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The hackamore is both loved and hated. It's appreciated for allowing riding without a bit in the horse's mouth, yet disliked because it's a potent alternative to bit riding and must not be underestimated. Whether the sayings "it can break the horse's nasal bone" and "it should only be used by professionals" are justified is left for you to decide.
We'll focus on when it's beneficial to use a hackamore and what to be mindful of before attempting it. In collaboration with showjumper Georgia Timmermann, who is accustomed to riding with a hackamore as well as various types of bits, we emphasize that a hackamore demands skilled riding and, so to speak, 'tattles' on whether one is riding correctly, particularly regarding seat and legs.
"The time it takes to halt your horse indicates if you're using your seat, weight, and legs correctly. In a sense, you could say that the hackamore 'tattles' about ones riding."
Quote from Georgia Timmermanns' Bit jungle
A survey of our readers revealed that 88% ride with a bit
- while 12% ride without.
A hackamore functions through the lever principle, also known as 'mechanical advantage'. This physical principle is based on the fact that a force (like pulling on a rein) is amplified through a long object (such as a hackamore shank or a bit's shank). The longer this object, the stronger the lever effect/mechanical advantage will be.
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This principle is applicable in many aspects of daily life. For instance, using a spade to lift a heavy stone from the ground or using a pitchfork to dig deep into the stable floor. The force applied at the end of the spade or fork, lifting the heavy stone or loosening the compact stable floor, is significantly greater than the force you exert. According to The Great Danish Encyclopedia, the lever principle should be understood as follows:
"Crowbars and lifting levers are examples of lever arms. By placing a heavy object over the short arm of the lever, it can be lifted or tipped with less force by pushing down on the long arm".
The same applies when you put a hackamore on your horse or place a curb bit in its mouth. The pressure the horse feels in its mouth or on its nasal bridge is much stronger than the pressure you feel when pulling on the rein, which is connected to the end of the lever arm. Therefore, it is so important to be sensitive when riding with a hackamore and always be conscious of how the tension in the rein feels to the horse.
To closely examine the potential advantages a hackamore offers the rider and the horse, we highlight three aspects: 1) The horse can be ridden bit-free. 2) It compels you to ride more with seat and legs. 3) It can potentially make your horse more relaxed.
The main advantage of the hackamore is that it allows the horse to be ridden without a bit in its mouth. This is beneficial during periods when the horse has dental issues or if a suitable bit has not yet been found. You can also opt for other bit-free alternatives like a sidepull or a cordeo, but they do not work exactly like a hackamore as they don't involve a lever.
SIDE PULL: Like the hackamore, it applies pressure on the horse's nasal bridge, but without the use of leverage. Some side pulls come with crossed cords under the horse's jaw or chin, increasing the side pull's impact.
CORDEO: A circular rope (often stiff) that is placed around the horse's neck, working by applying pressure on the horse's lower neck. This form of bitless control of the horse requires even more from the rider and should ideally only be used in a closed arena.
SOFT HACKAMORE: A hackamore that is not equipped with lever arms. Instead, the rein is attached to a round disc, where there are options to place the rein in different holes. This way, a small degree of leverage can be introduced.
As with other bit-free alternatives, a hackamore compels you to ride using your seat and legs. You cannot simply "force the horse into position" or "yank the emergency brake" to stop. With a bit-free alternative, you must rely almost entirely on your legs, weight, and seat. Without these aids, in most cases, you simply cannot turn or stop the horse.
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Since the hackamore does not affect the horse's mouth, it can help relax an eager horse. There are no sensitive nerve pathways and mucous membranes in the mouth that are affected, and some horses respond very well to this.
Besides the lever principle, it is wise to be aware of the following when using a hackamore. We highlight three possible challenges, although more can arise: 1) The 'braking length' is long. 2) The horse can easily fall on its forehand. 3) The horse may try to go deeper and quickly become stronger than when using a bit.
'Braking length' refers to the time it takes to bring your horse to a halt or transition to a lower speed. For example, if you're transitioning from trot or gallop to a halt, a horse learning to be ridden with a hackamore often takes much longer to stop than if it had a bit in its mouth. However, the time it takes to stop your horse can indicate whether you are using your seat, weight, and legs correctly. In this way, the hackamore can 'tattle' on your riding.
Linked to the 'braking length' is the fact that a horse can quickly start moving on its forehand when ridden with a hackamore. This often can be resolved by the rider riding more 'actively' and giving on the reins to check if the horse is carrying itself properly. A horse that is usually ridden too much on its forehand or too much with the hand and too little with seat and legs will more quickly fall on its nose with a hackamore. In other words, the hackamore can also reveal aspects of your riding here.
Because the horse can more easily move on its forehand, many horses become stronger to ride on a hackamore. Ideally, the horse should be taught to understand signals to prevent this. Again, correct use of seat and legs is essential to make the horse lighter on the rein.
On her blog, showjumper Georgia Timmerman writes:
"When touring, I often use a hackamore, especially in winter when we're just walking. I've also competed with it, but often the horses become stronger and I can no longer control them."
Read also: Do you speak baby talk to your horse? It actually likes it
Showjumper Georgia Timmerman explains that the downside is that the horse may go a bit deep on the jumps and become stronger. We actually think Georgia does very well. It indeed requires both technique and thorough riding with legs and seat to ride a warmblood horse around a large show jumping course on a hackamore. See how she succeeds in the video below.
Regarding the question of whether a hackamore can break the horse's nasal bridge, it's very important to note: A hackamore must not be positioned too low. The lower part of the horse's nasal bridge is made of cartilage and is therefore more porous than the rest of the nasal bridge and can break more easily if subjected to hard pressure. The hackamore should sit slightly lower than an English noseband would normally be, but should never be as low as a Hanoverian noseband.
Sources:
The Great Danish Encyclopedia: The lever principle / The Great Danish Encyclopedia: Lever / Georgia Timmermann: Bit Jungle
