Fitting the bridle over ears

[chunky monkey]

I've had a few problems with getting the bridle over Billys ears recently. He accepts the bit, then put one ear through, but as you feed the second ear in he pulls away from you. Like it's painful for me to touch his ear. He's always been sensitive to me raising my hands near his head. He also headshakes. I can scratched him round the base of the ears. But forget holding them to have a look in them. He has a mass hissy fit. I am suspecting that someone has hit him round the head at some stage. On a good day I can put on the bridle all from standing the one side. He has a habit as well of putting his head in the air. I have tried getting one ear in and stepping round the other side to put the second ear in but this makes him have a mass paddy if I put my hand up to feed the second ear through.
I'm wondering if there's anything I can do when bridling. Im going to try loosening the cheek piece. I have had the bridle come off from over the ears previously when it was looser so I did it tighter. He's got quite small ears and with his hairy poll I need to have the bridle done up well, otherwise if he puts his head down the top just slides straight off the poll.
Any other ideas I can try.

 

[newforest]

Is your Browband too tight?

 

[Jessey]

Hank gets funny with his ears every summer, its where the flies bite inside and make them sore, normally he gradually improves over winter but they were really bad this year and he hasn't yet, then when I clipped him for new years day I stupidly decided to try doing his ears and that really upset the apple cart, for a few days I had to disconnect the bit so I could carefully, and without touching, place the headpiece over his ears, then bit him he's settled again a bit now but still not happy, i have to be very quick and not faf about round his ears. I wish I could find a bug mask with ears as Bo used to be the same and a mask broke the cycle and made him much better, for now I'm just going to have to spend time convincing hank to let me touch his ears so I can put cream in them eventually.

 

[GaryB]

My friend's driving pony started getting awkward about having his ears put through the bridle. She had his back "done" which mostly resolved it (I have no idea why!)

 

[SeeingSpots]

Toffee used to hate his ears being touched. Had everything checked and it was fine so put it down to a bad experience. I desensitised him to it by touching his ear and when he shook his head away, I kept my hand on his ear. As soon as he was still, I removed my hand therefore teaching him that by being still, the hand goes away. We did this again and again and again and over time, he realised that not only would the hand go away fairly quickly if he kept still, but actually the hand wasn't so fierce and scary and he tolerates it now. He even lets me me put Poms (horse ear plugs in) but isn't a fan of the whole rolling them in and out as they catch on his ear hair a little.

 

[chunky monkey]

Thank you. I have been watching videos and as you say it's hold and if still the hand goes away. I've started doing a bit each day. One minute he's fine with the touching then he has a session of pulling away, then calm again. Hopefully I will cure him.
I've also lengthed the cheek peices a hole on either side before putting over ears. I just have to put them back up each time. The off side which is his worst ear. He does get a bit funny with me doing the check peice up but it's better than fighting for the ear.