Hi everyone,
I’m sure this has been asked before but nothing came up when I searched. My horse is a face rubber, and she has broken the latch on two halters already. One is leather and the other nylon. I am wondering if there is a way to replace the latch instead of buying new halters. I assume I would have to undo the seams and replace the latches and then see them back up, but maybe I am wrong? How do I go about sewing through thick nylon and leather? Thanks!
You can buy replacement snaps that screw on, you just need to cut the old snap off.
I know about the replacements, but how do you cut the old ones off?
I have used bolt cutters.
Okay, thank you!
Hacksaw or a light touch with a grinder with cutting wheel if bolt cutters won’t do it for you.
You might look for a shoe repair or leather repair (like for luggage zippers) --harder to find all the time, but where I live, there is one on every corner --heart of Amish country.
If you cut the stitching carefully, is easy to replace sewing yourself a new one back with waxed thread, awl if necessary and double stitching.
Takes about 10 minutes.
We have a leather stitching pony and that makes holding the leather to be repaired easy.
Those sell for about $20 on Tandy leather, every tack room should have one for quick, easy repairs.
You sit on a chair and put the short end of the T between your legs, sitting on it:
Chicago screws could be used rather than sewing
My local shoe repair guy does all of my tack repairs for an amazingly small fee. He would probably charge $4-5 for this.
Bonus is that he gets leather-goods wholesale catalogs that include nice leather halters and he charges me $19 anytime I want to order one.
They used to make halters without the latches. Do they not do that anymore???
Yes. But I am not sure what that has to do with the question.
I think the OP just does not want to toss out a perfectly good halter if the latch can be easily fixed.
Just an option if the horse continually breaks the latches. If you can’t keep it fixed then it isn’t “perfectly good” for that horse. Just use its on another one?
If you don’t own bolt cutters, a local hardware store may do it for you if you’re buying other stuff.
Your farrier may also be able to help you.
Or your fire department
Or a bicycle shop. They have them for people who have lost the keys to their U-locks.
Thanks, everyone! I will explore some of these options! We have very few cobblers or repair shops nearby, and they charge almost as much as a new halter, so I’ll be looking into the ways of having the metal cut and replacing the latch myself.
A simple hacksaw is generally pretty cheap at most hardware stores and then you have one anytime you need it.
12 in. 360° Adjustable Hacksaw (harborfreight.com)
Project Source 10-in Extra Fine Cut Hack Saw in the Hand Saws department at Lowes.com
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