A rope or strap device placed around a horse's head to control and lead it.
From Old English 'hælfter,' related to Old High German 'halftra,' likely related to 'halt' meaning to hold or stop. The device itself has been used for thousands of years.
A halter is different from a bridle because it has no bit—you control the horse purely through pressure on the nose and head, making it gentler for leading. It's one of humanity's oldest technologies for animal partnership.
Halters historically functioned as instruments of enslavement and control—both literally for horses and metaphorically for women ('put a halter on her' implied constraining female autonomy).
When discussing control or restraint metaphorically, be explicit about the context. Avoid casual use that trivializes constraint.
["bridle","restraint","check"]
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