How to Tie a Bosal

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Last Updated: June 29, 2021 References

A bosal (boh-sall) is a type of bit-less bridle often used to training young horses in preparation for a bit. To complete the bridle, you combine the bosal with a mecate (muh-cah-tee), the traditional rope reins. This combination is known as a hackamore. The bosal is a pear-shaped loop with a ball on one end, also called a knot. To make the hackamore, you wrap the mecate around the bosal to make both the reins and the lead rope. Then, you can adjust the bosal on the horse.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Tying the Mecate to the Bosal

1
Hold the bosal with the knot or ball in front of you. Place the loop like it's a basketball hoop, horizontal to the ground. Grab the knot or ball in your right hand to hold it in place. Keep in mind that you may need to rearrange or grab the other end of the bosal as you wrap the rope around it.^{[1]
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2
Draw the tassel or end of the mecate through the bosal. Grab the end of the mecate, which may be a tassel and put it through the hoop in the bosal. Pull it up against the bosal's knot at the bottom with the mecate's end hanging just under it. Hold it in place with your hand. You only need to leave a little bit of the mecate out, about 1 inch (2.5 cm) before the tassel.^{[2]
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- Pull the edge of the mecate in tight to the "V" part of the bosal so it stays in place.^{[3]
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3
Wrap the mecate rope around the bosal going clockwise. Take the long end of the rope and wrap it around both sides of the bosal that extend from the ball or knot. Wrap it right up against the knot as close as you can.^{[4]
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- Make a second wrap around the bosal in the same way, going the same direction as the last wrap. Pull the loop up tight against the previous one, down toward the bosal's knot or ball.^{[5]
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4
Pull the reins through the bosal, moving from the back to the front. Make a "U" with the long end of the rope and set it behind the bosal. Pinch the "U" through the bosal and pull it through to the front, over the wrapped ropes below. Keep pulling until it's long enough to act as reins for your horse, maybe 5 to 6 feet (1.5 to 1.8 m) in length.^{[6]
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- Make sure the reins are hanging straight and aren't twisted or kinked in any way.
- You can try measuring by holding the bosal in one hand and the loop in the other. Stretch them as far apart as your arms will reach.
5
Wrap the mecate rope around the bosal 2 more times. Wrap it going the same direction as you did before, clockwise. Pull each wrap tight up against the rope below on the bosal so that it will hold the reins and knots in place.^{[7]
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- Hold the reins in place with your finger as you start this wrap.
- You may need greater or fewer loops, depending on your horse's size. You can put it on to test it and take it off to adjust it.
6
Push the lead line through the opening from back to front. Look at the last 2 loops you made. You should see they make an opening in the back underneath them. Go over the loops in the front and then through the loops and underneath them as you pull the line out the back.^{[8]
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- Pull the whole length of the rope through.
7
Tighten up the knot. Pull on the lead line to tighten it up, then use your hands to twist the loops at the top. Push the excess rope from the loops into the lead line and pull it tight again. Keep twisting and tightening until it's as tight as you can get it.^{[9]
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- You can also pull the 2 sides of the bosal apart slightly to help push the ropes down towards the bosal's knot.
- When you put this on your horse, the lead line and tassel part should face toward the horse's chin while the reins will face to the back.
8
Add the hanger to the bosal if it doesn't already have one. Untie the hanger so you have 2 pieces. Tie one side of the hanger in the notch on the right-hand side. Working from the back side, bring the loop at the end of the hanger underneath the notch, moving toward the middle. Pull the end of the hanger through the loop on the end of the hanger and then pull it tight. Do the same on the other side.^{[10]
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- To tie the 2 ends together of the hanger together, pull the side with the flat end through the other piece, which should have a hole in it near the end. As you bring the end through the hole, wrap it around the side with the hole in it once, and then bring the end back up through the loop you just made. Tighten it up. This is called a "halter tie," and you can make the end longer or shorter to adjust it for your horse.
- Some hangers may attach with buckles or buttons. The key is to attach it to the back side (the side without the tassel) so it will hold the bosal in place by hanging over your horse's ears.

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Putting the Bosal on the Horse

1
Loop the reins over the horse's head with the tail end of the bosal to the front. Grab the rein loop to drag it over the horse's neck. As you do this, hold the bosal vertical to the ground with the tassel end pointed toward the front of the horse and the bosal's knot pointed down.^{[11]
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2
Slide the bosal over the horse's nose. The loop of the bosal will fit right over the nose with the knot under the horse's chin. Make sure the tassel end is still pointed toward the front as you slide the bosal on.^{[12]
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3
Pull the hanger over the horse's ears as you slide the bosal on. The hanger is the leather strap you put on the bosal at the end. It should be at the top of the bosal. Grab the hanger and place the loop over the horse's ears to hold the bosal in place.^{[13]
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4
Check that you've made it the right size for your horse. It shouldn't bounce around as the horse moves but fit somewhat tightly. However, your horse should be able to tell when you let the reins go slack, so don't make it too tight, either.^{[14]
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- Adjust the fit by adding or taking off some of the wraps you made around the bosal.
- You can also adjust the fit of the hanger as needed by moving the knot up or down.