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Cowboy Dressage?

RoperAB

Well-known member
I thought this was a good article.
Some Thoughts on the Hackamore
By Gwynn Turnbull Weaver

There are many different ideas floating around the country about the hackamore and how it is to be used. Its very makeup seems to be a mystery to many and its function even more elusive. How such a simple concept became so complex is beyond many dyed in the wool traditionalists but, be that as it may, some information about the hackamore is outlined here.

The snaffle bit came into play late in the game, in vaquero terms - showing up en mass when the British came onto the scene. Until then, the hackamore ushered most new mounts onto the payroll. It is no mystery to most that horses were started later in life in our not so distant past. Genetics, feed and the rigors of ranch life deemed it so. "Older blooded" horses were colder blooded horses - maturing later both mentally and physically. Feed, at least in many arid regions, fluctuated with the seasons and sparse times, along with long outside winters, held growth in check for many colts. It was not uncommon then for horses to grow substantially, well after their fifth or sixth year on earth.

What seems to stump most folks is the reasoning behind schooling the horse with the absence of a bit. Since the use of a bit is the end result down the road and since the horse has, in most modern day cases, already accepted the snaffle bit in its mouth, why then would we "change up" in mid stream and go to the hackamore? The most basic answers can be found straight from the horse’s mouth.

The Changing

One concept that fostered and continued the advocation of the hackamore was the changing nature of a horse’s mouth; particularly during the years that the teeth doing the changing are the ones directly involved with the bit. This seemed to line up with a horse’s coming four to coming five year old years. The changing of teeth marked the time a horseman did well to keep out of Mother Nature’s way and steer clear of their horse’s potentially sore and sensitive mouth.

Unfortunately, most modern-day trainers ignore the changing of a horse’s teeth. The best of horsemen are sensitive to the horse’s demeanor, ever searching for the subtle hints that indicate and instruct him on his journey. Only the keenest of horsemen, while paying attention to the messages their horse sends to them, understands that the condition of the animal’s mouth is one message he would do well to consider.

The hackamore was the obvious solution; it afforded the horseman the freedom to continue using and advancing his mount through the changing of his teeth. What most horsemen never counted on, however, was the added benefits the change offered them, while working through the differences the hackamore brought to light.

The Makings

Hackamores come in many different sizes and diameters, as well as different materials. Natural products are a must. They are more forgiving in nature, breath as they should and adjust to the shape and temperature of the animal.

Most traditional hackamores are made of braided rawhide. The good ones are braided around a natural core. That core might be a piece of worn out reata, twisted rawhide or perhaps an old piece of worn out horse hair mecate. They may be braided from eight to thirty-two strings with the average number of strings used hovering around twelve to sixteen. Sometimes another leather is used to make the strings and may be used in combination with the rawhide or alone.

The diameter of the hackamore needs some discussion. There are basically three types of braided "hackamore" type pieces of equipment. The hackamore, as we are discussing in this article, is the piece of equipment used alone, in the earlier stages of training. It is held to the horse with a simple leather "hanger" - a simple headstall, usually made of a softer leather and tied at the near side of the horse’s head. It is used with a horse hair mecate, traditionally. The hackamore is usually 3/8" to 7/8" in diameter.

The next level of equipment, for definition’s sake, is the small "two rein" variety, usually 1/4" to 5/16" in diameter, and is worn with the bridle and a small mecate. The third piece of equipment often confused with the hackamore is the even smaller "underbridle bosal" used with a shorter lead mecate for finished bridle horses. It is often delicate, usually not more than 1/4" in diameter, fitting subtly beneath the bridle. It is a lead as well as a mark of distinction for the bridle horse.

The "true" hackamore of this article is the larger of the three.

The Eye of The Needle

Perhaps we may never be able to lead a camel through the eye of a needle but the vaquero has successfully ridden a horse through one, delicately threading their horses through their maneuvers. The hackamore man does not drag his horses around by the nose, but rather places the hackamore in different positions and encourages his mount to willingly maintain a body posture that supports those positions.

The hackamore stage of training is perhaps the most risky stage of the game. How a cowboy manages himself and his horse during the hackamore process may critically define the horse’s future sensitivities. If misused or abused, a horse will quickly learn to "run through" the hackamore.

