# 'S' Hackamore...Opinions & Suggestions needed



## QHa (Apr 8, 2011)

My friend let me borrow her 'S' hackamore the other day and it made a difference in how my horse was responding. I had a regular O-Ring bit and she tends to fight it. I have also used a shanked bit with a roller in the center and independent sides, but not broken. The horse has responded semi well with this bit as compared to the O-Ring or the Tom Thumb bit. 

I have had the horses's teeth cheecked and had the wolf teeth removed. So the problem does not lay in that area. Sometimes the horse will play with the bit or try to pull the reins out further to release pressure of the bit. 

When I used the 'S' hackamore the horse seemed more responsive to the light cues as compared to the bit. Actually the whole ride that day was good with the hackamore. 

What can a person expect from this type of hackamore? My nose band is vet wrapped for cushion, but is it too severe or is it one of the lesser types? Suggestions and Opinions are highly needed.


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## MacabreMikolaj (May 9, 2009)

It's definitely a more severe hackamore, I would be careful using it. Vet wrap is not going to do a whole lot to make that thin nose band any less painful. I would ONLY use this sort of hackamore on a horse that was extremely well trained in terms of neck reining and ability to travel on a loose rein. You're going to see an immediate improved response in almost any horse fighting a bit, just due to the thinness of the noseband combined with the chain under the jaw and that S shank piece giving you the ability to REALLY "crank" the entire device around the nose.

ETA - my horse is the exact same way, an Arab, and she'll fight any bit. She chomps, chews, and will YANK her nose to her knees to haul the reins out of your hands. She's been thoroughly checked and simple hates bits. However, I can control her with ease in a flat fleece noseband hackamore, a rope halter or the new bitless bridle I got her. I've never had any need to go to something more severe, although she seems out of control and "hard" with a bit, you can control her with just a halter with ease.


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## Painted Horse (Dec 29, 2006)

I've used the Little S for 12 years on a Arab/Saddlebred gelding that I own. He hats anything in his mouth, so I switched him over and he has done very well with that bit. 

The little s doesn't have a lot of Whoa. so you need to be comfortable that your horse will stop if you use this bit. See Sawing on the reins will help if you get a horse that really wants to run thru the bit.

If you are worried about the rope over the nose. Put a sheep skin wool cover on it to pad it.

My daughter sharing a piece of licorce with my gelding wearing his Little S


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## christopher (Feb 11, 2011)

you mean the horse wearing the little S doesn't have a lot of whoa, leading you to believe the little S itsself is what is causing the lack of whoa?


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## bubba13 (Jan 6, 2007)

Little "S" Hackamore










I love to use the Little S on greenies who hate bits, horses who need to lighten up in the mouth, those who need noseband action but not a full-fledged combination bit, horses who are learning to neck-rein but are confused by shanked bits, those who know the basics of lateral movement but still need some work on it; in the training pen, while trail riding, and on some barrel horses. Needless to say, it's extremely versatile.

Pulling on the reins rotates the "S" shank that gives the hackamore its name. This tightens the curb chain and brings the noseband down slightly. I consider this to be a rather mild hackamore with an almost bit-like action.

It's good for both direct reining and neck reining (I actually try to teach neck reining in a snaffle bit, but the bit's action makes this rather difficult. As you put your rein across a colt's neck, the bit pulls on their mouth slighlty, confusing them and giving them a conflicting signal. So I switch to a hackamore or halter to test how much they know, and suddenly they get a lot more comfortable neck reining because there aren't two commands going on at once). And, for a hackamore, it has a suprisingly good amound of lift, bend, and flex.

It's not the best for collection. I recommend teaching collection in another bit, then switching to the hack. The knowledge should transfer over.

The short, curvy shanks make this a very gentle hackamore when compared to several others. *You'll often see this hackamore sold with a leather noseband to replace the abrasive rope, and this increases its gentleness. *

Can be converted over, too, but it might be easier to just buy a leather noseband first.

Read more: http://www.horseforum.com/horse-tac...its-bitting-thread-80457/page2/#ixzz1LLxDPsQa


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## vikki92 (Dec 18, 2010)

I love hackamores. I use them on almost all of my horses. I dont like the thin ones that look like they hurt, The point of a hackamore is to get rid of the pain in the horses mouth (well I think thats the reason) some horses just work better with one. most of my horses stop (woah) better with a hackamore then they do a bit.


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## Gallop On (May 1, 2011)

My horse was the same way, he responds better with a Bit-less bridle than with a loose ring snafle. My bitless bridle doesnt at all look like a hackamore, its.... Flimsier, may I say but I love it! My horse was like the worst horse to stop and stand still, but when I ride him in bitless he stops on a dime! I totally love bitless bridles and highly reccomend them  It looks SORT OF like this. Google Images


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## christopher (Feb 11, 2011)

what's the point of leverage on a hackamore anyway?


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## Velvetgrace (Aug 17, 2008)

Painted Horse said:


> The little s doesn't have a lot of Whoa. so you need to be comfortable that your horse will stop if you use this bit.


when you say 'dosen't have a lot of Whoa', does that mean that the horse will not stop?


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## Painted Horse (Dec 29, 2006)

Exactly, If you have a horse that wants to push through and keep running. The Little S doesn't have a lot of stopping power. We all hope our horses will respond to the light tough possible. But if you have a horse than requires that occassional stronger hand to get his attention. This bit doesn't do it.


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## Gidget (Jan 19, 2010)

You need to be careful with mechanical hackamores which this is one. The thinner the nose band the more harsh it will be.If you don't place the hackmore properly on the nose you can break the cartilage. Hackmores can help horses though that are sensitive to the bit but some horses do not respond to pressure on the nose like my horse. Also if you are heavy on the reins I WOULD NOT get a mechanical hackamore due to the fact that you can fracture their nose.

Lets say you put 20 lbs of pressure on the reins..thats like 160 lbs of pressure applied to the noseband on a horses sensitive nose. I'm not against hackamores but they can cause harm. I understand some horses need hackmores due to mouth injuries or bit sensitivity.

this is a little article thing I found that is for bitless bridles.

　​*2. Mechanical Hackamore (also known as a German Hackamore):​*_As with the bosal, the mechanical hackamore acts like a curb bit. It uses leverage on the nose and, in addition, a curb chain presses behind the chin. Poll pressure is also added. The shorter the shanks the less severe is the pressure. Shanks that curve back are less severe than straight shanks. As with the bosal, the ‘wider/thicker’ nosepiece is less severe than the ‘narrower/thinner’ nosepiece. While the hackamore fails to provide a good lateral signal for steering, it does provide a vertical signal for slowing or stopping. It does this by encouraging the horse to lower his head and flex, the same as a curb. If used incorrectly, it is capable of choking a horse or even fracturing its nasal bone or jaw. Some authorities recommend, ill advisedly in my opinion, that it be fitted in such a way that the nosepiece, when under rein pressure, obstructs the nasal passages. _


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## Gidget (Jan 19, 2010)

this is where I got it from 

http://www.bitlessbridle.com/traditional_bitless_bridles.pdf


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## bubba13 (Jan 6, 2007)

This hackamore will not multiply pressure by a factor of 8 (20 to 160lbs). The shanks on an S are nowhere near long enough.


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## lacey m (Jan 24, 2010)

i use a the same hackamore on my arabian and it workd well for her i have no problem with it. i would rather use a hackamore then a bit. but thats just me.


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