Hackamore

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of headgear used to control a horse without a bit, facilitating communication through pressure applied to the nose and jaw
2. A simple bridle designed to restrain a horse by means of a rope or strap rather than a traditional bit
3. A training tool in equestrianism that allows for gentle guidance and direction of the horse by restricting movement without causing pain

Etymology: The hackamore is a bridle without a bit: instead of a metal mouthpiece, it works through pressure on the horse's nose and jaw. Its name most likely came into English from Spanish "jáquima," meaning a halter, a headstall used to lead or tie a horse. The Spanish word itself has roots in Arabic-speaking Iberia, where the cheek-and-nose rig was common, though the exact path from Spanish into English is not firmly documented. The English spelling drifted a long way from its source. Speakers who had never seen the Spanish word reshaped the unfamiliar sound into "hackamore," a form that sounds more like an English compound. The result is a word that looks like it should describe a hook or a more forceful tool, while its ancestor simply named a plain halter.

Synonyms: bridle