Fiador Throat Latch-a Vaquero Tradition

The Vaquero Style Western Tack is becoming the Rage by Performance Horse Fans, Nationwide-including the traditional Vaquero Fiador Throat-Latch.



A Fiador is a throat-latch used on the bosal style hackamore and some bitless bridles. The purpose of the fiadore is to stabilize a heavy noseband or Rawhide Bosal and prevent the bridle from shifting. The Fiador is made from rope, cordage, horsehair, rawhide, cotton sash cord or nylon.


The Fiador was used by the Spanish Vaquero and Californio. The word Fiador is from the Spanish verb fiar, meaning to answer for. The old west cowboys also used the word “Theadore”, this was their Americanized version of the word Fiador.


The design of the Fiador starts by crossing over the horse's head at the poll, with a knot under the jawbones, and attaches to the hackamore at the noseband or Rawhide Bosal. The knot under the jaw is usually a fiador knot, and the
fiador may have a second fiador knot at the point where it attaches to the heel knot of the bosal.


The Fiador is most often used when starting young horses with a heavy bosal within the "Californio" or vaquero tradition, and used throughout thehackamore phase of training horses within the "Texas" tradition of Western style riding. Adding a fiador to a hackamore stabilizes the equipment on the head of the animal. A bosal adjusted low on the horse's nose requires the fiador for proper balance, and also makes it easier to handle the horse on the ground when using the lead rope end of the mecate three rein systems. A horse is not tied with a hackamore, even with a fiador, but rather, the fiador prevents the headgear from falling off the horse's head.



In keeping with the Vaquero and Californio Tradition, Buckaroo Leather carries a traditional Fiador and Hackamore set with Fiador and Mohair Mecate. (pictured above)



Fiador (pictured above)This is the traditional fiador style throat latch for a bosal or caveson hackamore setup. Earth-tone colors.

Hackamore Set w/Fiador and Mohair Mecate
Complete Hackamore Set includes an all natural color beautifully hand braided 16 plait 5/8" All rawhide core (no cable core) rawhide bosal w/ Hermann Oak harness browband with traditional fiador (throat latch)and Mohair or Mane Horse Hair Mecate 5/8" - 22' long, 6 Strand Braid. Beautiful Quality hand braided feel and communication on mane hair or Mohair, but is much easier on the hands, especially the rider with a softer grip. Mohair has pretty much the same body and feel as the good mane hair mecates. These are the best we have found braided in the old California Vaquero style. This Hackamore features our best quality all rawhide core bosal; a beautiful piece of "Old Style" rawhide braiding.



Watch our Video To Learn How To Fit and use the Fiador Throatlatch with your Bosal and Mecate




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