Firstly, always look at the quality of the leather nose piece of the hackamore. High-quality leather will be soft and flexible, but it will snap back when released. If the leather is of poor quality, it may soften and not offer any tension over the horse’s nose. Secondly, consider the metal parts of the shanks of the hackamore. If the metal is of poor quality, it will quickly rust and can cause skin problems for your horse, and rusted metal is weak and may snap. Stainless steel shanks or high-quality aluminum shanks are the best kinds to get.