Hackamore Horses preview

by Ralph Galeano

Full column word count 1228

 

Hackamore Horses preview

by Ralph Galeano

Full column word count 1228

    

     A few years ago at a branding near Baird, Texas.  I arrived in camp the day before things got busy.  I sat by the fire and watched Josh King braid a hackamore.  I didn’t ask any questions until Josh put a length of manila rope around his head, put two fingers on his forehead and held the rope tight at the spot where the rope came together in front of his fingers.  I was wondering if he was gonna’ hang himself but didn’t know how.

     “Whatcha’ doin’ Josh?”  I asked.

     He gave me a look like I was either lost, working at the wrong ranch or just plumb ignorant.  I think he figured it was the last choice cause after a brief silence his face softened and he said, “measurin’ the noseband for a new hackamore, mate.”  I smiled and thought to myself, his head must be two fingers shy of the circumference of a colt’s nose.  It was a brilliant deduction on my part and I began taking more interest in Josh’s work.

 

An interesting column describing the soft hackamore and working a spring branding with Texas cowboys who start all their colts in this type headgear.  It describes the methods used and how to develop softness in the colts.

 

$16