Hackamore strength explained

Hackamores often have a bad reputation as harsh or very strong equipment. But that's not always true. Let's look at this hugely varied family of bitless bridles, and how to tell a harsh one from a mild one.

 

What is a hackamore?

Hackamores are a type of bitless bridle. They are defined by the presence of shanks: cheekpieces that sit either side of the noseband.

To a greater or lesser degree – depending on the size, style and form of the shanks – hackamores all use some amount of rein pressure running through the poll as well as through both the upper and lower straps of the noseband. This is because the turning motion of the hackamore shank as the rein is pulled causes all the connected bridle straps to move at once, dispersing that pressure throughout the bridle. You can learn how this differs from a sidepull bridle here.

At Inca Equestrian, we have developed a system that puts all hackamores into one of four 'family' groups. For more detail on that, check out this post. In all but the zero-shanked group, the hackamore also generates rein pressure amplification, meaning that the horse feels comparatively greater pressure through the bridle than the rider is applying directly with their hand on the reins. The amount of pressure generated in this way varies depending on the size and style of the hackamore.

Some people (mainly Americans) refer to a complete Bosal bridle as a hackamore. This is where the name originally comes from, though in the rest of the world we do not use that terminology any more. You may also hear any bitless bridle being called a hackamore. That is inaccurate.

 

What affects hackamore strength?

Bridle 'strength' is a much more nuanced thing than many people assume. A whole range of factors can affect the horse's perception of a bridle, which we can also consider as how your horse interprets the feel of it. This includes obvious factors such as the type of bridle, but it also includes bridle fit, shape, material and padding, as well as your riding style, the horse's training, previous injuries/sensitivities and their personal preference.

That sounds complicated and truthfully it is. One horse's mild bridle can be uncomfortable for another, and that's why it's hugely important to really listen to your horse when trying out new tack.

 

The hackamore shanks

That said, there is a simple way of telling an inherently stronger hackamore (one with greater rein pressure amplification) from a milder one: shank length.

Generally, the longer a hackamore shank is, the stronger it will be.

Hackamore shanks come in a huge range of types, styles and sizes but, generally, the longer a shank is, the stronger its action will be. Increasing length of a hackamore shank increases rein pressure amplification as the further away from the centre of the shank the rein is placed, the less movement from the rein it takes to turn the central part of the hackamore (and the straps attached to it). The more turning happens, the greater the force on the horse's nose, poll and jaw.

This is also why a light hand in a short hackamore will always feel much softer to the horse than the equivalent force from the rider through a long hackamore. At the more extreme lengths, even the lightest touch translates to significant pressure through the bridle.

For the functional length of a hackamore, it is important to look at the distance between where the noseband connects and where the rein connects, rather than just visual size of the pieces. Some hackamores can appear to have a longer shank than they functionally do if they have a curved or looping design, as the curve reduces the distance between the rein and the noseband compared to if the same metalwork were completely straight. For example, the shorter style of Little-S that we stock at Inca Equestrian has the same distance between the points of noseband and rein connection as a Flower hackamore.

 

The noseband and headpiece

A bitless noseband is a critically important and often overlooked piece of tack that can have as much influence on a bridle's strength as the type of hackamore chosen. The materials used vary from the ethically cushioned and wide, pressure-dispersing design used here at Inca Equestrian, right through to horrible creations such as plastic-coated metal bicycle chains and thin, abrasive twisted rope.

Similarly, as a hackamore bridle directs some rein pressure through the horse's poll, the headpiece will also influence how this pressure is perceived.

Hackamore shank type and bridle design are two aspects that together form the inherent strength of a bridle.

While the hackamore shanks dictate where rein pressure is sent, the noseband and headpiece dictate how the pressure is felt by the horse. These two aspects work together to form the inherent strength of a bridle. A very mild hackamore may always feel harsh to the horse if it is paired with inappropriate bridle design.

 

The horse

Finally, but most importantly, the horse as an individual plays a huge role in how they perceive and interpret a bridle. This can include factors direct as history of bridle trauma, right through to wider factors such as the horse's fulfilment of physical, mental and social needs.

For example, a zero-shanked hackamore is one of the mildest types of bitless bridle, but this still may be very uncomfortable for horses with a history of poll trauma, such as those who have been ridden in gag bits or have sustained a head injury in the past. On the other hand, this type of bridle may be more comfortable for a horse with a history of injury to their nose, who finds the upper-nose-only pressure of a sidepull to be too much.

 

Inca Equestrian hackamores

All the hackamores stocked here at Inca Equestrian are at the lower end of the strength spectrum. Many are the mildest options possible for this bridle type, and particularly with the recommended pairing of our noseband and a GEL-Lite pad.

As previously mentioned, this does not mean that all of them will be comfortable for every horse, for no single type of bridle can be. Even inherently mild tack can be uncomfortable for some individuals, depending on a range of factors.

If you're unsure what is right for you and your horse, please get in touch for assistance.