Heavy hands and erratic cues can numb a horse quickly and destroy any respect the horse may have for the most basic cues like "stop" or maybe even "slow down." Once a horse has been wrongly taught to ignore the cowboy’s cues in a hackamore, serious ground will be lost in regards to training that may never fully be regained. Much is at stake when the hackamore goes on and a good hand knows and honors the unique idiosyncrasies of his equipment.

A Good Fit

The hackamore should fit comfortably on the horse’s nose, much like a hat is fitted to a human head. Not too tight, not too loose. It should be fairly soft while still retaining a measure of firmness and shape. A hackamore that is too soft loses all its structure and balance. One that is too hard might be severe or awkward, loading large amounts of pressure in small areas. Sores and tenderness may result. Typically, pain is distracting. Horses will focus on that pain or irritation and miss the subtler cues the rider is offering him.

As mentioned, the hackamore is used with a mecate to provide the correct feel and weight. The mecate, when wrapped and tied properly, helps to size the hackamore to the particular horse as well as weight it in such a way it hangs as it should and releases when it should.

Though there have been gimmicks added to the hackamore and odd, more severe offshoots have been designed, the traditional hackamore, when made correctly and used as it was designed to be used, offers a comfortable fit and a balanced presentation.

Horsemanship Exposed

What most good hands soon learn when using the hackamore is the simple fact that there are maneuvers and exercises that a horse might be "made" to do in a snaffle bit, but the hackamore requires that the horse be "taught" to do them.

The most valuable contribution the hackamore makes in the training process is the deficiencies it reveals in the rider. Few know or understand this principle. When using the hackamore it is essential that the rider set up his maneuvers correctly and fully support the cues he gives his mount. The rider’s body positioning, weight placement, timing and sensitivity must be correct in order for the hackamore horse to translate those cues.

The message the actual hackamore itself can offer is so subtle that the horse will feel for the accompanying cues from the rider’s legs, weight and posture to confirm the message before acting on it. If the rider is out of position or offering inconsistent cues elsewhere, the horse will quickly lose confidence in the hackamore’s cue and become muddled and confused.

This unique characteristic of the hackamore might possibly be its greatest contribution to the equine world. It requires a level of horsemanship and handiness to operate it successfully. A cowboy must know and understand all of the peripheral cues used to position his horse as he should before he can support the hackamore the way it must be supported.

The hackamore is a key phase for this reason. It trains or reinforces the concept in the rider that the horse is to be taught to respond to messages, later called signals, in the final stages of putting a horse in the bridle. It is extremely important that the rider know how to set up, support and deliver his cues consistently with all the tools he has to work with.

The Nature of The Beast

The hackamore brings with it a unique feel all its own. For those who have never used one, the mechanics of how it functions are both simple and complex.

Though both hands are used to operate the mecate, it is often emphasized that the rider only apply pressure with one or the other hand but not both at the same time. Even when stopping straight or executing a maneuver that is balanced and strait in nature, only one or the other "rein" is used when directing the animal to do so. This unique feature, a technique often used even in the snaffle bit by horsemen in "the know" is not simply a suggestion for hackamore users but a must. Horsemen who use both hands incorrectly in the hackamore will quickly build a brace into their mounts and reverse the training they so want to advance.

Once again, the use of one "rein" brings the total picture into play. For example, applying pressure with one rein, when asking for a maneuver that requires the animal stay straight requires the rider to balance the cue with all the necessary supporting postures to help the horse to remain straight. Understanding that we do not merely sit on their backs like so much dead weight and pull them around with our hands is never more clearly communicated than when we tackle the use of the hackamore.

The Governor

Another important trait the hackamore promotes is a balanced temperament and good decision making skills, once again, in the rider.

The success a buckaroo achieves with the hackamore process is dependent on a series of decisions he might make on the days he uses the hackamore. Knowing what is required to do a job and choosing equipment and horses accordingly can make the difference between victory and defeat.

There are tasks that are not well suited to the horse newly introduced to the hackamore. Wrangling the cavy on a fresh, crisp morning may be an example. A young horse may lose himself in the momentum of the bunch and fail to notice the subtle cues the hackamore offers. Understanding the pressures that speed and instinct inflict on a horse can help a cowboy make the right decisions.

Slower, quieter jobs that offer the horse plenty of time to sort through cues and respond are better suited, especially in the first stages of the hackamore’s use. It takes a horse a certain amount of time first to understand a cue and then to build confidence in his response. Confidence is built through consistency. Sadly, a horse who is set up to consistently "run through" the hackamore will build a similar confidence in his ability to do so.

