Perceptions of the Hackamore

Over the past couple of months I have had several conversations centering around why I ride in a Hackamore and why don't I use a bit. Everything from people thinking I am against bits, to asking if my horse is broke to be ridden in a bit, to people saying your horse works pretty good for a Hackamore. So I wanted to take the opportunity to say a few things about Hackamores (and bits for that matter), but remembering that my opinion is just that - an opinion and likely not worth a great deal when compared to the opinions of thousands or tens of thousands of more accomplished horsemen.

And before I go much futher, when I say snaffle bit, I mean a true snaffle bit, not a broken bit with shanks. I am still suprised when people who appear to be experienced riders think they are riding in snaffle just because the mouthiece is broken. Anytime you add shanks, you add leverage. The bad thing of course, is that shanks make heavy hands worse.

I use leather slobber straps to attached my reins to the snaffle bit.  You can see in the photo at right how the weight of the leather slobber strap makes it hang downwards from the snaffle ring.  As I pick up on the rein there is a delay as I take the slack and the horse can feel this and prepare.  The weight of the leather slobber straps also allow the release to be felt sooner by the horse.    

When I say Hackamore, I'm talking about a bosal, attached to a headstall and a fiador. While tradionalists generally use a bosal attached to a hanger, without a fiador, I am more comfortable using a headstall and fiador. Even then, I have had a horse shuck off a hackamore when the fiador knot was tied way too loose.

I came to the opinion that when first working with a mature horse, it is usually best to start over. I don't have a set in concrete process where I start in a snaffle bit and go to a Hackamore, or vice versa. I use what I think the horse is going to accept better in the beginning, but I am more inclined to use the hackamore first as the signals are much alike the rope halter.  And with the rope halter you can get your horse used to being soft and giving to pressure so when you go to the hackamore things tend to go more smoothly. 

Starting over, for me anyway, lets me cover any gaps in the horse's understanding and keeps me from assuming that since the horse was broke to ride, he knows what he should know.

As far as whether it's more proper or advantageous to start a horse in a snaffle or a Hackamore, there is an good article, written by Tom Moates, in a recent edition of Eclectic Horseman magazine that provides insights from Buck Brannaman, Bryan Neubert and Martin Black on the question of starting colts with a snaffle bit versus a Hackamore, or vice versa. Anytime any of these top hands' say anything, its prudent to listen. And if you don't get the Eclectic Horseman magazine, I would recommend that you do.

Addressing if I'm against bits - no, I am not at all against bits,...maybe just how some people use them. I have a horse, Junior, that I ride in exclusively in a Hackamore. I used to ride him in a short shanked broken bit, but no more. Years ago I let someone else ride him in that bit and to make a long story short, we left our horses ground tied and a group of Mule deer spooked them. When we caught the horses about 20 minutes later, Junior's reins had came un- tied and he stepped on the reins pulling the bit and cutting his toungue. He is fine now but I have used a Hackamore on him ever since and always will.

I just don't have much to say to people who comment that they are surprised that a horse can work well, or as well, in a Hackamore as opposed to a bit. There are many things we (Junior and I) don't do very well at all, but I don't think a bit is going to change that.

Regarding graduating from a Hackamore to a bit. I'd like to have a horse that is comfortable, untroubled in both a Hackamore and a snaffle bit. I think it makes a better horse and you can change up what you ride in him from time to time to give him a break. While I have retained a couple shanked bits with broken mouth pieces, I don't have much use for anything but Hackamores and snaffles at this point.

While there are many exceptional horsemen who follow the Californio style of starting horses in snaffle, then to a Hackamore, then go to the two rein, and finally to a spade bit, I just never see myself getting to that to the level, and I'm okay with that.