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hackamore??

5K views 22 replies 8 participants last post by  BarrelracingArabian 
#1 ·
Alright so I have quickly found out my mare will ride in a bit but she responds better without one and i was wondering if i should just permanently switch he to a hackamore. Would it work fine for gymkhana? I usually dont like to rely on my bit alot but when i ride her in one i have to becuase she likes to fight it so lately i have just been riding bareback with a rope over her nose and reins she works really well just like that. I was looking at some different hackamores and came across a few would you recomend any of them??

LITTLE S ARABIAN - Horse.com

Fleece Leather Noseband Hackamore - Horse.com

on this one go down to # 952 the mechanical hackamore arabian size
Reinsman Hackamore Bits @ Kyhorse.com
 
#2 ·
I'm under the impression that some people use the "little s" to get some more reaction out of a bit--i.e. more stopping power. Not sure how it works alone however, but I think the "s" provides a significant amount of leverage. I don't know for certain though.

I use the fleece hackamore, its really only made for horses with broad faces. On my TB its VERY hard to adjust the two straps, it doesn't even close all of the way. If I ever had to jerk very hard it would probably come apart.

I have not used the #952 but I have used the #953 and I have to say I like it. It formed very well to my TB's face and required minimal rein action on my part to get him to stop. Since we don't do direct reining there was no problem.
 
#3 ·
What would yu recommend for an arabian thats going to be doing trail/gymkhana i would rather use a hackamore then a bit any day which is why i'm really trying to find one that would work.
My friend had the fleece hackamore on her paint/thorough gelding but she gave it away cause she didnt like it
 
#8 ·
grayshell38-she has a pretty good stop she just doesn't like to with the bit she likes to pull against the bit but the second i just throw a rope over her nose she will stop,back,turn on her haunches and everything she just fights me with the bit. I originally tried her in ahackamore but she didn't have a great reaction to it and i thought well maybe she would ride better with a bit but shes worse so imma take her back to a hack
 
#9 ·
I always reccomend the Jim Warner hackamores. His was listed on the link you posted with the list of them. If she doesnt need a lot of woah, simply loosen the chain under the chin, the tighter it is, the easier it is to stop her. I use it on my OTTB and I love it, he's like your mare and responds to hacks so much better than a bit.
 
#10 ·
Do what I do and train her to ride bridleless and bareback like my girl Stacy Westfall lol. When I go out to ride in our arena, I have nothing on her, not even so much as a rope around her neck and I can ride like that. Seeing as how your horse doesn't like the bit, nor the hackamore, I would seriously give it some though to ride/train with nothing on her. Of course you want to still use the rope around her nose while you're still teaching her this incase she doesn't get the hang of your leg aids just yet.
 
#11 ·
kelsyann-i will look into that
PGC-She doesn't like bits shes good with hackamores she just didn't have awhole lot of response with the one they were using. I'm pretty sure it had to do with her not being used to being ridden but there wasn't any head tossing or bracing just not a lot of reaction. She already rides with nothing but i always have atleast a rope around her neck incase she desides to not want to stop haha. bratty mare days.
 
#12 ·
I've used a Weaver Braided Leather Nose with Hoover, and he adored it.
 
#14 ·
I'm not sure about gymkhana, but Hoover did lessons and trails with it. The only thing with a mechanical hackamore like that is you have pull more out when plow reining instead of straight back like you would with a bit.
 
#16 ·
Oooh. -I- may look into one of those for Gun. They look nice.
 
#18 ·
Question: Does she neck rein really well already? I seem to be under the impression that you should not direct rein basically at all in a mechanical hackamore, so if she needs to be direct reined, I'd look for something else.

Have you consider an "indian hackamore?"
Pony/Cobb Bitless Bridle Indian Hackamore Color Noseban - eBay (item 260601645229 end time Jun-10-10 13:26:15 PDT)
I have one and it has the possibility of quite a bit of power, while still being direct rein-able and neck rein-able. And you don't have to buy an entire bridle, it just attaches to your normal bridle. :)
 
#19 ·
wallaby-she is getting there she isn't a pro at it but shes getting back into the swing of it. I have seen those before but didn't know if they were good or not but if you could tell me more about them i would deffinately look into possibly getting one.
 
#20 ·
I really like mine. There are somethings I don't like about it, like I feel like it should release more, but Lacey doesn't mind it and she's one of those horses that WILL let you know if she doesn't like something, and since she hasn't started resisting it or anything, I have to assume that she thinks it releases enough. On the whole, I really like it. I've never had any issues with control while she was wearing it and I've even galloped in it (and she LOVES to gallop) without any issues. It's great for neck reining and it's also just fine for direct reining.

Is there anything else you want to know? :)
 
#22 ·
I would definitely say so. I have had no issue guiding my girl at a gallop through some pretty tight spots in between ditches. I think it would definitely be better for them than a mechanical hack, in any case. :)
 
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