Hackamore fitting

[Caol Ila]

I thought a hackamore might suit Fin, so I bought him one. He is the world's most frustrating horse for bridle fitting -- nothing out of the box fits. He's not quite cob, but not quite full. This one has a full headpiece and a cob noseband. It felt like it was sitting too low, but according to the pictures on the web, it looks okay. I thought I would ask the HHO hivemind.

I didn't feel it had the precision of a bit in the school, but he had good enough brakes and steering for government work. He felt very happy and relaxed on the hack, and he took corrections for diving at grass with a lot more grace.

Is this right? I can take it up another two centimeters, but then run out of room for more holes.

 

[Fieldlife]

I’d put it higher. The lower nose cartilage is more fragile. Is the cheekpiece inside out? Or does it have to face that way?

 

[SEL]

Can I ask which bridle that is? I need a hackamore one for my little native whose current bridle is made up from 3 with a mix of black and brown.

I'd also take it up a little higher looking at your side views

 

[Caol Ila]

This is a high as I can get it. Picture is pants, I know! There’s no room for any more holes.

The cheek pieces are longer than would be ideal but cob sized head pieces pinch him around the ears.

It’s called an FRA Calli. I bought it from Urban Horse.

 

[soloequestrian]

I've had to buy the smallest pony cheeks I could find to fit a hackamore to my big warmblood mare! The rest of the bridle is full but the cheeks are always too long, it's very frustrating. I'd also have it up maybe one more hole.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

I would have thought that was ok at that height, no expert though.

 

[SEL]

This is a high as I can get it. Picture is pants, I know! There’s no room for any more holes.

The cheek pieces are longer than would be ideal but cob sized head pieces pinch him around the ears.

It’s called an FRA Calli. I bought it from Urban Horse. View attachment 94483

Thanks. I'll ring them on Monday to see if their pony sized headpiece will work for mine. I never find there's enough holes to get the hackamore high enough up on her. I tend to need a cob browband though.

Mine probably sits a bit lower than ideal (also no more holes) but it's not in use much because she's ok with very light touch on it.

I don't have the finesse that I had with a bit but I had to change due to mouth issues so getting her comfy is the main priority. I tend to forget we're bitless most of the time now

 

[Caol Ila]

I think the noseband will fit on his normal bridle, since it doesn’t have a noseband. That’s not ideal since I want to be able to swap between bitted and bitless without mega faff but it might work as a stop gap until I make something work.

 

[AntiPuck]

I've also had to use pony-sized cheek pieces to fit a hackamore to my ID's existing extra full bridle - XF, full, and cob sized cheek pieces were far too long

 

[Caol Ila]

The cheek pieces are sewn into the metal ring. Who does that? Makes swapping them for shorter ones challenging. Argh.

 

[Fieldlife]

The cheek pieces are sewn into the metal ring. Who does that? Makes swapping them for shorter ones challenging. Argh.

Maybe a headpiece pad would work?

https://www.elandlodge.com/4438-prolite-headpiece-cushion

 

[Kaylum]

The cheek pieces are too big so would be uncomfortable around the browband area. If you look at how to fit a bridle the same principle applies to bitless. There should be very little pressure at the top.

 

[Glitterandrainbows]

Leather puncher and add your own holes ? X

 

[Merlod]

It would be fairly straightforward for a saddler to take the part of the cheek (above the ring) back a turn to shorten it.

 

[Caol Ila]

Attached the noseband to his normal bridle today. It can go up or down from here.

 

[Fieldlife]

Attached the noseband to his normal bridle today. It can go up or down from here.

View attachment 94525

I think that looks okay. What does he think?

 

[Caol Ila]

He thinks it doesn’t match the bridle at all.

Actually, he was fine. We did a four hour hack today with no issues.

 

[Trouper]

Think I would still want it up a smidgeon if you have the space now.

 

[Caol Ila]

Something is NQR. Both yesterday and the day before, when I rode him with the hack noseband and the red bridle, my left rein was sticky. He was very reluctant to give to it. But he would bend his head to the right at the lightest wiggle of the right rein. These days, he usually flexes easily in both directions, with a rope halter and with a bit, so I was a bit baffled.

After my ride yesterday, I was playing about with flexions, both on and off the horse. Right, fine. Left, not great. I had to use a carrot. When I got off and was looking carefully at the bridle, I noticed that the shank on the right side scisssored back smoothly when you moved the rein. But the shank on the left side kind of twisted outwards, away from the horse's face. Probably not ideal and might explain why he was reluctant to follow the feel to the left. I poked and prodded at the bridle, but could not figure out why it was doing that. It appeared straight when you looked at it. Could the noseband be the wrong size, shape? Does it not work with that bridle? Is the cross browband interfering? Argh.

When I rode him in the headstall that came with the bridle - the one that's too big -- I don't think I had an issue with the left rein.

He's relaxed and happy when out bitless (so long as you don't need to turn left) and easier to settle if he gets worried. It's just a massive headache to find the right thing buying blind on the internet.

 

[PurBee]

Im no expert, but the difference i can see between the 2 bridles is the cheek leather doesnt sit square in the top shank gap, its resting at the back of the gap - whereas the original bridle pics its rests square. Pic from post 4 shows it sitting square.
Leverage from that point in the red cheek could cause an outward twist. To correct that so the cheek sits square in the shank gap, it requires the shank angle to be changed, via the noseband to be tightened, which you probably dont want to do.

Id stick with the original bridle if he goes better in that.

 

[Caol Ila]

Yes, that seems obvious on the photos now that you've pointed it out.

I really want to try him in a bosal, but they are not cheap. I wish I hadn't sold the one I used to own.

 

[PurBee]

Is there any ‘hire to try’ options with uk bosal makers? Maybe they have b stock laying around they’d be willing to hire out?

 

[Caol Ila]

Are there any UK bosal makers? All the ones I can find stocked here were imported from the US.

 

[PurBee]

https://western-saddler.co.uk/collections/sidepulls-bosals

These sell them but unsure if they make them. Might have to look europe-wide for actual makers?

 

[Caol Ila]

Aye, I've come across those guys. They definitely import them. Google is not enlightening.

 

[SEL]

Are there any UK bosal makers? All the ones I can find stocked here were imported from the US.

I got one from Etsy - not sure I could remember who did it though!

 

[soloequestrian]

Have you looked at the Transcend bridles? Both of mine school in them. I've not been brave enough to hack out yet - prefer to have the hackamore for that - but if you are thinking bosal anyway they're worth a look.

 

[AntiPuck]

I don't know if she has bosals specifically, but this lady does virtual 'bitless fitting consultations' and that includes trials of a few different types of bridle, based on what you think your horse would like, looks to have a good range in https://equinepartnership.ie/services/bitlessboutique/

 

[Caol Ila]

She's in Ireland. I wonder if she does stuff for people in the UK.

 

[AntiPuck]

She's in Ireland. I wonder if she does stuff for people in the UK.

She does virtual appointments