Shaping Bosal & Stretching Mecaté

[@countryboylife5darlowe391]

Thank you Sir! Very welly explained! 🙏🏾👍🏽💪🏾🐎

[@TrueWestHorsemanship]

Glad you enjoyed- thanks for watching

[@denisevandenbout9875]

Thanks for the video!! When can you start using the bosal after putting the bottles in it to shape? And can you just wrap the mecate like you normally would after the shaping ritual? Thank you so much

[@TrueWestHorsemanship]

Glad you enjoyed! You can use the bosal right away but watch for rubbing as it is taking shape. Yes, you always tie it the same, taking the number of wraps required to fit the horse. I've got a video on that, too

[@denisevandenbout9875]

@@TrueWestHorsemanship thank you for your response! Does the shaping take a minimum amount of hours or days? If yes how much?

[@TrueWestHorsemanship]

@@denisevandenbout9875 not necessarily, but usually a few weeks if you leave it tied while not using it. You’ll see it start to take shape and maintain it.

[@elisabethg1568]

Thank you for making this video! May I ask if you have ever heard of a horse getting sore on his lower lip from the mecate? Not from the bosal, but from a mane hair mecate. I do use a quality mane hair mecate that is broken in well and a bosal that fits. In your video about the proper placement of a hackamore you talk a bit about that "sweet spot". I started riding with the bosal relatively far up on the nose, for the last three years. As I experimented with the position a bit in the last weeks, the position I like best for him is about a scarce 1/2 inch lower than you show in your video about hackamore placement. Also I changed from a braided parachute mecate to a mane hair mecate again. This is when the chafing happend. Does their skin get used to that? I am riding in a rope halter for now. I am thinking about switching back to the parachute mecate, but I like the feel of the mane hair better. I have also thought about switching to a smaller/shorter bosal, so that there is not so much weight on the heel knot to "push" into the lower lip, but I do not know if this makes sense. I make 3 wraps with the 5/8ths mecate before I pull my reins through. I think the length of the bosal is definitely on the longer side, maybe it is too long.. It is the photo of the horse in my profile picture. I would appreciate any thoughts you have on this. Kind regards and best wishes from Austria, Elisabeth

[@TrueWestHorsemanship]

Elisabeth G thanks for your questions. It would be pretty unusual for chafing like that to occur, except on very thin skinned horses. Make sure that you’re not riding on a completely loose rein - you should be holding the heel knot in your hands via the rein. A passive contact that supports the balance of the bosal. So the heel knot shouldn’t be bouncing on the chin. 3 wraps is a little on the long side, but not too long. Usually don’t want more than 4 wraps before the reins are pulled through. The other thing you could try is putting a fiador on your hackamore set up. It’s a small diameter rope that serves as a throatlatch, keeping the heel knot from bouncing and preventing the horse from pulling away and slipping the hackamore off while you’re on the ground. Hope you find that helpful. You can check out our full Online Video Library for free here truewesthorsemanship.com/video-landing/

[@SenkaPazman]

Hello! Thank you for the video, its very helpful. Do you treat the rawhide with something before you shape the bosal? I saw some people just soak it in water or put the rawhide cream on. What do you use? Thanks a lot!

[@TrueWestHorsemanship]

Thanks for the feedback! You can soften and preserve rawhide with rawhide cream or a blend of tallow and beeswax. I wouldn’t recommend soaking in water. Just a soft brush with warm water to clean.

[@SenkaPazman]

@@TrueWestHorsemanship Dear Ben, thank you so much for the reply! :)

[@karenriley3547]

thanks, very informative.

[@TrueWestHorsemanship]

karen riley thanks for watching!

[@scottorellana9374]

love to see more videos on bit less riding. starting a horse and transitioning a horse. overall thoughts etc...

[@TrueWestHorsemanship]

Scott Orellana we’re always working in more videos and aim to have a page up in our website soon for full instructional videos on different aspects of horsemanship and training.

[@gerrycoleman7290]

Check Think Like a Horse.

[@TrueWestHorsemanship]

We have our online video library available at truewesthorsemanship.com . You can watch trailers, rent individual titles or get a subscription.

[@KingsMom831]

Gerry Coleman TLAH is like my favorite horsey channel!🤗 just found this channel recently & I like seeing the absence of bits here

[@gerrycoleman7290]

Of course it is pressure and release.