How to Make Horse Hair Mecate Reins

Imagine the versatility of a halter and lead combined with a soft rein on your bridle without the bulk of using both at once. Throw in the benefit of a great training tool and you have the mecate ("muh-caw-tee") rein. This is not a modern invention, but it originates from the Spanish Vaquero tradition. Horse hair mecate reins are more than 20 feet in length and they allow about half of the length for the reins, leaving the other half dangling with a popper at the end for tying or correction in your training program. Though mecate reins can be made from various materials, horse hair is believed to be the best, as it provides the softest feel in the rider's hands, and it is the best training tool because horses respond to the feel of horse hair on their neck better than leather or nylon reins.

Things You'll Need

  • Horse hair at least 6 inches long
  • Shampoo
  • Twisting machine
  • Leather piece, approximately 6 inches long
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Instructions

    • 1

      Wash the horse hair thoroughly using either an equine shampoo brand or human shampoo. Rinse twice to ensure that all shampoo has been removed; run water through the hair until it runs clear with no bubbles or foam present. Leave to dry. The hair will dry fastest if spread out on a flat surface. Drying depends depends upon the elements but be sure there is no dampness left to the hair before you begin.

    • 2

      Separate the hair to ensure there are no tangles or clumps. This process is called picking and can be done by hand or with a machines similar to those used to card wool. If done by hand, use the fingers or a card clothing, similar to a brush but with closely spaced wire bristles, to pull through the hair, separating all the strands. Machines can have a motor or a hand crank and are generally built with two drums with wire bristles to separate the hair.

    • 3

      Spin the hair into threads. This is most often done by attaching the hair to a hook on the wall which is turned using a crank, either powered with a small motor or by hand. Spin the hair as you walk away from the wall with the crank turning.

    • 4

      Twist the threads of hair into strands using a twisting machine. Some machines have a motor while many are hand cranked. You can build a simple version of the machine using a piece of board with at least three hooks and a crank attached or using pieces of steel rods. About four threads will make a single strand. Be sure your strands are long enough for the desired length of the reins, usually between 20 and 22 feet.

    • 5

      Thread the leather piece at the hook, between the looped over ends of the strands, before twisting. This piece is the popper, the end of the mecate used for correction when training the horse. As the strands are twisted into the rope, the popper will be secured in position.

    • 6

      Twist the strands into the final rope. Personal preference dictates how many strands are used but six is the average. The more strands used, the stronger the rope will be and the less stretch in the reins.

    • 7

      Tie off the end of the rope, leaving a tassel at the opposite end from the popper. This end is known as the mota.

    • 8

      Tie the mota end of the rope to the bosal or slobber straps if using a bridle. The bosal is a braided rawhide hackmore used for training young horses; slobber straps are strips of leather most often used with a snaffle bit in the horse' mouth. Both are designed for use with mecate reins.

      Measure the desired length for the rein portion of the mecate and tie off to the bosal again or run through the slobber straps with a half hitch. The remaining length of the mecate is your lead rope.