Bosal vs Hackamore: A Head-to-Head Comparison of Two Popular Bitless Bridles

Looking for a bridle that would be perfect for riding a horse? Many horse lovers know about the demand for both bosal and hackamore in equestrian riding. But which one would be more effective? 

Well, today we are going to suggest the best bitless bridle that will be suitable for your horse and make your riding enjoyable. 

So, read this article to know the comparison between Bosal and Hackamore, the two popular bitless bridles, and get the best advice to select the right one based on your requirements!

What's the Big Difference Between a Bosal and a Hackamore?

Most horse enthusiasts get confused about distinguishing bosal and hackamore correctly. There is a big difference between them, which can help you to understand their uses in different equestrian disciplines. Let's remove all your confusion regarding bosal and hackamore:

What are these bitless bridles exactly?

Before understanding bitless bridles you must understand what bridles actually are. So, bridles are actually the headgear of horses that are fixed to the rein. The rider directs the horse by pulling on the reins attached to the bridle. A bit is connected to the bridle, which is inserted into the horse's mouth. 

When you pull on the reins to instruct the horse to stop, that bit creates pressure inside the horse's mouth. If the horse has a dental problem or an oral infection, it will suffer a lot from the pressure of that bit. 

This is why the bitless bridle has become so popular among horse lovers. Both bosal and hackamore are used as bitless bridles. You can watch a video on riding with bitless bridles to have a good understanding of this special headgear. 

How do they differ from each other? 

Bosal: What Makes It Special?

Although bosal is primarily famous for not having metal bits in it…Apart from this, it has some unique features that make it special. Let's discuss them:

What's Good About Using a Bosal?

You can easily communicate with your horse with the help of a bosal. Since it is a bitless bridle, it does not create any kind of pain or discomfort in the horse's mouth. Additionally, a mecate rein (a special kind of rein made with horse's hair and rope) is attached to the bosal and it will help you to talk to your horse. 

This mecate rein works by providing pressure to the horse's nose area and as a response the horse releases the pressure to follow the rider's cue. At some point, the horse will move or turn according to your instructions.

A nosepiece covers the horse's nose and a heel knot covers its jawline, they are the part of a bosal noseband. When you give pressure to the horse's nose and jaw by using a mecate rein, your horse will be inspired to release the pressure and move on. 

Since this noseband is prepared from rawhide material that is twisted by horse hair, it provides gentle pressure on the nose and jaw. That's why the bosal will be easier on your horse's nose and jaw. 

Bosal is used for different riding styles. It is basically used for western riding purposes. English riders also use bosal to train young or new horses. 

What Might Not Be So Great About a Bosal?

It needs a lot of practice and time to handle a horse by using a bosal. You can create good communication with your horse if you learn the strategies of using a bosal from a professional and practice regularly. If you are interested, read this article on "How to find a reputable horse trainer".

It's a challenging task to find a bosal that fits all horses because all the horses are in different shapes and sizes. So, before purchasing a bosal for your horse, you must measure the size of your horse's head, jawline, and nose area. 

Hackamore: Why Could It Be Your Pick?

There are some specialties in the hackamore, and that's why most horse owners love this headgear nowadays. Let's unravel the secrets of hackamore:

Why Use a Hackamore?

Before understanding the use of hackamores, you must have an idea about the different variations of hackamores. There are two types of hackamore, mechanical and western. Both of them have different functions. Let's discuss a little bit about them: 

Mechanical hackamore: A metallic shank is connected to the rein and gets fixed between the noseband. 

Western hackamore: Does not have any shank, suitable for horses who need a milder option. 

So, if you want to have better control of your horse than Bosal, you can go for hackamore. Mechanical hackamores provide leverage to ensure more strength for stopping due to having a shank. 

It's best suitable for rodeo events and roping activities because you can immediately stop your horse with the help of those hackamores. As a result, the horse stops moving instantly. If you use a bosal, it will be tough to stop your horse when performing this western riding activity. You can read: Ranch Saddle vs. Roping Saddle to know more about rodeo events and roping.

Using a hackamore offers a lot of advantages in terms of leverage and availability because it creates pressure in multiple areas of the horse's face like the poll (portion behind the ears), nose, and jaw. But it does not create any pressure inside the mouth. So, it can offer greater control to your horse. 

