Posted 2009-10-07 5:42 PM (#111588) Subject: Single ear headstall, yes or no??
Veteran
Posts: 241
This is a question I posted on another forum, I'd be interested to see what folks here think--In thirty something years of horsing around I've never used a single ear headstall. What do you think folks, are they good or bad?
Posted 2009-10-07 8:11 PM (#111598 - in reply to #111588) Subject: RE: Single ear headstall, yes or no??
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 368 Location: Georgia
I love my one ear headstall. I only trail ride but I use it every weekend. It is easy to get on and off and a lot less on the horse's head. As you know, it gets hot down here in the south and having less on his head is great for my horse.
Posted 2009-10-07 9:36 PM (#111600 - in reply to #111588) Subject: RE: Single ear headstall, yes or no??
Elite Veteran
Posts: 781 Location: La Cygne, KS
I prefer the single ear with a throat latch to help keep it place should the headstall get snagged on a branch or I need to pull quickly in a one rein stop.
Posted 2009-10-07 10:57 PM (#111609 - in reply to #111588) Subject: RE: Single ear headstall, yes or no??
Expert
Posts: 2614
They look like QH bridles,to me.I've never used one,have always used a traditional full headstall.We were riding with friends several years ago,and,his horse's headstall got caught on a limb,it was a single ear headstall,and,it was jerked right off of the horses head, bit and all.That one came off without any difficulty,for sure.
Posted 2009-10-08 7:26 AM (#111617 - in reply to #111588) Subject: RE: Single ear headstall, yes or no??
Veteran
Posts: 270 Location: Roanoke IL
Personally, if my headstall were to snag on something serious, I'd rather have it come off than be stuck. I've used a one ear without problem. I usually ride with a rope halter underneath, and it makes for less clutter on the horse's head.
Posted 2009-10-08 5:52 PM (#111649 - in reply to #111609) Subject: RE: Single ear headstall, yes or no??
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 522 Location: Tucumcari NM
Originally written by crowleysridgegirl on 2009-10-07 10:57 PM
They look like QH bridles,to me.I've never used one,have always used a traditional full headstall.We were riding with friends several years ago,and,his horse's headstall got caught on a limb,it was a single ear headstall,and,it was jerked right off of the horses head, bit and all.That one came off without any difficulty,for sure.
I'm not sure what a Quarter Horse headstall is, but one-ear bridles are used a lot in western riding, whether riding a paint, arab, morgan, quarter horse, or any other breed. I prefer them, myself.
Posted 2009-10-08 8:10 PM (#111655 - in reply to #111617) Subject: RE: Single ear headstall, yes or no??
Veteran
Posts: 241
Originally written by Angelmay84 on 2009-10-08 7:26 AM
Personally, if my headstall were to snag on something serious, I'd rather have it come off than be stuck.
Amanda
Good point. Well it seems like most of those who have used them like them, so I went ahead and ordered two of them from a local saddle maker. My wife just got a new horse so I'll surprise her with one also. My father in-law use to use them back in the day, I thought they looked pretty good, especially when one likes to ride with halters on (as a previous post eluded to).
Posted 2009-10-12 2:50 PM (#111771 - in reply to #111588) Subject: RE: Single ear headstall, yes or no??
Veteran
Posts: 151 Location: Manitoba, Canada
Actually, I prefer a one or two ear bridle for the show ring, and something with a throat latch for everything else.
On one ride with a two ear (no throat latch), my horse did the stretch-yawn-shake and the bridle popped right off his face. I was saved only by the fact that I grabbed up the rein slack quickly enough to hold the bit in his mouth and did a fast dismount. What was real luck, was this is the kind of thing that would normally have spooked this horse, and he didn't even notice. I always used the 2 ear on him because it was the only bridle I had that fit him.
On a safety note, I am a 4H leader, and currently working on my coaching certification as well, and I can tell you that both manuals emphasize using something with a throat latch for the safety of NOT having a bridle accidently removed. After that, I think it's purely personal preference.
Single ear headstall, yes or no??
