Tekna Halter Review

8/9/2013

I've purchased a few of the items in the Tekna line and have been relatively happy with my purchases. Tekna makes saddles and other tack from a synthetic material that looks like leather and feels pretty close, but it's not exactly right.

I ordered the Tekna Breakaway Halter from Riding Warehouse. No matter what kind of English or Western tack you're looking for, the Riding Warehouse is an excellent first stop. They have a huge selection, solid customer service, and for those who live in California, the company is locally owned. The halter arrived within one day of shipping which is a benefit of buying locally.

I really wanted to give the halter a 10 right out of the box, but being the halter snob that I am, I found myself nitpicking small things. After some use, I hope that I find that my initial impression was biased by my snobbery. Right now, I'd give the halter an 8.5.

Value: at $44.95, it's priced a bit on the steep side, but since I had a $25 gift certificate and a coupon, I only paid $25.48 which included tax and shipping. At $25, I like the halter. Had I paid full price, I might have been a bit disappointed because of the fit.
Overall Impression: It's a very attractive halter that comes in black or brown. I ordered the black one which has a deep, rich color. All of the hardware is stainless steel. The halter has a good weight to it; nothing about it feels flimsy or cheap. All the hardware is thick and has that heavy duty feel.

Tekna Halter

Details: the noseband and crown piece are lightly padded. The padding is tightly stitched to the halter and appears to be long wearing. The snap at the throat latch is smooth and easy to use. The halter does not have an adjustable chin, something that I normally find very handy when fitting an Arabian's finer muzzle. While the halter doesn't have any bells and whistles, the clean lines against the stainless steel hardware give it more than just a utilitarian look.

Safety: At first glance, the side rings appear traditional, but upon closer inspection, half of the opening is filled in with the band logo. A large bull snap or thick cross tie snaps might get stuck in the smaller opening. I was able to attach my cross tie panic snaps to the holes with no issue, but I am not sure if this detail is of any benefit. On the halter's far side, there is a breakaway strap that is nicely concealed. It also looks as though it will hold through regular wear and tear. Riding Warehouse sells the replacement piece for $4.50. I really like the halter's buckle; it has a nice curve to it which makes sliding the crown piece strap though very easy. The buckle's tongue slides easily, and the whole things just has a sturdy feel.

Square side rings, half-way filled with brand logo

Replaceable Break-away strap

Fit: I ordered the halter in Cob, but it comes in Pony and Horse sizes. Arabians are notoriously hard to fit, and Speedy is no exception. While he has a classical Arabian profile, it's certainly not extreme. Horse-sized bridles and halters tend to overwhelm him, while cob-sized pieces tend to be a bit clunky for his more petite muzzle. This halter fit the way I suspected it would, a bit too loose around the muzzle.

Photo by Lori Ovanessian

He was a bit sleepy for this photo shoot.

I think with some regular use, the nose piece should start to mold itself into a rounder shape. For horses with a larger muzzle, this is probably a great alternative to expensive leather halters. I'm keeping the halter as it is nicely made. I especially like that maintenance is easy. Just wipe it with a damp cloth; no conditioning needed!

Mary Meyer

8/8/2013 11:22:54 pm

Halter looks nice but I agree I don't like the logo where I want to put a cross tie snap. But here's my pet peeve. Why do you and many, many others put the panic snap next to the horse? If you've ever had to use one, you will realize that you don't want to get close to a struggling horse. The panic snap should be on the cross tie post where you can safely use it.

SprinklerBandit link

8/9/2013 05:20:49 am

On the other hand, if you have a panicking horse, you really, really don't want the cross ties chasing them once they're free. I've heard it argued both ways by credible, caring horse people with examples for each side.

Karen

8/9/2013 05:36:06 am

That's EXACLY what I was just typing, SB - you beat me to it! :0)

8/9/2013 05:35:03 am

Hi Mary! Cross ties and how to use them is a high blood pressure inducing topic. There was a thread, or two, over on COTH not too long ago!

First, I personally feel that ALL horses should be taught to politely and patiently stand tied to a hitching rail, trailer, pipe fence, wood fence, pole, or whatever. The better they stand tied, the better they seem to be in cross ties. Good manners are just good manners.