The responsibility for the work choices made when using the hackamore are one of the many ways a buckaroo can set himself up for success.

If managed correctly, a buckaroo will usually experience the first glimmers of a true feeling of "oneness" with his mount while progressing through the hackamore stage. There is no substitute for the subtle connections made when the hackamore horse begins to feel and respond with confidence.

Mind Over Muscle

Finally, perhaps the most important decision the cowboy will make in this stage of the game is how he will manage himself. The hackamore requires, more than any other early training practice, that the user is capable of controlling his emotions and responses when working with his horses. There is no room for lost tempers or overreacting.

If a buckaroo can’t control his own responses, the hackamore will destroy him. One fit of rage, one volatile day will forever taint the hackamore horse. There is a saying that "muscle doesn’t make the man" and similarly it will not make the hackamore horse either.

For this reason, the hackamore offers the would-be bridle horseman a checklist. Maintaining a suitable attitude is an attribute the spade bit horseman must have in place. Handling the hackamore is an excellent way of measuring the characteristics that will later be needed to handle the bridle horse.

It is ironic that it is the humble hackamore that asks the rider to check his ego at the door. He will not be able to do this unless he releases his grip on the voices in his own head and listens instead to the thousands of subtle messages his horses will send him.

So, with no rein chains jingling, no silver blazing in the sun, the hackamore man quietly takes his place in the long silent line of bridle horsemen before him. From this point on, it will be the buckaroo’s job to melt into the background and polish instead the horse beneath him. All look for the transition in the horse as he advances through the hackamore but the real change is etched in the heart of the man who rides upon his back.
 

Northern Rancher

Well-known member
Wouldn't in the longest stretch of the word consider anybody around here a horse trainer but we can work cows on just about all our horses with them just in a halter. Lots to be said for just going out and doing the job -I have trouble grasping the zen of alot of horse articles.
 

RoperAB

Well-known member
I think a lot of people have just never ridden a real bridle horse.
If you rode a really top horse you could never go back. Plus its the challenge of the journey. To just ride a horse, well its not satisfying on its own. Not for very long anyways. Yah might as well jump on a quad.
Horsemanship isnt rocket science, but its something that has to be studied, practiced and your going to need help with it from time to time.
Every horse is different. Lots of thought has to go into everyone of them. But thats the challenge, thats what keeps it interesting.
I cant find the words to describe how great it can feel when everything comes together.
You know we are all horse trainers because whenever we spend time around a horse we are training it even if we dont realize it. We are either making it better or making it worse.
 

L.E. Stevens

Well-known member
Good article-Thanks. Thought the second to last paragraph kinda summed up what alot of folks should be thinkin when workin young, or for that matter any, horses.
 

RoperAB

Well-known member
Here is part two. BTW There is way more to bridleing than whats in this essay. This is just to give a brief idea about what the hackamore<Jaquama> to Spade Bit<Freno> process is about.

The Mystery of the "Two Rein"
The Philosophy Behind the Practice
By Gwynn Turnbull Weaver

I leaned on a fence rail of a weathered set of corrals late one afternoon, standing in the slim blade of shade a gate brace reluctantly threw down. The heat of the day was evaporating into the thin Nevada desert air. Just as soon as the sweat dried, I would be needing a coat. I swilled the dust down my throat with the last of a beer and settled in to watch the crew work off the last of a truckload of dry cows.

Several of the buckaroos fiddled with their colts, correcting and directing them in a snaffle bit. What drew my eye, however, was not the work on the colts but two cowboys in the far pen. They were riding their horses in the "two rein", holding to an age old tradition born of logic and sensitivity. Watching them was a joy, as they expertly lead their horses into the next level of training. What a shame it was, I thought, that this delicate practice had become so rare.

The Process

The "two rein" process is a practice developed to bridge the gap from hackamore to bridle bit. Great basin buckaroos as well as traditional old school California horsemen keep the practice alive. They have found, through trial and error, that it is the most efficient, thorough method for moving up the training ladder. The practice incorporates the use of a small underbridle bosal with an equally small hair mecate (pronounced "McCarty") worn and used simultaneously with a bridle.

