This message is from: Starfire Farm <starfiref...@usa.net>
There are two types of headstalls for a bosal. One is with a fiador, the
other is without. The way I understand it, the use of the fiador in
North America came from Texas cowboys and using the bosal without the
fiador came from California cowboys. Who knows which is true? Both sides
(non-fiador folks and fiador folks) claim that the Vaqueros either used
or didn't use a fiador. The fiador is a knotted rope that goes around
the poll and throatlatch of the horse, then extends down to the base of
the bosal to keep the bosal from hanging down on the horse's chin. I
presume the purpose is to keep the "feel" of the bosal on the horse's
nose and chin area. Another purpose would be to prevent bosal from
pulling off of the horse's nose when leading the horse with the leadrope
part of the mecate (the traditional rein of the bosal.)
If you use a bosal, with or without a fiador, you should make sure the
bosal is shaped so it does not rub the horse on the top of the nose or
under the chin.
Here are a couple of good e-articles about the use, fit and shaping of
the bosal:
http://www.thinklikeahorse.org/bosalhackamores.htm
http://www.nwhorsesource.com/artman/uploads/f3_bosals___hackamores_-_june_07.pdf
As one of the articles explains, the bosal was part of the training of
the horse in the Vaquero tradition. The horse would be started in a
bosal, then carry a curb bit in its mouth (with a mild port) while
working off of the bosal, with no reins attached to the bit, then go in
a "two rein" where both bosal reins and bridle-bit reins were used, then
"staight up" in the bridle bit. True Vaquero tradition had the horse
finishing in the spade bit.
Anyway, training the horse in that manner is a true art and something
that I really appreciate. The original "bitless bridle," without the
poll pressure.......or perhaps the original bitless bridle was a grass
rope tied around the jaw or the horse? ;-)
I also highly recommend Buck's video on the Hackamore.
Beth
plumg...@pon.net wrote:
This message is from: "plumg...@pon.net" <plumg...@pon.net>
Hi Karen,
I thought a fijador was the knot you tied in the
"reins" that are attached to the bosal....which I
would not confuse with a throat latch. Am I not
getting it? (Jim is starting to use a bosal on some
of his horses and would love to really know how to
use it properly.
Gail
Glad you are taking the time to use the bosal, which
I think for some folks is
a misunderstood & under-rated bridle. I use it
occasionally on my 'broke'
horses as a refresher to tune on them but avoiding
the mouth. I do prefer to
use a fiajador though, which is sort of looks like a
throatlatch, but is
really a way to positively keep the balance on the
nose in 'neutral' so a
release is always a reward.
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Starfire Farm
Beth Beymer and Sandy North
http://www.starfirefarm.com
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