Flat pieces, such as the cheek straps and browband, have a core of one or more strips of high quality rawhide. Round pieces, such as the reins, leadline and romal, have a coarsely braided leather core. (Less expensive reins and leadlines are sometimes made with stiff, rope cores, undesirable because they never become supple and tend to rot.) The core is invisible beneath an exquisitely braided outer covering. Made of rawhide strips, sometimes less than a sixteenth of an inch wide, this covering is painstakingly plaited in intricate patterns by leather braiders whose skill is unequaled anywhere else in the world.

Peruvian headgear is usually adorned with stainless steel, nickel or silver. Stainless steel pieces are low maintenance, but without tooling. Being softer, the nickel and silver pieces are easier to work and are often ornate. The price of this beauty is that periodic polishing is required to remove tarnish. A lady's gear traditionally has more metal pieces, as well as reins and leadline of a smaller diameter.

During training, the basic Peruvian headgear is joined by temporary supplemental pieces. One of these is the bozalillo, which ties a horse's mouth shut during its early days in the bit. Another is the gamarilla, a truly unique piece of gear that can be used to great advantage with any breed. This device has a headstall connected to a hinged, half-moon-shaped metal piece that fits across the horse's nose, just above special slots, or windows, found in some Peruvian bits. A gamarilla is very different from a serreta, which is not used with Peruvian horses. In the hands of a heavy-handed rider, the serreta causes pain while the gamarilla prevents it. Leather straps at each end of the metal piece are buckled through those slots and adjusted so that they lift the bit slightly off the bars of the mouth. During a horse's first days in the bit, a gamarilla will transfer some the reins' pressure from the mouth to the bridge of the nose, getting the horse accustomed to the bit without danger of damaging the tender bars of its mouth.

Bits and Bozals
The Peruvian bit is of the loose-jawed curb variety. Its low port and short, curved shanks are easy on the horse¹s mouth. In fact, the thumbnail port is far short of the two inches needed to touch the roof of the mouth; its job is to help keep the tongue under the bar. The loose jaws permit subtle signals to be sent to either side of the horse's mouth.

As with much Peruvian tack, the strong, elegant bozal is unique. The noseband is tied tightly around the horse's muzzle and the reins are attached near the nostrils, rather than beneath the jaw. This construction is designed to mediate between two of Peruvian training's early goals, a high, elegant head carriage and a long stride. These are difficult to teach simultaneously.

The bozal helps by placing the poll high in the air while lifting the profile to a nearly horizontal position. This posture encourages a horse to drop the rear end, drive with the hind legs and cover ground with long, loose strides. When the horse is ready for the bit, the profile is lowered to a nearly vertical position.

Saddles and Related Gear
The Peruvian saddle is called the montura de cajon, or box saddle, because the rider sits "boxed in" between the pommel and cantle. These are built on hand-made, rawhide-covered wooden trees, the design of which is determined by the shape of the horse's back, as well as the weight and size of the rider. The more a rider weighs, the larger the bars must be to distribute the weight. Peruvian saddlemakers haven't gone to fiberglass trees, believing that the natural give of wood reduces concussion for both horse and rider. The typical tree has wide, contoured bars and is covered in leather, which is hand-tooled (not stamped) to individual tastes. Too often, saddles are selected to complement a horse's color, or because the tooling and metal work are eye-catching. However, beauty - though important - shouldn't take precedence over the size and design of the tree or the quality of leather, hardware and workmanship.

Hundreds of years in development, Peruvian saddles have a relatively short tree designed to position the rider directly above the horse's center of gravity, without restricting the animal's freedom of movement in the shoulder blades or loin area. A roomy gullet gives plenty of clearance above the spine, allowing heat to dissipate.

Meeting the definition of a well-made saddle, the Peruvian variety fits both horse and rider and is ideally suited for its purpose. The stirrups hang forward of the girth, permitting the rider to sit relaxed and comfortable, with legs in a natural position and knees slightly bent. There are various models and styles for showing, training or trail riding.

When used for non-traditional activities by people who can't give up their western or English saddles, Peruvian horses perform well in other gear, as long as it fits properly. For show horses, however, Peruvian gear is far superior because it is made specifically to get the best-possible performance.

