Buckaroo John's Blog

What is a mecate? The mecate is the rein portion of a hackamore, which is a type of headgear for the horse.  The unique part of the hackamore is that it does not have a bit, but uses a braided rawhide noseband called a bosal.  The bosal works on pressure points on the horse's face, nose, and chin. The mecate is a rope made from horse hair or soft feeling rope that serves as reins and lead rope, should one need. The Persians in 500 BC were one of the first to use a thick plaited noseband which was called...

Evidence exists that the predecessor to the modern saddle was in use by the Assyrians in 700-800 BCE. It consisted of a simple cloth fastened onto the horse with a surcingle. These early saddles had neither a solid tree nor stirrups. By 300 BC, the Samaritans added a breastplate and girth to keep the saddle on. The development of the solid saddle tree was significant; it raised the rider above the horse's back, and distributed the rider's weight on the animal's spine. This change greatly increased the comfort of the horse and prolonged its useful life. The invention of the...

The Problem Winter weather is no friend to leather, especially polluted rainwater. Microscopically, leather is made up of collagen fibers. During tanning, hides are soaked in chemicals to prevent its fibers and their bonds from decomposing. Natural fats and oils are tumbled with the hides to keep the protein bonds from drying out and to make the leather supple.Protein bonds must be lubricated and kept supple, this is the key to long lasting leather. If the bonds dry out completely, they shrink, become brittle and break. Once broken, they are permanently weakened. Soaking leather in oil may make it supple...

The Indian Hackamore is a unique piece of equipment, and it's popularity is growing in the bitless riding world and with natural horsemanship. This very unique and gentle bosal is called an “Indian Hackamore”. The nose is flat instead of round. The chin portion widens and narrows to fit most any size head. The action is most like riding with a halter, but with more communication and control. The ends that connect to the reins are crossed so when you pull on the right rein the pressure goes under the jaw and around to the opposite side, to bring the...

While this winter is much more gentle than last year, it's still winter! Rain, snow, ice and all things cold. While the weather has been quite lovely and you'd rather be out riding, it is important to prep those trailers before winter REALLY hits.  All types of horse trailers will benefit from a good scrubbing, inside and out.  If you make sure that all waste and dirt are removed, it will help keep your trailer looking good for longer. Here are a few things you’ll want to do: Remove your floor mats, scrub them thoroughly.  Clean away all hay and...