Hobble Belts - A Brief History
Hobble belts have been around for centuries, as a variety of different belts and straps, used for livestock purposes. There are even Egyptian hieroglyphs that are thought to depict hobble! For as long as people have domesticated animals, we have needed ways to control them safely.
The most common is the style we use here at PM Leather, the Western Hobble, also known as a Queensland Utility Strap or a figure 8 hobble. The Western Hobble belt has a couple of unique characteristics that make it a suitable and effective restraint for horses in particular. It’s comprised of 3 pieces of leather, 2 rings or squares, and a buckle for fastening. Imagine you’re a cowboy in ye olde days, and you want to rest up for the night in a town you’re passing through. You would hobble your neighing Uber so that it didn’t wander too far during the night, and you were easily able to find it when ready to continue your journey. Hobbles still allowed our equine friends to graze, so win/win. Everyone’s chilled out.
Today, the Western-Style hobble belt is used by stockmen all over the world for exactly this reason. They’re also used on smaller animals, such as goats, to keep the animals still during milking, or veterinary check-ups.
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Pictured: The Roxo Hussy with squares
Now here’s the fun stuff…
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Somewhere along the line, someone decided to explore their kinky side, and got crafty with their hobble belt. We’ve had customers who grew up in farming communities tell us tales of all sorts of mischief.
“The girls knew exactly which of the boys in town really knew how to use a hobble belt..." recalled one woman, who wrote to us via Tumblr.
Pictured: Ben wearing the Mercurial
Pictured: Ruby bound with a Judas hobble belt (top), and a Hussy hobble belt (bottom).
We here at PM Leather are proud to continue filling the world with such a practical, versatile piece of history.
We hope that you’re just as proud every time you wear it, be it around your hips, or around your wrists.