Old Fashioned Head Collar Ropes

[Coblet]

I once saw a young horse pull back on a quick release swivel clip and it snapped leaving sharp metal. So since then my preference has been the older style clips.
Trouble is they seem to have been phased out in local tack shops and I don’t know what they are called to search online.
Anyone know where I might find them?

Walsall Wednesbury clips they have them on EBay. These are the old original type, they might be too old and original but have a look.

Thank you will have a look. I presume people have been put off them as I have seen vets photos of them looking like bull rings through horse’s nostrils.

I think the main problem with quick release clips is that they are now made with cheap metal. The design is ok. Maybe try and find a good hardware shop where they sell British made.
I have lead rope clips that I’ve had since the 1980s they are still in good nick and safe.

Thanks all I have two lead ropes ordered and on their way to me. As someone who has kept ponies for decades I do despair at the lowering of manufacturing standards across the board. For many reasons I would rather pay extra for quality.

@Beautyfadesdumbisforever when you say you have old clips, do you mean you have been able to replace the ropes?

Yes you can buy soft cotton or hemp rope or what ever type you like by the meter. I just thread it through the ring of the clip and unwind a few inches and weave it back through the rope. I’ve never had one come undone.

Clips that break are a safety feature. I think the idea to prevent serious injury if the horse is frightened and pulls back hard.

I know opinions vary on this, but I'd rather a horse get loose than do itself damage because nothing breaks. I use rope halters, but always tie up to frayed string. I saw a horse pull back and fall on concrete and still it was tied up nearly hanging itself because nothing gave way. Fractured vertebra.

This is why I prefer leather head collars and frayed bailer twine. If metal breaks it can do lots of facial damage.

I use a double length rope threaded through the ring if they take off there’s no sharp metal. If they stand on it it just pulls through without damaging their face or breaking the head collar which is a bonus as you just thread it through again.

That sounds great @changedusername190 but I can’t visualise what you mean.

My older horse has an old Parelli lead rope. I don’t do parelli, but the rope was good. I’ve had the same rope for him for 18 years. It has not broken, frayed, and the snap is still good. For my new horse, I bought a rope from this place - https://totalhorsemanship.co.uk/products/lead-rope-with-brass-snap. She’s had it 2 years, and it looks like new (once you wash the seasonal mud off!) I like buying equipment that is good and strong and lasts. I use my lead ropes with a leather headcollar for each horse. I know the leather will break before the horse should they have a panic and pull back for any reason.

For tying up I have a thin loop of string on the headcollar and clip the rope to that. The string breaks If the horse pulls back and there's no danger of the rope wrapping round the legs, I've seen some horrible rope burns.
The clip through the mouth pictures, I wonder if the before pictures would show the clip incorrectly facing inwards to the face, and headcollars fitted too big and too low round the nose.
Not saying that you can't still have accidents when you do everything right though!