Written by a man who made a lifelong study of leather craft and rawhide work, this book is the answer to many requests for how to information from cowboys, horsemen in "show" business, dude ranchers, and many other people interested in riding horses and their gear.

Bridles, hackamores, reins, reatas, quirts and riding crops are among the articles for gear that can be made using this well-illustrated book as a guide. Most of the pieces described here are made of rawhide; however, leather thongs and plastic string can be worked in the same manner.

(softcover, photos, illustrations 186 pgs.)

Excerpt from the book:

How to Make a Rawhide Bosal

Down in the Mexican State of Sonora they had a habit of breaking a horse when he was young and, so that he bars of his tender mouth might not be injured by a bit, the Mexicans used the jaquima (hackamore).

The trick item in hackamore gentling is the bosal. It is a noseband of rawhide which has a double function. It serves to cut off the horse's wind when the nose button of the bosal presses against his hose. But, more important, the back or hind part of the bosal in coming up, touches the horse's chin. This teaches the bronc to react.

So a bosal, properly fitted, should be rather loose with the front part up, and the lower, or back part, dropping down at an angle. In making a bosal loose it can be adjusted to a smaller size when the mecate (McCarty) or reins are attached. The number of wrappings around the lower end determines the tightness of the bosal.

The standard bosal measures twelve inches from the inside of the nose button to the inside of the heel knot. Now, in speaking of these things it is best to name the parts of the bosal and how to make it, which is our job.