The tree for a work saddle has a deeper, tighter seat and a steeper angle to the bars of its tree, allowing the rider to give more pronounced aids to a green horse. On work saddles, the rigging used to hold the stirrups and cinch is the only leather added to the tree. This permits the rider to feel the horse, though a pad, called a pellonera, is usually added for comfort after the first few saddlings. The show saddle differs in that it is fully covered with leather, has a wider angle between the bars, is not quite as deep and has a pommel which slopes backward to accommodate the pellon (described below).

Peruvian saddles sit on a carona made of two identical, rectangular leather pieces sewn together in such a way that the stitching goes directly above the horse's backbone. Usually decorated with the same motif as the saddle, the carona is larger than the skirts of the saddle above it and the blanket below it. It is always used with the same end forward so that the shape of the tree's underside will become imprinted in its leather, to help keep it where it belongs.

Beneath the carona is the saddle blanket. The Peruvian variety, called jerga, is made from pure wool. Laundering of pure wool is difficult and risky, therefore a short length of jerga is usually placed next to the horse's back, beneath a thicker piece, making it unnecessary to launder the entire length. The loosely woven wool is effective in absorbing sweat, promoting the circulation of air and dissipating heat. The width of the jerga is such that it neatly fits out of sight beneath the carona. The material comes in large rolls and can be cut to any length. The ideal length is determined by the thickness desired. The jerga is usually topped by a felt pad, which molds to the underside of the tree while the jerga conforms to the shape of the horse's back.

There is no substitute for a properly fitting saddle, but having a custom-fitted saddle for every single horse is impractical, especially for people who own several horses. Even a custom saddle is perfectly fitted only until the horse goes through one of its seasonal or lifetime changes in shape or size. Within limits, adjustments in fit can be achieved by adjusting the blanket's thickness.

A work of art in its own right, the Peruvian stirrup is carved from a single, solid block of hardwood. Cheaper models are made from laminated wood, but they are a false economy and seldom last long. The wood is carved into the shape of a truncated pyramid with a toe hole in one side, and the tips are covered with handmade metal pieces. This design was based on the iron stirrups used by the Spanish, which had triangular sides holding a rectangular platform that was often large enough to support the entire sole of the rider's foot. In Peru, metal was scarce, so a wooden design evolved. Folklore tells us that these stirrups, which are easily detached, were sometimes used as weapons, cups and even - when occupied by a candle instead of the toe of a boot - lanterns. These stirrups were sometimes buried in the ground, with only the buckle on the tip of the strap exposed, as a tethering anchor. Furthermore, the heavy weight and flat surfaces make it possible to use them for slapping the sides of a balky or lazy horse. Due to their curved surfaces, Peruvian stirrups produce a startling, loud noise while delivering a mild blow.

Riders of trotting breeds - taught to keep heels low and weight on the balls of their feet - sometimes find it difficult to use these heavy wooden stirrups. This is because they push the stirrups from the position where they naturally hang, and gravity then works to return them wherethey belong. Such difficulties disappear when riders:
 

1. Carry their weight mostly in the saddle.
2. Place only downward pressure in the stirrups.
3. Keep their heels level with their toes.

The breeching, which attaches behind the saddle, originates from harness once used to keep saddles from slipping forward in steep country. Over time, the straps have become much longer and this rigging is now mainly decorative as indicated by the name, guarnicion (literally "garnish"). The only function piece is the crupper, which keeps the saddle from sliding forward.

An optional item of Peruvian gear is the pellon, unique to Peru and expensive because of the considerable time invested in its manufacture. The top is covered with small bundles of wool fiber, dyed black and hand rolled into a shape that resembles a tiny cable. Thousands of these are tied to a rug-like backing, forming a thick, soft layer. On the bottom side, the pellon is lined with quilted, embroidered calfskin, containing pockets that historically carried gold coins. Laid over the saddle, the pellon softens the ride and insulates the rider from the sweat of the horse. On long journeys in bygone days, it was also used as bedding for riders who camped out on the trail.