# Hackamores?



## katieandduke (Apr 13, 2008)

I have gotten opinions from some of my horse friends around me, but I wanted to see what people on here used for their horses.

my horse is a 20 yr old quarter horse. at the moment im riding him in just a halter, but I want to try out a hackamore on him.. He has been in a hackamore like this one... Jeffers Hackamore

but I didn't like that one as much. A friend told me to get a mechanical hackamore. 

What are your opinions on different types of hackamores? What is the best and the worst? 

thanks for the help!


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## bubba13 (Jan 6, 2007)

The one you posted is sort of an English type, but no reason you couldn't use it. Much milder than most mechanical-type hackamores. I would avoid, by the way, a true mechanical hackamore. They're harsh, dangerous, and have no finesse. Little S hackamores are great, too, but the rope noseband can be abrasive and should thus be wrapped or replaced with flat leather.

You can see some more hack info in the link in my sig...


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## horsecrazy84 (Mar 20, 2011)

I use a sidepull most of the time. It has a rope noseband but I've only ever had a problem with it rubbing the nose once. I found vetwrap works really good for wrapping the rope noseband. It isn't severe at all, doesn't have any shanks and should work really well if the horse is responsive to pressure on his nose. I prefer sidepulls over hackamores.


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## katieandduke (Apr 13, 2008)

well the picture I post was what he used to be ridden in from time to time.

this is what i was told to buy.. Rubber Nose Hackamore


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## bubba13 (Jan 6, 2007)

...and don't buy it. It's a piece of crap, and very few horses work well in them.


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## katieandduke (Apr 13, 2008)

well duke works pretty good in anything i put on him.. but i want something that i know will work and that's what everybody is telling me to get


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## bubba13 (Jan 6, 2007)

Why attempt to fix (and risk breaking) what ain't broke???


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## CJ82Sky (Dec 19, 2008)

why get something that's harsh? "because my friends told me so" is something i tell my students is NEVER an acceptable reason. i'll hear them out for almost anything BUT they need to say WHY THEY SPECIFICALLY want to use that tack and they need to understand how it works on their horse. period!


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## katieandduke (Apr 13, 2008)

Because I don't want to use a bridle with a bit on him at the moment, because he performs better in a hackamore or just a simple halter. I can't ride in shows with just a halter. otherwise i'd just stick with that. 

Well I understand how a hackamore works just not sure on the specific type I should be putting on my horse. thank you. Everybody is different. Any bit and hackamore can be "harsh" when put in the hands of an inexperienced rider. I ride loose reined and just need a hackamore that will get the job done.

Instead of telling me "don't buy this one it's crap" how about suggesting a different type.. that would be beneficial.


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## wyominggrandma (Nov 4, 2009)

Most mechanical hackamores are very very harsh and can actually break a jaw.
My granddaughter rode her barrel horse with a "beetle hackamore" and its a nice one, has the nose band for pressure but small curved shanks that make it great for lift and control but not so much pressure as the mechanical hack since they have 7 or 8 inch shanks. The longer the shank, the more severe a bit or hackamore is.
What are you going to show him in? No classes that I know of allow hackamores to be used except bosals and they are for 4 or under or 5 and under age. If you are talking reining, pleasure, or I am sure english classes, I don't think you can use them. If you are talking barrels, poles then you can use anytype, but the shorter shanks the better for your horse.


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## katieandduke (Apr 13, 2008)

barrels for sure. And i spoke with the show director from one show I am interested (trail competition- not man-made.. as in ACTHA.but not that asso.) anyways.. I will use it for practice more than anything, along with trail riding, and barrels. If I have to switch to a bit for my other shows then I will use my regular bit.

This is the first time hearing of a beetle hackamore. I have only read and heard about the mechnical, little s, bosals, and the english type on. 

I know every horse is different, and I will probably have to try out many different hackamores before I find one Duke feels comfortable in. Just like I had to do with bits, but I like to give Duke his mouth every now and then and not have some piece of metal stuck in his mouth.


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## RodeoLoco (Mar 11, 2011)

katieandduke said:


> barrels for sure. And i spoke with the show director from one show I am interested (trail competition- not man-made.. as in ACTHA.but not that asso.) anyways.. I will use it for practice more than anything, along with trail riding, and barrels. If I have to switch to a bit for my other shows then I will use my regular bit.
> 
> This is the first time hearing of a beetle hackamore. I have only read and heard about the mechnical, little s, bosals, and the english type on.
> 
> I know every horse is different, and I will probably have to try out many different hackamores before I find one Duke feels comfortable in. Just like I had to do with bits, but I like to give Duke his mouth every now and then and not have some piece of metal stuck in his mouth.


I would go with a bit less bridle. They are allowed in shows, and , if he is good in just a halter, he should listen in a bitless.


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## katieandduke (Apr 13, 2008)

RodeoLoco said:


> I would go with a bit less bridle. They are allowed in shows, and , if he is good in just a halter, he should listen in a bitless.


 
ok, thank you for your input!


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## Fifty (Jul 1, 2010)

I don't know If I'm too late, but I'm pretty involved in the barrel racing world, and most barrel racers I know that use hacks, they either use a Little S hackamore, or a Jim Warner.


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

I like a flat noseband Sliester hackamore. I usually replace the curb chain with a regular flat curb chain or strap (I think the single chain it comes with is rather severe). The "shorty" model is what I would get if I had the money to buy another one. :mrgreen: It has less leverage than their standard ones. 

Sliester Bits & Spurs

What's really nice about the Sliesters is that they are very nice quality. Most of the hackamores that imitate Sliesters are junk. And the flat leather noseband is just leather with no metal or chain inside. I consider it to be milder than most mechanical hackamores, especially if you get the shorter shanked version and replace the curb chain with a milder one.


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## SorrelHorse (Apr 9, 2009)

Oh goodness, I kinda suck at remembering the differant types of hacks....So bear with me.

I have a friend who rides her arab colt in a hackamore. It's an s hackamore, I think(?) it has the bit shanks (yet obvously no bit) and a soft rope noseband and browband. It's very gentle on him and he responds well, and it's nice and flashy on him for the show.

Now the only time I've ever ridden without a bit is on my little Peruvian Rico and I used a sidepull. I absolutely LOVED it. I also used to ride our stud Jester in a bosal for the "wow" factor at shows. 

I've heard some pretty good things about the bitless bridles as well. There is a girl here at the barn who i see ride in one, and the hrose seems very responsive.

I'm afraid this isn't my area of expertise, so I apologize if I typed out a mistake in here. Just figured I'd get my two-cents in


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## touchofsleep (Mar 9, 2011)

I used to use this kind of hackamore for my horse because he hated bits, but I don't really like them so I switched him to a wonder bit


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## touchofsleep (Mar 9, 2011)

actually not quite like that....
this is more accurate


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