Bill Black has poured his life into refining a simple piece of handmade horse gear called a hackamore. Although the device is rarely used anymore, it can teach a horse to work cattle with unusual brilliance, and beauty.

The Rawhide Artist originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia online magazine focused on artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge and free of advertising.

Written by ANDY RIEBER

Introduction by SUMMER BROWN

Narrated by DINAH BERKELEY

Produced by LARRY ROSEN

Music by MIKE SNOWDEN OF  “THE CIGAR BOX GUITAR MAKER”