by Tammy Meadows
The Alberta Reined Cow Horse Association has begun hosting a series of educational clinics for the 2007 season. One of the first clinics, held February 24 in Red Deer, was with Ron Anderson, who gave a very informative and entertaining look at the function and history of the hackamore and bridle bits.
Although Ron only had one day with the 20 cow horse enthusiasts who attended, he was able to touch on a rich 400-year history of the Vaquero hackamore and bridle bits. (Vaquero is Spanish for “cowboy” and is pronounced paquero.)
Ron’s first task was to teach the group how to recognize a well-made and balanced hackamore along with its history. The hackamore may have been first developed over 4,000 years ago somewhere in the Ukraine.
There is reason to believe that horses were domesticated 50,000 years ago and that the early horseman used a rope around the horse’s jaw and developed some sort of noseband. That noseband is considered the first strand in the braid of the hackamore history according to National Reined Cow Horse Association reports.
To further develop the noseband a “hakma” was made of rope or possibly palm fibre or whatever was available that could be looped and tied off to make a noseband. Eventually rawhide string was formed into a loop with the ends tied together, which made the device more comfortable on the horse or camel. Ron added that these early rope halters were even found in Egyptian tombs.
The Moorish armies invaded Spain from as far back as 711 AD and brought with them their foods, music, mathematics, silk, and silverwork and a horsemanship tool they called ‘al – hakama’ which in Spanish is translated into ‘la jaquima’ (breaking halter or knotted rope halter), which in English translated to hackamore. The hackamore of today is a braided or twisted rawhide noseband (bosal) not less that 5/8-inch in diameter.
The Spanish Vaquero that travelled and trailed huge herds of cattle from Mexico, Texas, and eventually into California brought with them the knowledge and skilled leatherwork of the La Jaquima, which is still used today in such associations as the NRCHA and the ARCHA which strive to preserve the vaquero traditions.
The old vaqueros started their horses in hackamores, then moved onto the two-rein process involving a smaller bosal called the bosalito that fit under the bridle and was used in conjunction with the bridle and then finally the bridle alone.
The two-rein is still used in competitions today. Modern horsemen have added a snaffle bit to start two-year-old training and then use traditional methods from there.
Two-reined horses, Ron says, make better bridle horses, but it is a long process, and complex regarding the reins themselves. It takes capable and experienced hands to stay off the bridle rein and stay on the hackamore reins.
The hackamore is also used as a transitional device for horses in the four- to five-year-old stage when they are shedding teeth and so many changes are occurring inside their mouths. Then as a six-year-old, the horse would be introduced to the full bridle bit.
Ron says he considers the hackamore used today as a “signal” device only and that it should be used wisely. The hackamore stage of training can be very tricky and riders should learn to use the hackamore quietly and properly.
“If you have messed up your horse in a hackamore or made him sore, you might as well just hang it up in your living room,” said Ron. If misused or abused, the horse can learn to “run through” the hackamore. He also added that not all horses will take willingly to the hackamore either.
The hackamore rider should learn to place the hackamore in different positions and encourage his horse to willingly maintain a body position that supports those positions. “Within two to three rides in the hackamore you should be able to tell whether your horse will get along with it,” he says.
A hackamore, he adds, should fit comfortably and symmetrically on your horse’s head, not too tight and not too loose. “Symmetry and balance in any equipment is something to be aware of.”
The bosal should be of good quality around the “mousing” (braiding) of the equipment because the bosal sits on the cartilage of the horse’s nose. Ron says it is important to pay attention to the fit of the side cheek piece as well.
The mecate (pronounced muh-caw-tee or McCarty) are the reins attached to the bosal and are 20-22 ft long rope made of horsehair. About 8-10 ft are used for the rein and the remaining 10-12 ft are used for the lead rope when in the saddle.
Ron explained that the lead line of the mecate was pulled through the rider’s belt so if the Vaquero was ever bucked off out in the open range, the rider still had enough line with him to hold onto his horse and save him a long walk home.
Horsehair reins are preferred as the horse responds to the feel of the horse hair on its neck and they look really good on the horse. The mecate reins are used for balance on the bosal as well.
“There is nothing better than watching a hackamore horse in motion and nothing prettier than seeing a hackamore horse with its mecate reins draped and flowing when he rolls up into a stop,” says Ron.
A well-made hackamore may cost up to $450. Participants in the clinic were taught how to loop and tie the mecate reins through the bosal properly with a little guidance from Heather McLevin and Ron.
“There are no definitives when it comes to bridling a horse,” Ron stated. The spade he says is a “straight-up” in the bridle bit. The long tapering port, complete with spoon, cricket or copper cover braces is designed in a way to encourage an older horse to accept the solid bit and carry it.
The spade bit, when in a horse’s mouth, needs to be respected and the mouth of the horse protected. Each horse may require a different full bridle bit to suit its mouth and sensitivity.
Trainers and non-pros have to be able to try out each bit to find out which one suits his own horse and its ability and comfort zone. The full bridle bit is meant to be used with one hand and with romal reins that help balance the bit with a leather chin strap.
By the time the horse carries the spade, the bit’s only purpose is to receive subtle signals sent by the rider’s hands. “Historically, the bridle has centuries of design with a horse’s mouth in mind,” Ron says.
The early Vaqueros were very proud horsemen and showmen who learned to create beautiful ornate silver cheek pieces with a functional mouth piece as well.
Hundreds of different styles of bits have been made to date and have become an art form as well as a necessity. The experienced Vaquero that had taken his horse from the hackamore to the full bridle took great pride in being able to show his horse in the silver bits. “The Vaqueros would spend up to a year’s wages on their horse’s equipment and the ornate spade bits were used only by the most accomplished Vaqueros.”
Some styles of bits were named after the bit maker places or people. They created their own unique style of bit and cheek pieces, which are recognized and used by today’s horsemen. Trainers today have spent decades using and learning to understand the complex design of each bit in relation to the horses they are training.
Ron said some of the best advice he could give us with our hackamore and bit equipment use on our horses was to try out other peoples and trainer’s equipment before purchasing an expensive piece of equipment that will not work or will not fit your horse.
Most trainers and fellow competitors in the cow horse world will be more than happy to lend out their tack to help you out. “Tradition was based on horsemanship for the past four centuries and the cow horse event has a tremendous amount of heritage,” Ron said.
For those of us just beginning our first decade of learning the connection between our horse and our equipment, the clinic gave us a little better insight.
Suggested reading includes Hackamore Reinsmen by Ed Connell, Reinsmen of the West: Bridles and Bits by Ed Connell, and Vaquero Style Horsemanship by Ed Connell, or visit www. hackamorereinsman.com.
