# Little S Hackamore selection for trails?



## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

Or any thoughts on this........



What I would probably do is just buy the cheek pieces and make my own noseband out of flat leather or paracord.


----------



## whisperbaby22 (Jan 25, 2013)

It all depends on the shape of your horses head. All three are basically the same, the thing with these bits is that they are loose and tend fit a wide range of horses. That said, you will only know if it works for you by trying. I'd just try one and if there is a problem it will give you an idea of what will work.


----------



## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

whisperbaby22 said:


> It all depends on the shape of your horses head. All three are basically the same, the thing with these bits is that they are loose and tend fit a wide range of horses. That said, you will only know if it works for you by trying. I'd just try one and if there is a problem it will give you an idea of what will work.


 Thank you! I agree that it will just simply come down to buying one and trying it. Sometimes I spin my wheels and can't make a decision. But I went ahead and bought the last one because I like the look. It looks fancy but when you get right down to it, after all the scrolls and squiggles, it still has the same shape. So we'll see how that works.

My mare has a little bit of a big/coarse head. I don't think she _looks_ that way, but her tack says otherwise! I used to own Arabians (20 years ago) and I had to make holes in everything to make their tack smaller. Now with my Fox Trotter, I have to make holes in everything to make the tack larger! But the cool part is, with the hackamore, it is adjustable 3 ways, with the noseband, curb strap and how far it us up on her head. So I should be able to get a perfect fit. 

I really look forward to trying it out. I've had this pretty little mare for 3 years and always rode her in a curb bit (as her last owner did). Then one day I got on her with a halter (just to try out some stirrups on my saddle) and she rode awesome in a halter. So I am like, I got to try this girl in a hackamore! I've actually tried her out already in one, but it was one that I jerry-rigged together and looks ugly. So I want to buy a decent one.


----------



## whisperbaby22 (Jan 25, 2013)

Cool! I started making my own bridles years ago, mostly because it is hard to find something that fits exactly. After the initial investment, I can now make a bridle for practically nothing. 

When I am able to get around again I am going to make another one. I was just getting started when I was locked down. I would like to see what you do with this, it looks really cool. I like making bridles that look a bit fancy, along with being functional.


----------



## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

whisperbaby22 said:


> Cool! I started making my own bridles years ago, mostly because it is hard to find something that fits exactly. After the initial investment, I can now make a bridle for practically nothing.
> 
> When I am able to get around again I am going to make another one. I was just getting started when I was locked down. I would like to see what you do with this, it looks really cool. I like making bridles that look a bit fancy, along with being functional.


 Very neat! What do you make your bridles out of?

I have all kinds of fancy western headstalls (since it seems I've been collecting them for years) but I have just learned to braid paracord nosebands (from You-tube) so the first noseband I've made is nylon strap covered in paracord. The noseband turned out pretty nice, it's the shanks on the hackamore I think are ugly. Maybe I can get a picture of it today. 

When the new hackamores come (yeah, I gave in and bought two different ones!) I will have to decide if I want leather or paracord covered nosebands. I like the soft flexibility of the paracord, but it looks less "western" than leather.

I actually found a seller on eBay that makes super nice leather nosebands, tooled and everything for like $24, which is a bargain for how nice they are. I am just still decided if I want to go that direction or make my own out of paracord. :blueunicorn:


----------



## SwissMiss (Aug 1, 2014)

@trailhorserider, I can't wait to see how the new hack looks on your mare!

I have been looking at those shanks for quite a while... But then decided to go with a flower hackamore, as my pony has never experienced a curb, and the flower hack gives me a little more options... But it is pretty big on her dainty muzzle :wink:


----------



## whisperbaby22 (Jan 25, 2013)

I use biothane. Yea, it has it's drawbacks, but I spent a good deal of my youth cleaning and conditioning leather. I love being able to hose it off, and bridles I made years ago look new. 

I made a thread years ago asking others to show what they made, and got a fantastic response. Hopefully I will be able to make this new bridle of mine this summer and I plan to do another thread so we can all show off our creativity.