Second, my own preference is to use the Blocker Tie Ring for all tying, even in cross ties. If this were my barn, that's the system I would use. When the cross ties are occupied, I do use the Blocker Tie ring out in the barn aisle, but it's not convenient for the rest of the barn if I am always smack dab in the middle of the aisle.

And with that ... I don't really like cross ties. Since I am short, having the panic snap at the wall is tricky for me since it is hard to reach. Additionally, I hate the thought of a loose horse who now has six feet of a nylon strap slapping him with a weighted metal ball at the end because he was "released."

On the other hand, when a horse panics, it can be difficult to free him if the panic snap is near his face. However, it is easier to free him from his face if panic is building but hasn't yet reached the explosive state. I keep my lead rope attached at all times for just that reason. I can release quickly but still have a line attached.

Finally, while I HAVE had horses panic in the cross ties, and in other places, it is NEVER easy to free them without risking injury to yourself no matter where the panic clip is located. 1200 pounds of flying hooves is just hard to navigate around.

And so ... at our barn, we change our set up as our feelings change. Right now, we have one cross tie with the panic snap at the face and the other at the wall. Since it is not my barn, I don't get to make all of the decisions. If it were my barn, I would eliminate cross ties and replace them with lead ropes hanging from Blocker Tie Rings.

Long answer to a short question. :0)

martina peterson

8/9/2013 08:49:26 am

well Karen I appreciate your comments and technical "stuff" about a horse that panics. Being a non horse person I PANICKED when Speedy G got upset that day. My only concern was to try and get out of his way so I wouldn't get thrashed. It seems to me you have the right idea by using that thing a ma gig up against your trailer. See, I don't know much.

8/10/2013 07:24:07 am

Thanks, Mom! :0)

Lauren link

8/9/2013 12:54:34 am

Glad to know about this company and the quality! My husband is vegan and does not buy leather goods, so if he ever rode or had his own horse he would want to go all synthetic.

8/9/2013 05:15:54 am

I hadn't really thought of that, Lauren. He doesn't wear any leather products? That must make shopping a little hard.

Austen link

8/9/2013 02:22:47 am

I love the contrasting expressions in Speedy's two photos! Smart looking halter, I wouldn't toss it out! :)

I wish halter manufacturers could come up with a better method than the current complicated adjustable chin on halters. Guinness also has a narrow nose (surprisingly), and those adjustable chins usually end up annoying me to death.

8/9/2013 05:18:14 am

I like the adjustability of an adjustable chin strap, but you're right; it is a bit awkward. This one doesn't have the adjustable chin, but at least it's small enough around the muzzle that it still works.

Tara link

8/9/2013 07:29:47 am

There is always a custom built halter.....

I have one, and will buy a second one in the future, from http://www.quillin.com/....
I tend to just use as my shipping halter..:)
Tara

8/9/2013 11:38:10 pm

I checked out the site you shared, thanks! They seems to have nice quality things.

Your story about you and your husband was fascinating! Do you read http://horsecrazyamerican.blogspot.com or http://keepingitlowkey.blogspot.jp? The first is about an American woman who lives in Germany with her German husband, and the second is about a woman whose husband is in the military. I am sure you would have a lot in common with both women.

Sarah link

8/13/2013 05:05:01 am

My concerns with synthetic is the notion that it doesn't break like leather will, so is that breakaway part real leather? Or is the pin holding it a lower quality metal? What is the actual breaking mechanism?

8/15/2013 09:24:10 am

I know I come from a different background than many riders do. I really don't ever want my halter to break. This comes from many years of endurance camping. When our horses got loose, it was a serious issue. Not that I do that sport any more, but the habits are with me still. When I tie my horses, there is ALWAYS some kind of quick release: the Blocker Tie Ring, a slip knot, panic snap, etc.

I looked at the break-away strap after reading your comment. The material looks different, but I can't say for sure whether or not it is leather. You make a good point though - if someone wants/needs their halter to break, it might be prudent to check out the break-away strap more closely.

Vilma Campbell link

2/21/2019 10:46:37 pm

This is really a nice saddle and I bet it is a top quality item too. Do they have a different type of color rather than a black one? I want a brown one for my horse.

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Not-So-Speedy Dressage