Last updated: October 8, 2026
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Has someone suggested trying a hackamore on your horse, but you’re not sure what it is or how you’d ride with one? Before changing tack, you’ll want to understand your options and whether one makes sense for your horse.
Here’s how the main types of hackamores work, when each makes sense, and what to know about fitting and riding with one.
Table of Contents
What Is a Hackamore?
A hackamore is bitless headgear that works on the horse’s head instead of in his mouth. The word comes from the Spanish jaquima, meaning headstall or halter. Today it gets used for several different designs, and the name alone doesn’t tell you how one works. A bosal, a mechanical hackamore, and a sidepull all give the horse different signals.
Unlike a bit, a hackamore applies its pressure outside the mouth. Whichever style you use, the horse needs to understand the cue and get a release when he responds. Newer cross-under bitless bridles also work on the head, but they’re usually treated as their own category.
Types of Hackamores
People call a lot of different headgear a hackamore, but they don’t all work the same way:
| Type | How it works | Common use |
|---|---|---|
| Bosal (traditional hackamore) | Pressure from the rawhide noseband and heel knot, then release | Starting and developing young Western horses |
| Mechanical hackamore | Shanks create leverage through the noseband and curb chain or strap | English and Western riding; suitability depends on the horse and setup |
| Sidepull | Direct rein pressure on the sides of the nose | Training and riding with direct rein cues |
| Jumping hackamore | Designs vary; check whether the reins attach directly to the noseband or to shanks | English riding, including jumping where permitted |
Bosal
The bosal is the traditional hackamore. It’s a stiff, braided rawhide noseband with a heavy heel knot under the chin, ridden with a long rope rein called a mecate that doubles as a lead. Some setups add a fiador, a rope throatlatch that helps keep a heavy bosal balanced. In the vaquero tradition, young horses learn softness in the bosal before moving up toward a spade bit as a finished bridle horse.
A bosal isn’t just a noseband without a bit, though. The way it moves, settles, and releases is part of the conversation between horse and rider. That’s why a traditional hackamore isn’t the place for a beginner to experiment just because there’s nothing in the horse’s mouth.
Mechanical hackamores
A mechanical hackamore has metal shanks, a noseband, and a curb chain or strap. The Kentucky Horse Council explains that the shanks create leverage when the reins are pulled, much like a curb bit. Shank length, the noseband, the curb adjustment, and the rider’s hands all affect how strong the setup is. Many English hackamores use shanks, too, but English-style bitless designs vary, so don’t assume every bitless English bridle works through leverage.
Sidepulls and jumping hackamores
A sidepull has rein attachments on each side of the noseband and works through direct pressure, not leverage. That gives a clearer sideways cue on the reins than a mechanical hackamore. The horse still has to understand the pressure, and the noseband’s material and fit matter.
Some designs sold as jumping hackamores use a padded noseband with direct rein attachments, while others have shanks. Check the actual design instead of going by the name. Reins attached straight to noseband rings work very differently from reins attached to shanks.
When to Use a Hackamore
Most of the time, a rider reaches for a hackamore for one of these reasons:
- Starting young horses: The bosal is the traditional first step in the Western bridle-horse progression.
- Mouth problems: If your vet says the horse can be ridden while his mouth heals, bitless headgear can keep a bit away from the sore area.
- Bit resistance: Some horses go better bitless, especially when the bit, its fit, the training, or the horse’s mouth has been part of the problem. But changing tack shouldn’t be the first answer to unexplained resistance.
- Trail and ranch riding: Without a bit, a horse can drink and graze more easily on a long day.
Are Hackamores Gentler Than Bits?
Not automatically. A hackamore keeps pressure off the mouth, but the nose is sensitive, too, and the absence of a bit doesn’t mean the absence of pressure. The Kentucky Horse Council warns that hackamores and bitless bridles can be harsh on the sensitive nose when they’re used improperly, and a mechanical hackamore’s leverage can put a lot of force on the nose and chin with very little rein. Poor fit and rough hands can make any of these setups painful.
Steering works differently, too. A mechanical hackamore doesn’t give the same direct sideways cue as a sidepull, so if you’re used to steering with an opening rein, that difference matters. Don’t assume your horse will understand a new setup just because he goes well in a bit. A hackamore isn’t better or worse than a bit. It’s a different tool, and how gentle it is depends on the type, the fit, and the hands on the reins.
Can You Use a Hackamore in Show Jumping?
Often, yes, but don’t assume. Rules vary by organization, level, and division. British Showjumping’s July 2026 equipment rules, for example, permit hackamores in senior classes but not most pony classes, and they require a flat, pliable noseband with no metal in it and cheeks no longer than 17 centimeters.
Before competing in a hackamore, check your own organization’s current tack rules and the requirements for your division. Equipment that’s allowed in one class isn’t necessarily allowed in the next.
How a Hackamore Should Fit
A hackamore rests on the bridge of the nose. The exact position depends on the design, but the pressure-bearing part should sit on bone, not on the soft cartilage lower on the muzzle. Feel for where the nasal bone ends before you set it, and don’t assume pulling the noseband higher automatically makes it safer. It still needs room to work and release without interfering with the horse’s breathing.
- The noseband shouldn’t sit so low that it presses on the soft part of the nose.
- On a mechanical hackamore, follow the maker’s fitting instructions and have an experienced trainer check the noseband and curb adjustment.
- On a bosal, leave some room between the heel knot and the jaw at rest, so the horse gets a release when you give with the reins.
- Check for rubbed hair or tender spots on the nose and chin after you ride.
Use a separate halter for tying rather than tying the horse by the hackamore.
A hackamore isn’t simply a way to get rid of the bit. The right hackamore should make communication clearer, not just make the horse easier to stop.
About Miles Henry
Racehorse Owner & Author | 30+ Years in Thoroughbred Racing
Miles Henry (legal name: William Bradley) is a professional horseman based in Folsom, Louisiana. He holds Louisiana Racing License #67012 and has spent over three decades managing Thoroughbreds at premier tracks including Fair Grounds, Delta Downs, and Evangeline Downs.
Expertise & Hands-On Experience: Beyond the track, Miles has decades of experience in specialized equine care, covering everything from hoof health and nutrition to training protocols for Quarter Horses, Friesians, and Paints. Every guide on Horse Racing Sense is rooted in this “boots-on-the-ground” perspective.
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