Horse Training by the Californio Vaquero's

The Californio Vaquero's prided themselves on their horsemanship and horse tack. They took great care too hand braid their horse hair mecates and romel reins. The Vaquero’s hand braiding techniques are still used today. 

The rawhide bosals, riatas and quirts, headstalls, and hackamores are all part of the Vaquero "tool box" to train their horses.

The Vaqueros trained their horses for 7-10 years, starting at 4 years old, to react with very little pressure from the rider. At the end of training, the horse and rider would be one. 

 
The 3 stages of the Vaquero horse training were….


The 1st stage - starts with a hackamore bitless braided rawhide headstall to teach the horse to yield to pressure. The reins were long hand braided horse hair mecates.

The 2nd stage - or "Two Rein" is where the Vaquero would use a thinner simpler version of the hackamore nose piece, the bosal. This bosal was lighter for this part of the stage. The mecate bridle had a spade bit and a braided rawhide romel rein. During this stage of the training the Vaquero would hold both sets of reins and the horse would be controlled with mostly the bosal and light on the bit. Then the Vaquero would transition to only using the bit and would then get rid of the bosal all together.

The 3rd stage- is called the "Straight upon the Bridle". The Vaquero handles the horse with just the spade bit. The Bit is connected with romel reins. The bosal and mecate are used under the bridle to lead the horse. 

 
This extensive training enabled the Vaquero to control the horse with little pressure. The Vaquero's horse was a skilled cattle horse and would be tested....

The Vaquero use to test their horses skills by tying a thread to the links section of the chain part of the romel reins. The Vaquero would then bring the horse to a stop with a "light" pull of the reins. If the thread broke- the Vaquero needed to pull to hard.

Another way to show off their skills.....trying to rope Grizzlies!!!

Can you imagine the horsemanship skills and the communication of the horse and rider to stop and move in an instant to rope a Grizzly!!!!!

Buckaroo Leather Uses the Influence of the Vaquero when handcrafting our Hackamores

A Rawhide Accented Hackamore

A Cadillac Hackamore Set with Fiador & Mecate

Our family has been dedicated for 30 years in serving the Western Horseman the safest most durable Quality American made leather horse tack....... Buckaroo John Brand Buckaroo Leather, The Brand to Demand Visit Our Unique Store Today Buckaroo Leather Shopping Site

The Anatomy of the Bosal by Pasini Equine

Hackamore principles and the hackamore itself can be applied to any horse and any discipline. Garrick Pasini of Pasini Equine believes and uses these principles with all his new colts and in his Hackamore Horsemanship clinics. Garrick has a true respect for the hackamore. If you want a horse with a soft mouth, that responds to light cues, Garrick recommends that you try the Hackamore. 

The hackamore consists of the fiador, hanger and bosal. (watch the Buckaroo Leather how to video on the hackamore...click here) 

Garrick recently dissected a part of the hackamore, a starter 5/8th bosal....See below... 

(the information and pictures below are from Garrick's facebook page)   

This started bosal that Garrick built was 11 inches long with a 8 in. nose button. Notice the grime on the inside of the nose button showing contact on the horses nose, very important.

As he un-braids the nose button you can see different colors of muzzle hair embedded in the braid. (pictured below) The rawhide used for the cheek piece is still in great condition, which is very important for communication.

 

With all buttons completely removed we are left with nothing but the round or body. You can see the reata core in the first picture. (below) I will now add nerve buttons to the nose button in the second picture.

With the nose button prepped its time to braid the button.

If you are interested in learning more about Garrick Pasini and his hackamore clinics be sure to visit his website and facebook page to stay connected. 

 Garrick's next clinic

Our family has been dedicated for 30 years in serving the 
Western Horseman the safest most durable 
Quality American made leather horse tack....... Buckaroo John Brand Buckaroo Leather, The Brand to Demand 
Visit Our Unique Store Today  
Buckaroo Leather Shopping Site

New Western Horse Tack from Buckaroo Leather

Buckaroo Leather is very excited to have these great new products featured in Today's Horse Trader Magazine- click on the link to read the article! Thank you to Horse Trader!

Check it out: The Versatile Buckaroo Sidepull

Buckaroo Leather, due to popular demand, has added two new pieces of western horse tack equipment. They are the Hybrid model Sidepull bridle and the Alpaca Hackamore with a Fiador.


The Hybrid model Sidepull bridle has a removable snaffle bit, which gives you, the rider, lots of options to use any of your favorite snaffles.




Ultimate Hybrid Sidepull w/snaffle

Hermann Oak quality 5/8" Harness leather Sidepull regular horse size, flat leather nose, hybrid model comes with a removable 5" sweet iron ring snaffle, with double & stitched with soft chap lining; hand edged, rubbed and oiled for a soft supple feel. You have the option to replace the snaffle with your own style. It is pictured without the throat latch, as some like to ride in the arena and round pen without. We offer an adjustable throat latch option below for more security on the horse trail. It features a chin strap and additional jowel strap for more stability. It is finished with high quality flat stainless steel rings and buckles. Standard with double cheek buckle adjustments. This is a great addition to your western horse tack equipment. This hybrid leather Sidepull model is highly recommended by Horse Trainer, Farah DeJohnette.

Watch Farah's How to Video to see how to properly fit the leather Sidepull.

Thanks to YOU our customers, 100% Alpaca Mecates, roping/trail & split reins have become our best sellers due to their natural feel & communication.

This Alpaca Hackamore has a 100% Alpaca Mecate Rein, with Alpaca fibers that were grown in the USA.

Alpaca Hackamore w/Fiador Set

Complete Hackamore Set includes an all natural color beautifully hand braided 12 plait 5/8" Vaquero style, All rawhide core (no cable core) natural rawhide bosal w/ Hermann Oak harness leather 5/8" headstall and Fiador (throat latch) w ith hand twisted 23' 100% Alpaca Mecate Rein. The Alpaca fibers used in these Mecates in grown on a family ranch in South East Colorado. The Alpacas are shorn each year and the fibers are processed in the U.S. Each piece is hand made by these artists to ensure the quality and craftsmanship of each Mecate. These Mecates offer the Best Feel & Communication between you and your Horse....Bar None!


Thanks to our customers, and the ever growing interest in the Western Horse tack and traditional Vaquero influences, we have created these exciting new pieces of horse tack.



Our family has been dedicated for 30 years in serving
the Western Horseman the safest most durable Quality
American made leather horse tack.......

Buckaroo John Brand

Buckaroo Leather, The Brand to Demand
Visit Our Unique Store Today
Buckaroo Leather Shopping Site

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




Our family has been dedicated for 30 years in serving
the Western Horseman the safest most durable Quality
American made leather horse tack.......

Buckaroo John Brand

Buckaroo Leather, The Brand to Demand
Visit Our Unique Store Today
Buckaroo Leather Shopping Site

Part 1 How To Fit and use the Fiador Throatlatch with your Bosal and Mecate

Two Part series on how to use the various applications of the vaquero Style Fiador Throatlatch with your Mecate and Bosal Training system. Demonstrated by Buckaroo John Brand of Buckaroo Leather. thanks to Barns by Harrahs, Northern California Blue Ribbon Barn dealer.

The Fiador Throatlatch assure a better fitting Rawhide Bosal, especially with a Fine Mecate

The Vaquero Style Western Tack is becoming the Rage by Performance Horse Fans, Nationwide/