Little S Hackamore

[Retired_Racer]

Hi, I was wanting opinions on the Little S Hackamore.

My story:
I just got a retired race horse. At the time of purchase she needed a float (got that taken care of) so when I went to look at and ride her before purchasing, I rode her with a halter and lead rope. She is 13 and been a broodmare for 10 yrs due to a knee injury which has been repaired surgically and doesnt seem to cause her any trouble. She is soley used for light pleasure riding as she is retired and deserves to have a full retirement. I was amazed at how well she responded to being ridden in only a halter. As many of us horse people know, riding in a halter can be a pain in the rear as it slides down their necks and you dont have full control. I just got her teeth floated but she still seems to be uncomfortable with a bit. Any suggestions on what I should use for her and what does everyone think of the Little S Hackamore?
TIA!!

[WildBlue]

If she stops well in a halter and doesn’t need even a mild mechanical hackamore, have you considered an English hackamore? At least, that’s what the tack shops seem to call it. It’s basically just a tube of soft leather stuffed with something to make it about an inch in diameter and very bendy, so it conforms to the shape of the horse’s face, and there’s a buckle under the chin to adjust size. That’s it, plus d-rings to attach the headstall and reins. Kind of just a fancy noseband to put on your bridle instead of a bit.

It rides like a halter, but looks really nice and stays in position well. They’re a little hard to find, but I haven’t seen one cost over 10 or 20 bucks.

[cowboymom]

what was mentioned before might work just as well but we love our little S hacks too.

[Cindyg]

There’s a lot of torque on that hackamore! I would not care to use it.

[KSquared]

You could always try a sidepull…or check out the Smart Bridle from runningbear.com

[SuckerForHorses]

[QUOTE=Cindyg;7111990]
There’s a lot of torque on that hackamore! I would not care to use it.[/QUOTE]

Actually, I have found the opposite to be true. The curb chain has very little action and I have often wondered why it’s even on the piece. I find that this hack is very comparable to riding in a rope halter. My mare is very light in the face, and she rides great in this hack.

[katarine]

there is a lot of turn but not much whoa. That’s a good ‘baby’ mechanical hackamore.

[cowboymom]

[QUOTE=Cindyg;7111990]
There’s a lot of torque on that hackamore! I would not care to use it.[/QUOTE]

Really? It has hardly any torque… less than most curbs or regular hacks. It’s as close to a sidepull or halter as I know how to get.

[tabula_rashah]

Here is a the Little S style hackamore that I use on my Morgan mare. She is fairly hot and go-y, although rateable. I like that I still have plenty of control with it but she can eat and drink more freely on trail than with a bit. Plus she is much less fussy in the Little S. I also like that the Little S shanks are much shorter and “swept back” than more hackamores

[candysgirl]

I really like the Little S Hackamores. Check out the endurance section for more info about them! They’re quite popular in the endurance world. A lot of the endurance tack companies take off the rope and replace it with a neoprene padding and biothane in colors of your choosing making it even milder than it was before.

I believe the one in the above picture is from Running Bear. I have their sidepull bridle - which it basically a glorified halter, but it does have bit hangers so you can use it with any bit or hackamore of your choosing or just as a very mild sidepull. http://www.runningbear.com/catpages/Smart-Bridle-Photos-SP.html

[KSquared]

I have the Smart Bridle from running bear with the Little S Hack and my trainer absolutely approved it for my Green Morgan. She absolutely loved it and used it for my boys first ride and found it very pleasant and found my gelding to be very respectful and responsive to it. She first thought it would be too soft for him but she thinks it is perfect!

My set up is just like the sidepull picture and my gelding is the most perfect gentleman in it. He also goes well in just the Sidepull without the little S Hack.

There is no harsh torque in it at all. My guy would not be the happy camper he is going in this if it was harsh or painful, he would tell me without a doubt how he felt if it was painful.

[HorsesinHaiti]

[QUOTE=katarine;7113659]
there is a lot of turn but not much whoa. That’s a good ‘baby’ mechanical hackamore.[/QUOTE]

I may not be reading this right - but that Little S has a slobber bar. So when you pull one rein, the slobber bar pulls the other side along with? Which engages the long piece on the opposite shank rather like a full cheek in a bit keeper? That would up the turn factor.

[Cindyg]

[QUOTE=Cindyg;7111990]
There’s a lot of torque on that hackamore! I would not care to use it.[/QUOTE]

@SuckerForHorses;7113612

Actually, I have found the opposite to be true. The curb chain has very little action and I have often wondered why it’s even on the piece. I find that this hack is very comparable to riding in a rope halter. My mare is very light in the face, and she rides great in this hack.

@cowboymom;7114601

Really? It has hardly any torque… less than most curbs or regular hacks. It’s as close to a sidepull or halter as I know how to get.

@KSquared;7120348

…There is no harsh torque in it at all. My guy would not be the happy camper he is going in this if it was harsh or painful, he would tell me without a doubt how he felt if it was painful.

OK. I stand corrected. Learn something new every day!

[KSquared]

Myst has now had 4 rides in the little S Hackamore and he has excellent turn factor. He spins right around with no hesitation and good whoa as well. This is a fantastic Hack and I absolutely love it. He puts his head right in and his ready to go. (No I don’t get paid to endorse LOL)

So either my horse is a sadist who enjoys pain or he the hack is a great match for him.

[katarine]

[QUOTE=HorsesinHaiti;7135497]
I may not be reading this right - but that Little S has a slobber bar. So when you pull one rein, the slobber bar pulls the other side along with? Which engages the long piece on the opposite shank rather like a full cheek in a bit keeper? That would up the turn factor.[/QUOTE]

Unless you are plow reining and dragging them around, no.

If your hands are where they belong, when you close your hand and tug backwards, the shank on THAT side rotates through the bridle’s cheek piece and tugs on the horse’s nose. The slobber ‘cable’ truly functions more as a stabilizer to keep the cheeks from turning inside out.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/31281399@N06/3832007945/in/photolist-6QC3sv-6QC4ii-6QC4Ua-6QC5oR-6QC5Tr-6QC6sD-6QC8d6-6QCc8B-6QCccM-6QCcY2-6QCeuR-6QCfmz-6QCg54-6QCgAv-6QChx4-6QCk82-6QCmHD-6QCnHM-6QCp7a-6QCqGB-6QCrcV-6QCrL4-6QCtkM-6QCtSP-6QCuRX-6QCwCv-6QCyun-6QCz1X-6QCzTt-6QCAt6-6QCBtM-6QCCj4-6QCDMF-6QCUCz-6QDwBN-6QDy8S-6QDyHC-6QDA1A-6QDAJj-6QDESm-6QDHnu-6QDQfJ-6QDSGu-6QDZ2w-6QE16A-6QE3aU-6QE4bJ-6QE4qA-6QEaWj-6QEbDL-6QEcoj

[cowboymom]

What a beautiful horse!

[katarine]

Yes, yes he is