The idea is simple and logical. In the first stages of the "two rein" process, the horseman uses the mecate to ask and direct the horse in his various maneuvers. The bit merely rests in the horses mouth while he learns the feel of it, to pick it up and carry it, slowly finding comfort in it. Over time, the horseman will gradually ask for the same maneuver with the reins of the bridle while concurrently supporting the message with the more familiar mecate and bosal. As the process progresses, the horse will begin to associate the maneuver with both signals and then finally will need only one, the bridle.

Though the buckaroos I watched were both riding their horses in the "two rein" each used there equipment differently. One of the horses had just been introduced to the "two rein", this was only his third trip in it. The cowboy had adjusted the handful of reins in such a way that the mecate engaged first when he picked up on it, with bridle reins hanging balanced below it.

The other horseman was close to putting his horse "in the bridle." The mecate hung limply as the majority of signals came directly down the bridle reins to the bit. The mecate was only picked up now and then when a cue went unnoticed of the horse became muddled or confused.

The buckaroos worked their hands over the two sets of reins quietly and deliberately. Small movements, asking and suggesting while other movements backed up the first and clarified the signal.

It is very similar to the process of, say, an English speaking person learning a foreign language. An English word is spoken then the foreign word is presented. At first, both words will have to be repeated quite frequently, always appearing together. Gradually the foreign word is learned and used. The "two rein" process of transforming the hackamore horse into a finished bridle horse is no different.

I relaxed in the shade and marveled at the process. The transition from hackamore to bridle could be as clear as the crisp Nevada air if we only took the time to learn the "two reining" process and use it.

Understanding how it is designed to function dispels some of the confusion. It is not a difficult process but does require time and effort to learn, thought and patience to practice. As always, knowledge is power. Spending some energy in an effort to understand the elements involved breaths life back into the practice.

The Hackamore: The Bosal

The traditional rawhide hackamore and bosal are similar in design and function with the only marked difference being their size, weight-diameter and subsequent flexibility. The hackamore is to be used alone, is larger in diameter and generally firmer, though not stiff. The bosal is considerably smaller and is used with the bridle, worn discreetly under it. It should lay nicely beneath it without interfering with the potential signals from the bridle bit.

Knowing how to use the "two rein" is no less challenging than understanding when to use it. A horse should be responding softly and consistently in the hackamore before advancing to the next level. Problems that exist in the hackamore will not magically disappear in the "two rein".

There are times when a bridle horseman will drop back down into a "two rein" to fix what he considers to be missed information. The "two rein" horseman should also drop back down into the hackamore if loop holes in a horses knowledge present themselves.

Dropping back down the ladder of training is not a shameful thing. Often the next level of training helps to expose and isolate problems that went unnoticed in the previous level. All things that expose a deficiency should be welcomed, for they offer a good horseman the opportunity to work through the problem and present a more solid, "finished" horse in the end.

A Bit of Knowledge

The "two rein outfit" includes the selection of a suitable bit. "Two rein" bits are often slightly smaller or lighter in their make up with more a delicate cheek or design. Though some horsemen simply use a standard bridle bit, others suggest that a more delicately crafted, balanced bit will help to keep the horse’s mouth sensitive during the time it takes him to learn to carry and feel of it.

A "loose jawed" bit, one that is hinged slightly at the end of the bar were it joins the cheek is preferred as some believe a horse is less likely to brace against the feel of a loose jawed bit. A delicate spade, San Joaquin or half breed are commonly used with plenty of copper to promote saliva to form. A horse’s mouth should remain wet to ensure the bit is comfortable and free in it’s movement.

Special care should be taken to find a bit that each individual horse likes, especially in the beginning of the bridling process. Old timers felt that a horse should roll the bit immediately after the horseman picks it up and releases, keeping his mouth closed and comfortable. They claimed a horse that responds in this way likes the bit selection.

A horse’s first experiences with the bridle bit should be positive ones, with comfort and balance tended to by the horseman.

The Practice

Though the process is easy to understand and logical, executing it correctly is another matter. Herein lies the confusion and mystery of the "two rein." The reins of the bridle and the mecate are in a constant state of flux. The experienced "two rein" hand knows when and how to ask what.

All four "reins" are held in one hand, their length adjusted as needed. The factors that determine what signals to send and how to support them can be complicated. There are times when a signal is initiated with the bridle reins and, if not heeded, supported with the mecate, while other times a signal will be initiated with the mecate and immediately supported with the bridle reins.

