Dennis Moreland hackamore

Why Do Some Horsemen Ride With a Hackamore?

Dennis Moreland hackamoreDennis Moreland competing with a hackamoreWe know horseman have been using hackamores on their horses for hundreds of years and this piece of equipment hasn’t changed much since being introduced to western North America in the 18th century. It makes a person wonder if a hackamore might be a useful tool to get better training results. In this article we’ll focus on the type of hackamore shown on the horse in the photo.

Hackamores are a transition tool to use between the snaffle and shanked bit. Unlike a snaffle, which results in a direct pull on the same side of the mouth that the pull was initiated, the hackamore functions by applying pressure from the noseband to the opposite side of the face. Hackamores will also help a horse to understand to give at the poll if the rider keeps his or her hands actively working the mecate to apply pressure to the nose and chin.

The noseband or bosal comes in different sizes ranging from 10 to 12 inches with a 7 inch nose button. Size is measured from the inside of the nose button to the inside of the heel knot. For more information on fitting a hackamore click: http://bit.ly/1Elijla. Bosals are made in different diameters so riders can reduce the diameter used as the horse advances. Each bosal is braided around a core made of coiled rawhide or other material and this accounts for the stiffness of the hackamore. The hackamore a horse is started with will depend on …