One of the most basic piece of horse handling equipment is the halter. Halters and lead ropes come in wide variety of shapes, materials and sizes. Always purchase an extra one.

Compared to common flat banded nylon halters, halters with more narrow nose bands and those made of more hard materials (rope or rawhide) provide more "signal" to a horse. For a given amount of pressure on the lead rope, there is more focused force per unit area and more incentive for a horse to react. A variety of more elaborate halters also exist, many of which are unnecessary or even detrimental for clear communication.

Lead ropes and snaps are similarly diverse.