Klint - I'm alittle late on this post but - If you have an old neck tie lieing around you can take the wrings off of it and put them on the halter to keep the rope under the chin from getting loose. RW
I've had good luck putting new rope halters in the washing machine and was happy with the results.
Years ago back home though, we used to take them and tie them to the back of a hay wagon and let them drag behind all day as we went around and around the field. Seemed to do an awesome job of "breaking them in and loosening them up"
This time of year I'm sure you could achieve the same effect by letting them drag on the back of your combine,the stubble will have them loosened up in no time.
I've got 150 bales of alfalfa to haul in tomorrow, maybe I'll try that out. Can't hurt anything! Otherwise it sounds like the snap route might be the way to go.
Do you guys recommend putting the snap through the lead strap, or through the nose piece? Any concerns of the strap rubbing on the animal?
Thank goodness we still have some of the old halters around that are good and broken in, back when Sullivan's still sold halters made of rope and not this nylon junk.