[Penninehillbilly]

Just wondering if everyone knows about ‘none choker slip lead’
Its quite an old idea so apologies if I’m teaching grandmothers to suck eggs 

Plaited from bale band,
1- Take 3 strands of bale band, start half way and plait a short section (about 1.5”?)
2- Blend the now six strands back together, making a small loop. carry on plaiting long enough to go round the goats neck with a little bit extra.
3- Separate the strands back out so you have 2x3, and plait two matching lengths, so at the end of these lengths, looped back to the small loop, would go over the goats head.
4- Thread one of the matching lengths thru the small loop, then again blend the plaiting back in one, so the small loop will run up and down in the split section.
5- Plait to end of bale band, I blend in more bale band to make a longer lead.

The first section should be long enough so when tightened it doesn’t tighten round the neck.
Don’t be like me and forget to thread one of the splits thru the loop, I got fed up of unpicking my plaiting!

Then I developed more to this idea. I got some small ‘snap hooks’ (from screw fix, a couple of £ for 10), instead of threading thru I put a snap hook in the loop. I don’t have to pull the collar over the goats head, I can just clip the loop onto the split section. Better for bigger heads or horned goats.
I still use the basic idea for kids, quick to slip over their heads.

[Lesley Silvester]

Great idea thanks.