----------



## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

SwissMiss said:


> @*trailhorserider* , I can't wait to see how the new hack looks on your mare!
> 
> I have been looking at those shanks for quite a while... But then decided to go with a flower hackamore, as my pony has never experienced a curb, and the flower hack gives me a little more options... But it is pretty big on her dainty muzzle :wink:


I was looking at the flower hackamores too! The different rein connecting options are nice on those. :blueunicorn:



whisperbaby22 said:


> I use biothane. Yea, it has it's drawbacks, but I spent a good deal of my youth cleaning and conditioning leather. I love being able to hose it off, and bridles I made years ago look new.
> 
> I made a thread years ago asking others to show what they made, and got a fantastic response. Hopefully I will be able to make this new bridle of mine this summer and I plan to do another thread so we can all show off our creativity.


That would be great! I've never used biothane, just because I've never seen any in person except for a piece or two. I think I would like it. It's softer than I was expecting it to be, which is nice. 

So this is my make-shift hackamore. It's perfectly functional......I've ridden in it three times now. But the shanks just look so ugly to me. This thing came with a rope noseband. But I go it second hand with some other tack so I promptly cut the stiff rope off. And for a while, with a different horse, I rode it with a leather breast collar tug as a noseband. And that worked fine but it was still an ugly hackamore. But I learned how to do a simple paracord braid and thought a hackamore noseband would be the perfect project. And the halter, lol! But I think that's too much "stuff" on her face, so I don't plan to ride her in both. I think I will just tuck the halter in my cantle bag for emergencies.

Anyway, this is what did for a noseband. The "core" just soft flat nylon like a dog collar:


----------



## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

*Confession time.........*

This is the other set of shanks I bought:












Hope they aren't too long. But we'll see. I can always use a leather curb strap and set it little looser. :smile:


----------



## whisperbaby22 (Jan 25, 2013)

Well I kind of like the double noseband look! But yes, there is kind of a mishmash here, your new hackamore should bring it more together.


----------



## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

I made nose-bands for both of my new hackamores and rode in the spiral-looking one today. She did awesome in it! I don't have quite the "neck rein" I do with longer shanks, but that's to be expected. But absolutely no problems slowing her down or steering or what-not. I like that she can eat her treats easier this way too. 

I also rode in the dragon-hackamore a few days ago but didn't get photos. Power steering in that one. So I am actually totally happy with both! What are odds? I actually had my doubts about the dragon hack when I got it because it was a tad heavy and the shanks are fairly long, but it fits on her face well and she seems to ride great in it. As a matter of fact, for an exciting or group ride, I would probably pick that one because it has a little more "whoa." (Normally whoa isn't a problem, but with other horses sometimes she wants to be right on the other horse's tails).

So without further ado, here is the first ride in the spiral hackamore. :smile:


----------



## whisperbaby22 (Jan 25, 2013)

Yea, that looks very put together and cool.


----------



## Kaifyre (Jun 16, 2016)

Ooooh I like. Now we need pictures of the dragon hack! Pictures pictures pictures!

-- Kai


----------



## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

Dragon hackamore picture! I didn't take the camera with me, but I grabbed a shot before we rode. :Angel: 

I tried a chain on the upper curb chain hole, but I think it has a little more "sway" that way. It seems more stable to use a regular curb strap on the lower ring. But it's nice that you could use it either way. This hackamore has a lot more neck-rein (and probably "whoa") than the first hackamore. But I think they both work really well. I'm not sure which I like better yet. I will ride in both a lot and see.

I like the gentleness of the first one.........but this one has power steering. My mare seems happy in both and I think she likes both better than riding in a bit. :blueunicorn:


----------



## whisperbaby22 (Jan 25, 2013)

It looks to me that the first one is more wobbelty because the distance between the noseband and the curb chain is wider. The dragon is really close together to make it more stable. 

That being said, I always use at least two mech hacks when I use them. Because we are putting pressure on that sensitive nose it's a good idea to switch them around. 

And yea! the dragon really looks cool with that bridle.


----------

