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Where does the word mecate come from?
Mid 19th century. FromMexican Spanish mecate from Nahuatl mecatl cord, rope.
What does mecate mean in English?
rope
Definition of mecate 1 West : a rope usually of horsehair that is used for leading or tying or as hackamore reins. 2 : an old unit of land area formerly used in the Yucatan region equal to about 400 square meters or ¹/₁₀ acre.
What is mecate made of?
Modern mecates are made not only of horsehair, but also of synthetic rope, usually of a solid dark color, sometimes with a horsehair tassel at one end and a leather popper or quirt at the other.
What is the purpose of mecate reins?
Mecate reins are used for early horse training. In fact, the mecate and bosal setup is considered to be a variation on Spanish vaquero training. The weight and texture of the rein helps to facilitate the training by providing subtle cues to the horse.
How do you pronounce mecate reins?
MECATE traditionally pronounced “Ma cah tee” or in a more modern pronunciation “McCarty” is the Spanish term for ” horse hair rope” made of twisted horsehair, or other natural fibers such as alpaca.
Where did the Hackamore come from?
The history of the hackamore and mecate goes all the way back to 4,000 BC. The first hackamore was probably a piece of rope placed around the nose or head of a horse, not long after domestication. These early devices for controlling horses may have been adapted from equipment used to control camels.
How are mecate reins made?
The traditional mecate used by the California Vaqueros was made from the long hair of a horse’s tail and was hand braided. Modern mecates are made with horse hair and synthetic rope with a horse hair tassel at one end and a leather popper at the other end.
Why are bitless bridles bad?
Misuse of a bitless bridle can cause pain and swelling on the nose and jaw; improperly fitted bitless anything and rough hands can cause damage to the cartilage on the horses’ nose or even break the fine bones that protect the nasal passages This is actually not a myth – but true.
What is a bozel?
Bozel is a commune in the Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France. Bozel has one surface ski lift and a green run. It also boasts 19 km of cross-country trails.
What is a mecate on a horse?
The mecate (/məˈkɑːti/ or /məˈkɑːteɪ/) is a long rope, traditionally of horsehair, approximately 20–25 feet long, tied to the bosal in a specialized manner that adjusts the fit of the bosal around the muzzle of the horse, and creates both a looped rein and a long free end that can be used for a number of purposes.
What is a traditional mecate?
The traditional mecate was an integral part of the vaquero culture that became the California tradition of western riding. The classic mecate is hand-braided of horsehair, usually long hair from the tail, often a blend of black and white hairs made into an alternating design.
What is a mecate rein used for?
Mecate rein. It is a long rope, traditionally of horsehair, approximately 20–25 feet long and up to about 3/4 inch in diameter. It is tied to the bosal in a specialized manner that adjusts the fit of the bosal around the muzzle of the horse, and creates both a looped rein and a long free end that can be used for a number of purposes.
What is a mecate knot?
A properly tied mecate knot allows wraps of rope to be added to the knot in front of the rein loop in order to tighten the bosal noseband on a horse, or the rope can be unwrapped to loosen the bosal. Sometimes, a heavy bosal is stabilized by the addition of a fiador, which is a type of throatlatch usually made of thin cotton rope.