As they progress back over the sides and to the heel knot, the braiding gets larger. The heel knots is the portion where all the braiding leather ties into a bulb. This heel knot's weight acts as counter balance to the weight of the nosepiece. The mecate is a 22 foot long rein made of horse hair. While riding, the lead rope is tied around the saddle horn.
Mane hair makes the softest mecate and tail hair the coarsest.
Some are a combination of both. The mecate's coarseness against the mule's neck makes him move away from it as it is laid on the neck. The fiador is a throatlatch device made either of horse hair or cord. It keeps the headstall from interfering with the mule's eyes as the reins are pulled. It also holds the bosal in place.