# head Harnest?



## St0rmyM00n (Mar 23, 2011)

I have a collar on my goat it is mostly for decoration, but I would like to buy her a face/head harnest if thats what it is called ?

Where would I get this for a goat?

Thank you !


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## ksalvagno (Mar 23, 2011)

Do you mean a halter? I would go to Hoegger or Caprine Supply and see if they have any. You can google them.


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## St0rmyM00n (Mar 23, 2011)

ksalvagno said:
			
		

> Do you mean a halter? I would go to Hoegger or Caprine Supply and see if they have any. You can google them.


I guess thats what it is called lol

ty I will google it.....


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## currycomb (Mar 23, 2011)

please do not leave the halter on the goat once you get it. i do not even leave collars on. for one it rubs and can be irritating, two, the can catch on just about anything and injure or kill the goat


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## TheMixedBag (Mar 23, 2011)

I leave my doe with a plastic break-away chain collar. No rub, irritation or anything, and if it catches, they can break it pretty easily (easily enough that I don't trust trying to pull her anywhere with it, and use a rope sheep halter-cost me $3 at the local mill).


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## St0rmyM00n (Mar 23, 2011)

I only have their collars on when I am handling her like taking pictures and such, for decoration, I was thinking a halter would help me to start getting her use to being handled more every day leading her around , touching her more so when I do get ready to milk her I won't have problems.


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## ksalvagno (Mar 24, 2011)

It really won't make a difference if it is a halter or a collar as far as getting used to being handled. You just have to spend time handling her. You can see if she leads better with one or the other but as far as milking, the halter won't make it any easier.


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## Dreaming Of Goats (Mar 24, 2011)

TheMixedBag said:
			
		

> I leave my doe with a plastic break-away chain collar. No rub, irritation or anything, and if it catches, they can break it pretty easily (easily enough that I don't trust trying to pull her anywhere with it, and use a rope sheep halter-cost me $3 at the local mill).


I don't want to hijack the thread  but what's the point of using the collar if you can't lead her with it?


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## Greendecember (Mar 25, 2011)

I need to get one for my doeling too. Nothing at the feed store is small enough to fit her face and I NEED to start handling her more in a restricted manor.


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## TheMixedBag (Mar 25, 2011)

Dreaming Of Goats said:
			
		

> TheMixedBag said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I've got her leading well enough that I don't worry about her pulling hard enough to break it. I wouldn't use it on a doe that's not well-trained, it's basically a "I need to catch a goat in the field without worrying about how" tool.


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## St0rmyM00n (Mar 25, 2011)

Im confused........


She lets us lead her, but if I change to the halter won't I need to get her use to something on her face rather than her neck?


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## TheMixedBag (Mar 29, 2011)

My does still don't like the halter, despite being perfect angels on collars. The only real use I have for them is when I need more control, like when I'm taking them somewhere in the car or I need to tether them somewhere for a minute. Jenny tolerates the halter well enough, but try to lead her too far with it and she will put up a fight, so we're still working on it.

Honestly, a good collar will work just fine for most handling needs.


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## freemotion (Mar 29, 2011)

Greendecember said:
			
		

> I need to get one for my doeling too. Nothing at the feed store is small enough to fit her face and I NEED to start handling her more in a restricted manor.


Google it...there are lots of instructions out there on making one yourself!  If you are handy that way....


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## TheMixedBag (Mar 29, 2011)

Wouldn't a sheep halter work? It's what I use, and they're adjustable in every direction.


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## St0rmyM00n (Apr 6, 2011)

I have been looking every where TSC, the feed stores I guess I will have to either make one or special order one on line.


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## Emmetts Dairy (Apr 6, 2011)

I like halters and they do have there purpose.  I have collars for the girls cuz I find they are much easier to handle.  But my buck dos'nt even know his own strength! lol...so I need one for him for sure.  His neck is strong and collars stink when they pull hard.  

I dont leave them on all the time.  Just when being tended too.  

Good luck. TSC, Jeffers, etc...all have em.  Just a note...my buck is big and he is wearing a size large...so I would measure your girls head wrapped on one side and it will help to guess-ti-mate when you buy it.


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## Greendecember (Apr 6, 2011)

I just got the stuff I ordered from Hoegger's today. http://www.hoeggergoatsupply.com/xcart/home.php?cat=

I got the plastic chains we shall see how they work hehe


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## Mamaboid (Sep 13, 2011)

St0rmyM00n said:
			
		

> I have been looking every where TSC, the feed stores I guess I will have to either make one or special order one on line.


I bought my halters at TSC here in PA and they were labeled goat halters.  We had to add a few extra holes for the smaller ones and adjust as they grew.  I leave my halters on them all the time and have never had any problems with them getting caught on anything.


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## aggieterpkatie (Sep 13, 2011)

Halters do give you more control over the animal because it controls their head/nose.  When they have collars on they can get their whole weight behind it (unless you make sure to keep it up right under their jaw).  Halters control the nose, and where the nose goes the body follows.   

If you're using an adjustable halter make sure the lead comes out under their chin, and not over their head.  Many times people use them incorrectly.  You want it to tighten around the nose, not behind the head.


ETA: I didn't realize this was an old thread.


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## that's*satyrical (Sep 13, 2011)

I just hook an old fashioned lead rope around her neck...but she is a sweetie pie and just goes wherever I lead her......


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## Livinwright Farm (Sep 13, 2011)

We use the red sheep halters that TSC sells, if your TSC doesn't have any in stock, they can order as many as you need.   The way the halter sits on their head, they have no choice but to follow their head and can't choke themselves by pulling or fighting being led.


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## willow_top_farm (Sep 17, 2011)

Because I'm in the process of training my wethers to pull a cart, I've got them in halters.  They are fine with them and I leave them on all the time. Occasionally I take them off and give their faces a nice rub and scratch, and they don't fight it when I put it back on them, which if they hated them I think they would do.  Before the halters, I had them in collars, and when I'ld lead them it was a struggle because they'd constantly pull and choke themselves, even with it under their chins. I found it's MUCH easier to lead them with a halter and it doesn't choke them.  This will also make it easier for my kids to work with them for 4H training/showing.  I must note, that their pen is a chain link enclosure with very few things for them to get hooked to.


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## Mamaboid (Oct 15, 2011)

We also leave our halters on all the time.  We got ours at TSC, and they were labeled for goats.  We had to put extra holes in them for our smallest doe, but a battery operated soldering iron works great on nylon halters.  It puts the hole in and seals the edges all at the same time.  Once in a while we get a sharp spot, and we just use a file on it.  I find that halters work a lot better for leading than collars, a lot less pulling and choking.  They sometimes shake their heads and fight the halters for a little while when we first put them on, but soon get used to them.  Just make sure you get them on tight enough that their noses don't fall out of them.


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