Improving a horse that is difficult to bridle

[netg]

[QUOTE=Eventer13;6200396]
I used treats. Give a treat to get the horse focused on you and turn his head where you can reach it, then stick a treat in the hand with the bit so he decides to take the bit. THen treat after bridle is over the ears. Gradually wean off.[/QUOTE]

Yep.

The hold the cheekpieces, right hand on nose part is important, too. My mom’s horse was VERY hard to bridle when we got her. Within a week of getting treats for taking the bit, even my uncoordinated and arthritic mom could bridle her without a problem.

Happy Mouth or other flavored bits can be magical, too, for a treat hound. My gelding was always good about bridling (lucky, because he’s 16.3 and I’m 5’1"), but after using a happy mouth for a while he started taking the bit and trying to put the bridle on himself as soon as I held it up within reach, rather than making me bridle him. I’ve had several horse pros who didn’t know him laugh and comment that he’s the most helpful tall horse they’ve ever seen because he’s so ridiculously helpful yet not pushy about it.

[cyberbay]

For my difficult bridler, I wet the bit and then dunk it into sugar.

Most importantly, though? You need to be sure he’s comfortable in his bit, not just size, but thickness of mouth piece and number of joints. The other week, I had another horse suddenly stop letting me bridle him, and as we’d done some bit experimenting, I knew right away he was telling me he didn’t like the new bit. Return to old bit, and a return to no problem… And are his teeth in good shape?

If time allows, you could try practising the bridling outside of your actual riding time.

I’d also get out of the habit of feeding your horse treats all the time. You may think it’s cute, but he’s paying attn. only to getting food – I honestly would not want a 1/2-ton of prey instinct NOT focussed on me when I’m handling him, but, hey, I like to live to another day.

[Bravestrom]

I use english mints. My guy is 17.3hh and when we first starting bridling without keeping the halter on - (which is how I bridle them when they are young) he discovered that he could walk away - can’t do much with a horse that big - one time he took off with the bridle dangling between his legs - ended up stepping on and breaking the noseband.

For a while we had to bridle in a stall - so he couldn’t go anywhere. Then we got on to the mints. Two in fact. He gets one as soon as the halter comes off and the next one just before the bit goes in. He loves getting bridled now and starts opening his mouth before the bit even gets close and chews the bit.

[Crazy-Pony]

[QUOTE=saddleup;6200425]
I slathered a dollop of spun honey on the bit and boy, did my guy love that. Completely changed his tune. Gradually weaned him off of it, and after that he forgot that he hated being bridled.[/QUOTE]

Flavored bit wipes work well, too.

[RiverBendPol]

I had one once…I would undo the cheek piece buckle on the near side. I’d ask/bribe (peppermints, tiny carrot chunks) him to lower his head. When he was confident about having his head down, I’d slowly place the crown piece on his head. Be sure you have the rest of the bridle folded up in your hand so when he flips his head up (and he will, at the start) the extra bridle pieces and bit don’t whack him in the face. More peppermints while he stands with the crown piece on. Then, with mints in your hand, bring the bit up from under and ask him gently to open his mouth. Never bump his teeth with the bit and gently slide it into his mouth. Practice this when you have plenty of time, do it 3-4 times in a row and walk away, never get angry.

[mrsbradbury]

I use the method similiar to RiverBendPol, for many of mine because I am short, and short of my horses are big. Aisde from the fact that I own a couple that came with briding issues.

I put them in crossties. I unbuckle the cheekpiece, put the crown on like a hat, I thread the throatltach under the halter, release the halter. With cookies in one hand I offer the bit (now unbuckled, along with treat). This works really well for me, and now I nolonger need to keep the halter on. Some of these horses now bridle the traditional way as well.

[M_O_Connor]

[QUOTE=Canterwell;6200978]
Yes, I did that. The idea was to get bridling be something that was fun and rewarding.[/QUOTE]

Absolutely! But maybe not at a time when I was planning to ride. I’d do it some other time.

Very important to practice EVERYTHING multiple times.

Another subject entirely, but for a horse that is hard to mount, get on whatever way you have to, go do your ride, and AFTERWARDS (when he isn’t fresh or fidgety) go back to the mounting block and practice on/off several times.

[GrayCatFarm]

Several posters have suggested moving the halter to the neck and keeping the horse in cross ties while bridling. I was advised that this is actually dangerous. If the horse decides to exit quickly with force either forwards or backwards (especially nylon halters or no breakaway on the ties) they can damage their trachea.

[Bravestrom]

I put the bridle on youngsters underneath the halter then take the halter off

[jmbaumgardner]

Reviving this thread to find out if anyone has additional advice for me to help KEEP my geldings head down for placing the bridle over his ears. He’s super good about lowering it for the bit but THEN giraffes. And he’s 17.2h. This has started after a long layup, he was a lamb for bridling for the three years prior. He keeps his head down for the bit fine but raises his head for looping the crown over his right / far ear; he does this about half the time. He’s a lot more sensitive about his right ear but I’ve had the ears, poll and teeth recently checked/floated/etc. I’ve worked with him and he knows “head down” and lowers it and I also have spent a lot of time slowly desensitizing touching his poll/ears trying to remind him this is no big deal remember? It seems like a different ball game when I have the bridle though. I’ve found it helps to loosen the left cheek piece and I give him two mints when he takes the bit to try to keep him busy. I feel like I’ve made some progress but he’s still giraffing his head about half the time still. Any other tips would be helpful, think I will try the fruit roll up idea too. Thanks!

[paintedpony]

As others have suggested: Fruit Roll Up (haha, this is the only time I think this product is great). Easy to do, fast, not messy, horses love them. Gradually wean off.

[Xanthoria]

I clicker trained my 17.1hh beast. All I do now is hold the bit on front of him and he dives onto it! I highly recommend it

@jmbaumgardner if you’ve conditioned the horse to “head down” you can condition him to hold it down longer and longer before he gets his reward (click or click and treat or just treat). In fact that’s something I need to do too!

[leheath]

My horse was a bit difficult to bridle - she was polite but clear that she’d rather not be bridled. I assumed it was bit related and tried various treat-related approaches to help, but none were particularly successful. Ultimately, I determined most bridles were not comfortable for her because the crown wasn’t cut back enough and were uncomfortable at the base of her ears (she is pretty sensitive). Changed to a more cut back crown on her bridle and suddenly all bridling difficulties disappeared.

[AliCat]

I am the OP from years ago.

This horse responded really well to fruit roll ups, he couldn’t wait to get that bit in his mouth. It also came in handy when I had to catch him in the field… crinkle that wrapper and he would come over right away. I miss that one.

[ToTheNines]

I used a Nathe bit and flavored bit wipes. I also held the bridle with my right hand, at the cheekpieces. With my left hand, I put the bit under his chin first, then slid up his lower lip into his mouth.