hACKMORES

Question
how do i work a hackmore? where do i put the little metal bar at the end

Answer
Dear Tiffany,
I would STRONGLY advise you NOT to use a hackmore since you are seemingly new enough to them that you are not familiar with how to adjust one. It is a common misconception that hackmores are somehow more humane than a traditional bit. This is NOT the case!!!! A hackmore exerts what can be extremely painful pressure to the branches of the jaw and the sensitive tissues of the nose. MANY horses flip themselves over when first coming into hackmore contact. You have to have VERY VERY good hands to ride with one- even an accidental grab at the mecate can case your horse pain and cause a potential accident. You will see from watching Grand Prix Jumping that horses that have no mouth (ie: they've been through every bit there is and their mouths are like iron) are ridden in mechanical hackmores.
If you insist on using one anyway- PLEASE have an experienced professional adjust it and show you how to use it.
Sincerely,
S. Evans