How to tie an Alamar Knot
- April 27, 2017
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- Savanna Simmons
Posted in: Featured, Horse Supplies, Horse Training, Ranch Life, Uncategorized
The alamar knot is one of the prettiest I know and is commonly seen among buckaroo crowds. It is used as a way to tie your get-down rope on a horse that is straight up in the bridle. The entire length of your rope can be tied into the alamar knot, or if there is slack at the end of your rope, it can be tied to your saddle on the left side. I would consider the alamar knot to be in the Celtic-knot family in that it is somewhat of a weave. Think “over and under” as you tie this knot. Good luck!
Loop your hair rope over your horse’s neck with the knot on your horse’s left side. Your horse’s left side rope should have about a foot of length showing from where they cross over and the right side be longer. The right rope should cross over the top of the left rope.
As we walk through this knot, I will describe the knot as if I am standing at my horse’s head and facing his chest. The right strand is still under the left strand, now put a loop in the right strand with the tail of the strand going below the part that is looped around the horse’s neck.
Take your left-side tail and go below the right-side tail and above the right-side neck rope.
Now it is time for up and down. Continue with your left-side tail and weave it under your right-side loop, then over the left-side neck rope, then under the right-side loop. If your rope doesn’t weave at this point and just slips out of the loop, you have crossed one of your ropes incorrectly and you need to go back to step 2 and 3.
This is how your knot should look if you have done everything correctly until this point. This is sometimes referred to as a pretzel knot or a single alamar. You may leave the knot and use it like this, or proceed and make a full alamar.
To continue on to a full alamar, take your right-side tail, a follow the path of your left-side tail, but in reverse. So double the tail back (if you have a long rope, or small-necked horse, make a bigger loop, if you have a shorter rope, make a small loop.) Heading up toward the horse’s neck, go under the right-side loop, over the left-side neck rope, and under the right-side loop.
Continue in the same path as the left-side neck rope and go over the right-side neck rope, under the right side tail, over the right-side neck rope, etc.
Go up and around your horse’s neck, coming back down and laying to the right of the right-side neck rope then follow that rope around. Go under the left-side loop, over the right-side tail, over the left-side loop and keep following it around.
You can shift this knot around to make it look even and pretty, but snugging it down tight doesn’t work for the alamar. You may leave your tails hanging or tie the right-side tail on your saddle. Practice makes perfect with this knot. Be sure your knot is sitting relatively close to your horse’s neck, not hanging loose where it can be a hazard.
This knot looks lovely on a Colorful Cowgirl hair rope. To learn about her ropes or where to buy one, read her story here.
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Posted in: Featured, Horse Supplies, Horse Training, Ranch Life, Uncategorized
About Savanna Simmons
I'm Savanna Simmons and I live north of Lusk, Wyoming, on the Four Three Ranch with my husband Boe and our sons, Brindle and Roan. I grew up evolving my horsemanship with clinicians like Ray Hunt, Joe Wolter, and Jack Brainard, but not within a...