As we talked about last week a mecate is a rein made of a single piece of rope, usually twisted horse hair or nylon. It is used on hackamores and on snaffles with slobber straps.
Once attached properly to either a hackamore or a snaffle the mecate has both a looped rein and a length used as a lead rope. The rider uses 2 hands to direct rein the horse with the looped rein. When a rider is mounted, the lead is coiled and attached to the saddle or run through a belt loop. When the rider dismounts, the lead is used to lead but not tie the horse.
The doubled slip knot is a good knot to use to tie your mecate lead to your saddle with saddle strings. Coil your mecate lead clockwise. Be sure to leave enough length in the mecate lead that your horse can turn its head freely in either direction but not so much that it will step through the lead as you ride.
Follow along on the attached guideline to correctly tie the mecate to your saddle.
1. Coil mecate lead and place it between (right-most string under coil and left-most string above coil) your saddle strings at the swell (fork or pommel). I like to place the coiled mecate here facing backwards (flip it over 180o) as this prevents the coil from feeding out as I ride. Many riders like to tie it on as it was coiled. Either way is acceptable. With the right-most saddle string under the coils make a complete loop over the top of the coils.
2. Lay the left saddle string on top of the mecate coils. Make a loop in the right saddle string and hold it with your right hand.
3. Bring the left saddle string over the top of the free end of the right string and place it through the loop in the right string to make a new loop. Hold this loop steady with your right hand. With your left hand pull the tail of the original right saddle string (now on the left) tight.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 to finish the doubled slip knot.
When you want to get off and lead your horse just pull the slip knot loose. This works just as well for tying your get down rope onto your saddle.
Dennis Moreland Tack produces both mane hair and nylon mecates in various sizes. To find out more about our mecates call 817-312-5305 or visit: http://www.dmtack.com/pcategory/reins/mecates/ To see our selection of Get Downs with Ropes click: http://www.dmtack.com/pcategory/ranch-trail/get-downs/
We’re a full-line manufacturer of handmade tack and we’re here to help you! Read more Tack Talk:
Have You Ever Used a Get Down?
A Practical Guide to Unbridling
