A Bosal is a noseband hackamore, usually made of braided rawhide. Similar to a side-pull hackamore -- except that the reins are attached below the jaw -- it is a fairly gentle control, working by swinging the head to the side and putting pressure on the nose when pulling back on the reins. Normally used with horse hair reins of the mecate type, the reins are attached with a hackamore knot just above the knob of the bosal (as in the photo at top right). For more detail on bosals and other types of hackamores, see Question and Answer page 181.