Assembling a hackamore

Six easy steps for tying a mecate to a bosal

Are you someone who hopes beyond hope that you never have to take your hackamore apart, because it’s possible you’d never get the thing back together? Or, maybe you’ve never had a reason to tie a hackamore together. Either way, tying a hackamore is a good skill for any horseperson to know.

Putting the hackamore together isn’t as hard as it looks at first glance. Here, we’ll take you step-by-step through an easy method of tying a mecate to a bosal.

To put your hackamore together you’ll need:
• A hanger or headstall
• A bosal, which is a braided nose piece used in place of a bit
• A mecate, the 22-foot-long rope that becomes the hackamore’s reins and lead rope

Step 1. Place the knot or button end of the mecate inside the “V” of the bosal. The knot should fit snugly in the bosal and point away from the horse.

Step 2. Wrap the mecate counterclockwise around the bosal, working from the bottom of the bosal to the top.

Step 3. Pull a length of the mecate through the back of the bosal. This loop will become the reins, so make sure you give yourself enough slack with which to ride.

Step 4. While holding the reins tightly with one hand, continue to wrap the mecate around the bosal in a counterclockwise fashion. This wrap will hold the reins firmly in place.

Step 5. Add as many wraps as necessary to make the bosal fit correctly. Usually only one or two wraps will suffice.

Step 6. Pull the end piece of the mecate forward under the last wrap. This becomes the lead rope, which will tie back to the saddle when riding.

STORY BY MICHELLE ANDERSON

Printed in the April 2006 issue of Appaloosa Journal.

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