As written for Saddle Up Magazine November 2024
My name is Jennifer Jackson. I wear many hats these days. I’m wife to the love of my life and best friend Tyler, momma to our horse crazed and “independent” ranch kids- 4 year old Wyatt and twin 3 year old girls Frankie and Heidi. We own a cattle ranch here in the Caribou Mountains, which includes the hats, hay maker, tractor fixer, calf deliverer, horse trainer, veggie grower, stray cow chaser, weather curser, and thanks giver. Life is gloriously hectic, and we adore every minute of our lifestyle. But recently I’ve added one more hat into the mix, Mecate maker.
Mecates are a style of reins used with a hackamore or in a two-rein set up in making the traditional bridle horse. They were used by the Spanish Vaqueros, and introduced into North America via California. They made the reins out of materials they had available, and that was horsehair. More recently it has also become common to use mecate reins with a snaffle bit and a set of slobber straps. A good set of horsehair mecate reins provides excellent signal to the horse due to the prickly feel. The natural weight and life of the mecate makes the connection to your horse quiet and clear. They are stylish, strong and will last for many many years if well cared for. The drive to start making my own horsehair Mecates came from difficulty in finding quality gear. We had a fire and lost all of our tack. In looking to replace our horsehair Mecates, we found it very difficult to find a suitable maker. Many were not the caliber of work we were looking for or the quality was so good we couldn’t afford it, or the wait-list extended for years. There are very few, if any Canadian horsehair Mecate makers. I’ve been told I’m the only one north of the border. I don’t know if that’s true, but I also haven’t found any one else. So I decided to start doing it myself.
The process of making Mecates has been adjusted and adapted to suit each makers abilities and limitations these days. My process is cumbersome and bit awkward but it allows me to twist in a smaller space. A far cry from how the vaqueros used to do it around the campfire. But the same basic principles hold the tradition alive. The horsehair needs to be prepared for spinning, a process called “picking”. This required pulling each hair individually out of a bundle of hair and letting it fall freely into a pile. From there I spin the pile of hair into 16 threads. The initial length of these threads can be between 30-36 feet for a standard length mecate. I use an antique rope making machine and once the threads are attached they are twisted together into the four strands. My mecates are all four strand without a core because I like the softer lighter feel of them. Once the strands are spun tight they are allowed to twist together to start to form the body of the rope. This is where the magic happens. The colors of the threads in each strand start building the pattern that the final Mecate will have and from the first rope I made I was hooked. It transforms from random individual strands into a work of art in an instant.
Each rope is unique and different and beautiful. Today I make a variety of different styles of reins all stemming from the traditional mecate style. I make loop reins, split reins and liberty reins out of horsehair, as well as the traditional mecate and get-down lines. While I respect and prefer making the mecates in the traditional style of all natural colors and patterns, I have recently been adding some color into the mix. The natural hair and the vibrant colors brings this centuries old tradition and combines it with the more modern preferences of today. Additionally, one of the greatest joys of this whole new adventure is the tribute ropes I’ve been making. Many folks save the hair from their beloved horses after they’ve passed but haven’t known what to do with it. I use their hair to make a mecate so they can “ride with their horse again”. You can find me on Facebook under BarkerCreekRanch or can reach me by email at jjackson-7@hotmail.com I’m always happy and eager to discuss custom work.
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