At 08:50:35 on 14.11.11, aSharpJumper wrote:
I recently got a new ex racehorse. Iv had him about 2 weeks. The first time I bridled him was when I "test rode" him and he let me do it easy. I tried to put his bridle on yesterday just to see if it would fit and he kept putting his head high up and jerking it away from me when I would put my hand over his nose. He would throw his head up and sort of bob it in the air then stop, I'd try again and he would do the same thing. At first I thought it was because it smelt odd (it is brand new) so I got my other horse Dave's bridle which was the one I used when I when and tried him and he done the same thing. Im always careful to not bump and teeth and I cant see any sharp teeth or anything wrong with his mouth. Panda is the second horse I have brought off this certin trainer with the same problem, The first one ended up getting nasty and rearing at me if she saw a bride.. Anyway, After all the tries It was getting dark so I was putting his halter on and he wouldn't let me do up the nose part! He kept bobbing his head in the air and jerking it away!!! Maybe he has a big hole in his training?! Any help would be great! (in the photo below you can see the bridle I brought for him and the bit I use)

At 16:50:00 on 14.11.11, WannaHorse wrote:
I think that maybe he had some bad experiences with bridling.. i mean, to me it sounds like nothing but fear.. You should ask the ex owner about it, and perhabs try bonding with him in other ways before bridling and riding him. well, that's just my opinion.. :) And I can't see the bit very clear, so maybe u could put a bigger picture of it? :)

At 21:13:13 on 14.11.11, JessAndGrenville123 wrote:
Grenville is an ex racer and he used to do this, he also refused to open him mouth for the bit, i left his headcollar round his neck and would get hold of his head before attempting to put the reins over the head or the bridle on then get the bridle over his head keeping hold of his head with the cheekpieces in your right hand while sliding the bit in with the left hand. The problem with racers is they get tacked up quick and get out so when you go to do it slow they get all resistant, i will make a video tomorrow if i can because i find it hard to explain lol

At 06:51:07 on 15.11.11, aSharpJumper wrote:
Posted a photo of the bit, Iv been taking him for walks on his lead and just spending time with him in the paddock, Thanks Jess, Video would be great! But i understand what you mean.

At 22:30:56 on 15.11.11, JessAndGrenville123 wrote:
haha atleast someone knows what i mean ;) and yeah its a good choice of bit :)

At 22:56:17 on 15.11.11, NMH wrote:
If it's basically accepting the bit that the horse dislikes- I remove the bit, get myself a bag of bits of apple, & with the horse's headcollar on, so you've got some head control (but not holding the head down) get the horse to take the bit (using thumb in side of mouth or whatever at first) & follow it immediately with a bit of apple, then just remove the bit (as you say being careful not to bang teeth) & repeat over & over- before you've used up all the apple it should be easy!! Next stage, if they dislike the over-ears part too, using the complete bridle, I unbuckle the nearside cheekpiece so the bit is attached to the bridle off-side only, put the headpiece over the ears (without the bit attached both sides it'll be nice & loose, which they find more acceptable) & with your horse now eager for the bit (& more apple lol) you can get the bit in from the offside & then buckle up the cheekpiece to headpiece. Doing it the standard way, my horse hates the 'tight' moment as the second ear goes through, when there's a pull between mouth & ears -so I use this method all the time, so she doesn't even try to raise her head -which is when they start to realise they can resist bridling. And once you've done the apple chunks a few times they practically eat the bit out of your hand!!

At 20:02:01 on 17.11.11, WannaHorse wrote:
I agree with NMH. I think it's very important for a horse to connect bridling with something positive, and not making him do it or leaving him no options. Also, if he isn't to hard to lead or stop while riding, u could consider a rubber bit or the one with diferent tastes, at least until he gets used to it. :)

At 23:20:31 on 19.11.11, Grassilakes wrote:
I had a similar problem with my horse when i first had him. Part of his problem was learned behaviour from getting away with it once. Also he had a bad tooth which had to be pulled so this was also part of the problem. I know they do try it on with new owners and even though you may feel confident you may be giving off nervous vibes somehow. I kept trying putting soaked sugar beet on bit and then once it was on I took it off again and put it on again then untacked and fed. Maybe you could get someone else to try?

At 15:40:53 on 23.11.11, Misty Halo wrote:
The youngster I bought at 9 months old had never had a head-collar on, as that years crop of foals had nothing done with them, so she was quickly head-collared & then left her mum & old home, I took the head-collar off when I got her home, then had trouble getting it on again! I was advised to do it over a bucket of food & to slowly raise it up to the point where you could then do it up! Someone on my yard was fed up with my pussy footing around, went into my stable while my horse was in during the day & forced the head collar onto her, which I got her over that fear, but then when it come to breaking her in & putting a bridle on it all started again, I had to tie her up short, then as someone suggested I had to take the bridle apart, to put it on & remove it, until she realized that it wasn't going to hurt her, it took me some months, a lot of patience & rewards once she was either bridled or unbridled, to then just be able to slip the bridle over in one piece!!!

At 14:52:49 on 27.11.11, Flicka wrote:
Good advice from NMH on horse difficult to bridle because of the bit. I've had a couple of horses that were difficult to bridle and one of them was because he was sore at the poll and especially the right (off side ear). So apart from some bodywork in this area and his back (often linked) I got him a bigger browband (I often find bridles are tight behind horses ears) and I will drop a hole or two down on the cheek pieces so it's easier to slip over the ears. I then do the cheekpieces up to normal holes and make a big fuss of him rubbing him between the eyes and up onto poll and give him a treat. With the other horse he was funny with the person bridling him because they always approached him with the bridle in front of his face, then he would throw his head. I would stand to the side of him but close in, facing forward, so not staring at him and bring it up from under his nose in my right hand so it was more on his offside and I could hook my hand gently over his nose (which he seemed to really like but not all do). When he was ok, and didn't throw his head, I would lower again and reward him. Do it in stages and maybe alter your angle of approach. Sometimes simple things make a difference. Good luck :)