How to Use a Bosal Headstall

According to Dr. Robert Cook of Bitless Bridle, the bosal hackamore works by presenting the horse with pressure and irritation when activated by the rider. The horse then moves away from the pressure, allowing the rider to control it. Riding with a bosal is different from riding with a bit, because a bosal requires the rider to use indirect, or neck, reining, whereas with a bitted bridle a rider uses direct pressure to control the horse.

Things You'll Need

  • Bosal hackamore
  • Saddle
  • Saddle pad
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Instructions

    • 1

      Grasp both reins in your non-dominant hand. The reins should be loose so that there is little or no contact with the horse's mouth. Your hand should be over the pommel of your saddle.

    • 2

      Ask the horse to move forward by squeezing gently with your legs. Release the pressure once the horse responds.

    • 3

      Move your hand holding the reins in the direction you want the horse to go while squeezing the horse with your opposite leg. Championship trainer and show judge Chris Bradley explains that to make a horse travel left, the rider brings her hand to the left shoulder so that the right rein puts pressure against the horse's neck. In this case, the rider also applies pressure with her right leg. The horse should move away from the pressure on the right side of its body, going to the left.

    • 4

      Remove the pressure when the horse responds by returning your hand to the center of the saddle and releasing your leg from the side of the horse.

    • 5

      Lift both reins gently up and back to stop. Only hold pressure with the reins until the horse stops, then immediately release it. The signal of the reins can be accompanied by shifting your weight back in the saddle to encourage the horse to stop.