Art of Hackamore Training

Chapter 1: History of the Hackamore

[braiding origins, early Californios and dons, preparing hides, cutting and beveling strands, braiding considerations]

Chapter 2: Hackamores and Mecates

[hackamore construction, hackamore artistry, the hackamore blueprint, training considerations, the mecate]

Chapter 3: Tying the Mecate

[tying method one, Benny's tying method, Al's tying method, considering the horse when tying mecate]

Chapter 4: Training in the Hackamore

[practical application, training psychology, why use the hackamore, fitting the hackamore, understanding the fiador, grasping the mecate]

Chapter 5: Introducing Your Horse to the Hackamore

[checking-up laterally, longeing and giving, vertical flexion on the line, the hard-set, ground-driving]

Chapter 6: Key Points Under Saddle

[prepare to ride, hitch mecate to horn or tie coils to saddle, lateral flexion and ?slow-riding,? vertical flexion, the headset, connecting the horse's feet to his face, elevating the heav Key Points Under Saddle

[prepare to ride, hitch mecate to horn or tie coils to saddle, lateral flexion and ?slow-riding,? vertical flexion, the headset, connecting the horse's feet to his face, elevating the heavy horse, the big release, introduce neck-reining]

Chapter 7: Build Your Horse's Hackamore Skills

[athletic circles, in-and-out circle exercise, teach the turnaround, sliding stops, the one-rein stop, fencing your horse, developing the slide, stopping in the open]

Chapter 8: Overcoming Challenges

[the lead rope as a training aid, give your horse purpose, horseback longeing]

Chapter 9: Working Cattle

[Introducing horse to cattle, pushing and rating cattle, turning cattle on fence, common problems, focus on goals]

Chapter 10: Vaquero Methods: Snaffle, Hackamore, Bridle and Variations

[quatro riendas or four-rein riding, los dos riendas or riding with the two-rein, spins.