For those of you who ride with a hackamore.

[good booie]

What type do you use?

[kellidahorsegirl]

I ride my jumper mare in one from Beval...fairly long shanks and a fleece nose.

I also tried her in that $20 hack with shorter shanks and soft nose and she liked that a little better.

[good booie]

I currently ride mine in the $20 shorter shank one. My horse LOVES it! Why would you say your mare liked it better?

[kellidahorsegirl]

simply because the longer shanked one was too much for her. she's not a strong horse by any means but hated bits, so I tried an old western hack I had and she loved it. I got a good deal on the beval and she went AWESOME for the first time ever....but over 3'6 courses it was backing her off too much (even on a loose rein). So I tried the softer/shorter shanked one and she was much happier :)

[Donkaloosa]

I used to use a "jumping hackamore" --- it was really nothing more than a halter with a heavier nose band. On my last mare, I used a C-shank hackamore --- it had a rope nose band that I covered with vet wrap. Worked super.

Donk

[roki143]

I too use the $20 one and my horse loves it - just enough to change his balance, not enough to back him off.

[good booie]

Is there anyway to darken the $20 hack? It just looks.....so ugly.....

[FrittSkritt]

Neatsfoot oil. :yes: :)

[quietann]

My mare isn't jumping currently, but when she is, we use one of the short-shanked hackamores with sheepskin on the top of the noseband. She's a speed demon and really needs something to back her off, and I want to save her very soft mouth for dressage, especially since we may head in a dressage-only direction if I can't manage to slow her down while jumping.

[good booie]

That is strange to me. I find my short shanked hack has minimal force on slowing my horse down. I would have to totally pull it back hard for the little chain to even make an impact. I do however keep the chain very loose. I guess, for us, it is the fact he really dislikes a bit in his mouth.

[NRB]

I also use the 20 dollar version for jumping. It comes with a chain but from time to time I will swap that out for a leather strap when it feels like the hackamore is too much "bit" for my guy.

For the person who said they have the chain very loose, do you also have it very low? I often see this hackamore adjusted too low. Sometimes you gotta play with the placement, raise it up a bit and see how that goes.

As for stop it has one hell of a "Whoa Dammit" stop in it. I mean the kind of stop you need when say you've done something stupid like you've jumped ahead of your horse, landed on his neck just behind his ears, and he's refused the fence and bolted off to the side (for good reason who can blame him). Stopped him in his tracks.

To darken use HOT neatsfoot oil. Put oil in dish for microwave, heat it up and use a brush to apply. Usually only darkens to a dark red chestnut color, so still doesn't match my dark havana bridle, but eh who cares. Its better than the pale pink color it comes from the store in.

[good booie]

Just re-read my post. Yes, the chain hangs low but what I meant was I do not need anymore "whoa", he likes it the way it is which by all accounts to me is practically useless. I love the fact I have a lot more play with the chain if I need it by tightening it. I do however probably need a cobb size headstall for this bit. I have it all the way up on his horse size bridle and I think it is still a tad low. I really need to post a pic to get more opinions.

[faluut42]

Is there anyway to darken the $20 hack? It just looks.....so ugly.....

Herm Sprenger makes a black one (one I use). It does not have fleeece padding, instead it is leather padding. And there is not a chain, just a leather curb strap, but I am sure you can find a chain for it. It was about $60 when I bought it.

[TyB]

Try Hydrophane Leather Darkening Oil, they carry it at VTO Saddlery.

[FrittSkritt]

I do however probably need a cobb size headstall for this bit. I have it all the way up on his horse size bridle and I think it is still a tad low. I really need to post a pic to get more opinions.

You might just need to change the cheekpieces to cob sized, I've found the ones on my horse sized bridle push up into their eyes when you pull on the brakes. ;)

[NRB]

You might just need to change the cheekpieces to cob sized, I've found the ones on my horse sized bridle push up into their eyes when you pull on the brakes. ;)

Gotta Second that idea. I have horse sized headstalls and cob sized cheekpieces for my guys bridle. Actually I have several pairs of cob cheekpeices so I can set up the bit in one pair, and the Hackamore in the other and make it faster to switch them around (eventing: 3 phases and tons of tack!!) .