What Are the Downsides of Using a Hackamore?

Hackamore is a bit tough on the horse's nose and jaw. Since it covers the entire face of your horse, it creates pressure on the facial nerves and head nerves as well. 

If the hackamore does not fit properly to the face or roughly fitted, it may cause harm to the cartilage (protects the bones from damage) of your horse's nose. As a result, your horse will feel severe pain and discomfort in the nose and jaw. 

A gentle reminder for you:

Using hackamore to communicate with the horse is somewhat tricky for sensitive horses or specific riding styles with inexperienced hands. Sensitive horses are easily affected by any kind of slight influence or pressure. 

So, if you use hackamore on sensitive horses, they can not easily tolerate the pressure and might be sick. If you want to know more about hackamore, read this article: Pros and cons using a hackamore.

Finding the Right Fit for You and Your Horse

Well…you already have understood the positive and negative sides of both bosal and hackamore. Now it's time to select the right headgear that would be best suited for you and your horse. 

Western Hackamore will not provide any leverage or pain to control your horse. So, it is suitable for horses who are in the early stages of training. That's not all…If you are an English rider and habitat in dressage or jumping, you should use mechanical hackamore, to achieve more leverage action for precise control.

If your horse has some behavioral abnormalities like head nodding or frequent salivation, you can use any hackamore considering your horse's preference and comfort. 

Your horse can easily eat or drink wearing a bosal or hackamore which is really a good side of these nosebands, so both of them are suitable for trail riding. But you must select the particular noseband based on your horse's riding experience and individual preference. 

Bosal is mostly suitable for young horses due to their sensitive mouth. Because the bosal can not provide stable or balanced contact with the horse while riding. So, you must think about your riding needs and your horse's preference to find the right fit for you and your horse. 

If you still can not choose the perfect bitless bridle according to your needs, you can take advice from a good and experienced horse trainer. 

Useful Tips for Using Bosals and Hackamores

Even after selecting the right headgear, you must follow some useful tips to successfully meet your riding goals. Let's talk about the useful tips for using bosals and hackamores:

• The most important thing is that you have to try both options to evaluate your horse's preference and control. At first, you should try mechanical or western hackamore, considering your horse's training level and physical or behavioral problems. Then see how the horse is responding to this particular noseband….If you think your horse is not comfortable with hackamore anymore, you can switch to bosal. But you should have flexible hands and sufficient experience to control your horse with a bosal. 

A good bonding with your equine partner is the key to talking well with it using these bridles. So, before starting a bridle you have to make a good relationship with it so that it can trust you and understand your cues properly. 

If you want to know the strategies for effective communication with your horse, read this article natural horsemanship vs positive reinforcement.

• You must ensure that this particular bridle is properly fitted with your horse or not. If the bosal or hackamore does not fit correctly to the particular parts of your horse, it will get injured during riding.
• You should avoid applying too much tension in the rein to keep your horse happy and enjoy the riding. Excessive rein tension will provide stronger pressure to the bosal or hackamore, which might be harsh to your horse's facial muscles. 
• Additionally, you can encourage good behavior of your horse by giving it any reward as an appreciation. Giving its favorite treats can be a good form of reward for inspiring your horse to obey you and follow your instructions properly. If you want to get an idea about horses' favorite treats, read: What do horses like to eat as a treat?

Frequently Asked Questions

Which bitless bridle is suitable for older horses?

Older or experienced horses who have dental issues or problems in their mouth can use hackamore. Because this bitless bridle can help them to perform highly athletic riding activities. 

Bosal or hackamore, which one is the gentler option for horses?

If you can manage the correct size bosal or hackamore with proper fit, both of them would be gentler. You just need to handle them with great skill and experience to ensure your horse's comfort. 

Summing Up

Both bosal and hackamore serve different important functions in horse riding. This article discusses the key differences between bosal and hackamore and which bitless bridle is suitable considering the different riding requirements and physical aspects of the horse. 

If you have any opinion regarding this article feel free to comment. You can share this with anyone who is concerned about bosal and hackamore for their riding needs.