled right. Dad had collars that he used for feed teams that were 20+ years old and they’re still fine today. Just gotta be gentle with them.
    JH

    January 15, 2010 at 6:27 pm #56987
    LostFarmer
    Participant

    It depends. I have some that will fit over the head and some that won’t. My shires are dainty headed and the collars are easy over the head. I have to use smaller halters and bridles as well. The boys little ponies have to have the collars unbuckled. Be careful not to just flop the collar open and you should be fine either way.

    January 15, 2010 at 6:54 pm #56979
    Scott G
    Participant

    I do both. Slide it on without a pad, open it when I’m using one.

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