The task at hand, the speed with which it needs done, the level of the horses training, and the maneuvers being asked for all effect the decisions made by the horseman. Watching a good hand manipulate the "two Rein" correctly is like watching a master flutist’s fingers fluttering over the valves of his instrument. Hundreds of tiny adjustments are made.

The Level

Where a horse is in his "two rein" progression determines the kind of message a buckaroo will send to him. Horses that are new to the process will be ridden predominantly in the small bosal with the bridle bit and reins touched little if at all. Gradually, as the horse begins to learn the language of the bridle, he will receive more and more of his signals directly from it with little or no message from the mecate.

Good hands listen to their mounts and try to ride them close to the edge of the horses abilities without exceeding them. Riding close to them puts the horse in an almost constant state of advancement; not exceeding them allows the horse to build confidence and comfort in those abilities. The envelope will widen as the horse’s knowledge grows.

The Task, The Speed, The Maneuvers

The job a horse will be asked to do often determines what signal comes from where. Slow, easy maneuvers might be good opportunities to suggest first with the bridle reins, then supporting with the mecate. Low pressure tasks like moving cows from field to field, or easing up to a gate are a few example of jobs a horse has time to work through. The horse need not respond quickly, giving him enough time to search through the messages and try different responses.

It is here that a green rider makes the mistake of advancing his horse to "strait up in the bridle", falsely thinking that a horse responding well in a slow situation will hold together in a fast one.

Seasoned horsemen continue with the "two rein" for a time longer as they understand the diversity of work on the ranch. There may yet be situations that have not been explored. The horse may find himself in a situation where excitement or pressure require the rider to again rely on the familiar signals of the hackamore.

Jobs that require lightning speed, like working animals in an alley, hard moves cutting animals out of the rodear or turning a cow down the fence are jobs best initiated with the more direct, familiar pressure of the mecate, then followed with the bridle rein signal. It takes an experienced, patient hand to determine what to use first and how.

The function of the "two rein" is to preserve a horse’s mouth through his transition into the bridle. It is this option of returning to the original signals of the hackamore in times of confusion that helps to maintain this. Remembering that the bits used in these disciplines are signal bits, not leverage bits. Signals must be introduced and learned by the horse.

Moving Up

Once a horse has proven himself to be comfortable and responsive in a myriad of situations, over a period of time, he will be ready to advance into the buckaroo’s pinnacle of achievement, "straight up in the bridle." The subtle shadings and adjustments constantly made with the "two rein" are what pave the way for the horse’s eventual solo voyage. The transition, if done right, appears effortless.

The Vanishing "Two Rein"

Why has something so logical and precise fallen from favor? The majority of average horsemen have never seen a "two rein" in use and if they have they have very little knowledge of its function. Outside of the buckaroo and old California horseman’s circles, the "two rein" is practically nonexistent. Some shows have a token class here and there but there is no substantial purse to be one, no accolades to claim.

The modern day horse trainer is in a hurry. Most of their clients made them that way. As training bills mounted, owners wanted results - the quicker the better. Trainers responded by trying to get more done, faster. They focused on the big, easily recognizable advancements. Something a novice owner could see and understand. Small, subtle improvements were hard to prove and even harder to show when the owners came calling. Progress in the "two rein" fell into this category. Only the best of horsemen could appreciate the tiny changes that built a solid bridle horse. Trainers dumped the "two rein" for quicker fixes. It did not matter that the quick fix didn’t last, or created other problems in the horse. Time, unfortunately, was money.

The buckaroos continued the age old practice. They had already confronted and made the choice of life-style and experience over money. They wouldn’t be out on the ranches working for a cowboy’s wage if they hadn’t. Time belonged to them when it came to their horses, and the good ones spent it happily.

As with all things subtle, they often go unnoticed. So it is with the mastery of the "two rein". The "two rein" is the melody and the harmony of the bridle horseman - the blending of unlike elements to create a solid, pleasing, balanced result. Though its execution takes time to learn, the resulting music is worth the wait.
 

L.E. Stevens

Well-known member
Thanks again for the second part. Very helpful as I've been workin with a colt toward that end, but not sure I'll keep it totally true to the extent of using a spade bit at the bridle phase. Just don't think I have soft enuff hands.
 

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