Your post made me curious so I checked my tack shack halters and they all have a round ring under the English chins. I usually order the sales halters and never specified anything about that ring. Looking at their website it looks like the square chin ring comes on the track halter and as a special order.
What is it about the square chin ring that you found so bad? Not trying to be snarky, genuinely curious. I donât notice a difference at all in functionality or looks.
I think the metal is thinner than the ring. That would not be my choice of hardware for the spot where the lead attaches. Itâs work until it doesnât, LOL.
I have halters from Tack Shack, Quillin, and Albrightâs. There are slight differences between them, and each is a slightly different color, but they are all good quality. That said, my favorite is the Albrightâs, followed by the Tack Shack, and then the Quillin⊠but Quillin does make the best plates (all my halters have Quillin plates). I wouldnât hesitate to recommend any of them, though.
After reading @mvpâs concerns about the square chin ring, I just wanted to point out that my Tack Shack halters do not have a square ring. I do love my Tack Shack halters, but it is worth noting that though the customer service at Tack Shack is great, I have had problems with them getting my (custom) order correct the first time and the halters do seem to run a bit large. All these halters are hand-made, so there will be some variance in size, no matter what.
When Facebook is back up, Iâll post the link to my side-by-side pictures I took of the three brands.
Of course, none of these are âanatomicalâ or âfancy stitchedâ like the OP mentioned wanting. In that category, the HDR halter is better than I would typically expect from the brand, but I donât think itâs nice enough that I would want to spend my money on it. Iâd rather skip the anatomical features and the fancy stitching and spend (less) money on the Tack Shack, Quillin, or Albrightâs.
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Donât mean to derail the thread, but hereâs photos of the square chin ring if anyone is curious. Itâs hard to see in the picture on their website.
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I believe as others have said it is only the track halter that has the square chin ring. That is how the one I have is, but I have not noticed that it makes any difference. I received it as a gift several years ago from a friend and she mistakenly ordered it over the sales halter which she normally buys. I placed an order through tack shack for some awards for a local saddle club I was helping with and they all turned out great and they were easy to work with. I wouldnât hesitate to order from them again.
Photos of Tack Shack, Albright, and Quillin side-by-side. All three are sales halters. The Quillin halter was used for turnout, so I chose to not upgrade to an English chin for that one. The Tack Shack halter was double-stitched, rather than triple-stitched, on my request.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=799392165919&set=a.575938803249&type=3&theater
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Oooohh⊠the Albright. Looks good (though Iâd oil mine down to a darker, softer look of the darkest one). But I like the quality. And I didnât know about Albright halters.
That one is the triple-stitched one, right?
I have a Danzig Bros and I love it. The owner is super nice to work with and my halter arrived quickly, beautifully oiled, and has held up to daily wear for the last 2 years, even when the grooms forget to take it off in turnout.
Out of curiosityâŠwhatâs an English chin?
Iâm afraid to google it and get pictures of Alfred Hitchcock.
Itâs one thatâs not adjustable. In @pattnicâs photo, the halter in the middle does not have an English chin because the ring can be moved around.
English chin: https://quillin.com/sale-halter/
Adjustable chin: https://quillin.com/turnout-halter/
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The halter I included a photo of has an English chin.
I love my Quillin halters. They last a long time and can take heavy abuse and still look gorgeous. When I say heavy abuse, this has ranged from getting washed almost daily with my working horses (without loving care after) or, in one case, years of rough handling on a hard-to-catch gelding who loved to grind it into mud and knock it about while playing (against fence posts or a tree, sigh). A quick rinse and it looked great. I buy the sales halters with fixed chins.
Another vote for their name plates!
Those both have the English chin.
So much easier to care for and use on a daily basis!
Yes, the Albright is the triple-stitched one (and yes, it does need more oil! :yes:) Albright also has great customer service⊠but really, they all do.
The triple stitched comes oiled Tack Shack Halter is one of my most favorite recent purchases. Why did I wait so long, and spend double on those Walsh halters? I think all the brands are lovely, and it sounds like they all have great customer service.
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Ok, bunch of enablers, hereâs another Tack Shack question for you: colored stitching. Not that Iâm quite sure I can justify another halter, but brown triple stitched with hunter stitching is kind of calling my name, and my horse did just destroy one - or his turnout buddy did - so my collection is theoretically down one⊠So has anyone got - or at least seen - one with colored stitching? White doesnât count! (I already have a beautiful Walsh).
spam from @Medschemonlinepharmacy reported.
I have had all three halters mentioned on this thread and the Tack Shack halters win hands down. Plus, you can customize everything about them. I had a weird headed horse with a tiny muzzle and they tweaked the measurements to make sure it would fit him appropriately. I seriously wonât go anywhere else anymore.
The Quilans are also lovely, but TS has the edge in fit, customer service, and I prefer the finish. I think it just comes down to preference.
Quillin halters are durable, but I find them much too bulky for my fine-headed Arabians/crosses. Tack Shack makes an âArabianâ halter with a rolled nose and crown that also has slightly thinner cheek pieces, and I like that aesthetic much more.
Both brands are high quality, and both (in my experience) run large, FYI.
