Page 310 - Lindsey Philpott "The Ultimate Book of Decorative Knots"

304 the ultimate book of decorative knots

FiaDor knot
A Fiador Knot is the name given to a knot made The knot itself is under the lower jaw and may
with rope or with leather thongs or strips to form be a true Fiador (also known as a Diamond Knot),
part of the horse’s headstall or hackamore on used originally in South America and previously
Southwestern or vaquero-style riding tack. It is Spain, or else a Matthew Walker Knot, a Spanish
designed to balance the Bosal Knot, a heavy band Ring Knot, or another, more decorative, knot.
around the horse’s nose and under its chin, ending Ashley calls this a ‘Theodore Knot’, saying it
in a decorative knot (see next section). The Fiador’s was rumoured to have been named in honour of
ends run from the bosal, up behind the ears and President Theodore Roosevelt. The knot may be
over the poll (the cervical joint behind the top of the found by searching the internet for either name or
skull, usually quite sensitive and therefore useful by looking in Bruce Grant’s Encyclopedia or any
in controlling the horse) and finishes alongside the other competent horse-tack tying book. The shape
jaw in a sheet bend. The method of tying the ends of changes from one place to another and can be
the assembly in this fashion prevents the bosal and quite decorative just by itself. Here are a couple of
headstall from falling off the horse’s face. examples for you to try.

Fiador (Traditional Style)

1 If you are making a

headstall, you will need
a couple of Overhand
Knots in the centre of
about twenty feet of line.
These two are about
ten inches apart, but you
could adjust yours to the
size of your horse’s head
(or mule’s, or donkey’s, 3
etc.). Continue it around on the left in an anti-clock-
wise overhand loop, which is our second loop.

2 Make an overhand anti-clockwise turn with one 4 Wrap a clockwise underhand loop through the

first loop.
end of the line, for our first loop.