HELP! problem putting bit in

Bailey's Boss

Bailey's Boss

New Member
Feb 16, 2009
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Colchester
My friends horse has a really bad habbit of tossing his head up and down when she or anyone tries to put his bit in. We quite often have to put his head collar on first, its weird but that actually makes a difference. We have tried everything we can think off to stop this. We've had his bit and bridle checked and all fits fine. Has anyone got any idea on how we can stop this, he's 16HH and so has the advantage before we even start.
 
We've had his bit and bridle checked and all fits fine.
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What about his teeth?

... if everything is fine with the equipment & horse, you might to re-bit him from the start - fine the most comfortable bit possible and introduce it with nice flavours or with a treat, leave on for a bit while you feed, treat, etc, then remove without riding him ... till he forgets whatever he's associated the bit with.

More likely to be teeth though ...
 
One of the horses on the yard used to do this, and they managed to solve the problem by coating his bit in something tasty,like treace, or golden syrup so that it was worth it for him to cooperate. He was only young though, so it was more inexperience than bad manners. Might be worth a try though.
 
If this was my horse i would try + stop it before it flings its head. E.g apply pressure to the top of the head when he looks like hes gona fling when he stops release the pressure imediately, eventually they will relise that its easier to keep his head down. Hes flinging his head cos he can get away with it, just like Lydias crowding :rolleyes: (but not anymore :D)
 
providing teeth have been checked...
i would drop the bit out of one side, put the bridle on as normal fasten it up, then put the bit in last.

would also take it off this way (undo bit, drop out of mouth then take rest off as normal) to eliminate risk of horse throwing its head up and catching the bit on its teeth (they dont realise its them doing it :rolleyes:)

once its not an issue (maybe a week, maybe a couple of months depends) then just go back to normal ;)


leah i would not apply pressure on the top of the head, if it threw its head up i would make its head stay there longer so its uncomfortable, then give it chance to come down (when i say) praise and carry on as normal.
 
Ditto, get his teeth checked.

Also could this have anything to do with the rider? Possible hard hands? very green rider and maybe still doesn't have everything in proper order?

Maybe the way they are tacking up and untacking (hitting his/her teeth while biting and unbridling?)

(remember if a horse knows if he doesn't get his bridle on he isn't being ridden he may just avoid being bitten becasue he doesn't feel comfortable with said rider) My mare hated a rider I was giving lessons to becasue this rider demanded to have alot of contact on the reins(which I didn't allow but if I went to go put a trotting pole up and turned my back..), but she didn't have soft hands and when she went into a posting trot her hands followed the rest of her unstead of staying still, I had to tell the rider my horse wasn't suitable because my mare started to refuse to let me tack her up both with the bridel and cinch/girth.

So in order to regain her confidence in me, I switched to a simple snaffle where I covered molasses on it, let her suck on it, and rode her on a loose rein for a few weeks. Now she is back to being her very nice quiet self.
 
Absolutely what the others have said.

It could be that the horse finds the bit uncomfortable (because of being the wrong choice) or the way the bit is put in or taken out. It could be because they actually find a problem with the bridle rather than the bit.



Once all the checks have been done then you can teach the horse a cue to lower the head ready for a headcollar or bridle. I expect my mare to do this and if on the odd occasion she doesn't - even when given her verbal cue - then I reach up and put pressure on her poll to back up the verbal cue.

Then I put the bit between her lips and wait for her to take it (inspired by Forestgump), none of this wriggling a finger in their mouths that I was taught 28 years ago!
 
putting pressure on the poll is fine if you have a pony and are a good 5'9 + anyway.

you get to something bigger, or something that already has its head firmly in the rafters as soon as you enter the stable with the bridle, unless you have a step ladder (which you appreciate isnt the best considering said horse could fly around the box trying to get away from you again) its not gonna happen.

(can you tell im dealing with this issue on another horse i ride atm)

reins around neck, then hide bridle. stand just to side of head and ask him to come down for a stroke. give him a rub all over his face (he likes it alot) then work up to ears. once you know he is more settled, put bridle into clear view (with bit already undone at one side) and put it on as a normal head collar. fasten throatlash and noseband. (all done while chatting calmly and quietly been purposeful and not faffing but not rushing either) then hand over top of nose with little finger just near corner of mouth to guide bit in. free hand around front of mouth (with bit in) thumb through the ring once lined up hand round to side and slide bit in as normal. again not rushing so you bash teeth, but you need to be swift before he shuts his mouth and trys to do a bunk ;)

fasten up, praise then ride.

when finished- undo throatlash and noseband. leave reins over neck.
then undo bit but hold it in place.
take hold of top of bridle (loop hand under neck) in one hand, slide bit out first (slowly, important not to catch teeth) praise verbally then take rest of smoothly.

its works, and after a while you can stop going through all this because they forget the issue in the first place.

good luck :)
 
I loan a 16hh just 4 yo who tossed his head around and stuck it in the rafters whenever a bridle appeared. He dropped his head for the head collar so I assumed it was teeth. Dentist said there were lots of sharp edges and he still had wolf teeth. So I reckon he was bitted and backed in discomfort or pain.

Sorted that out and then used pressure release:

Taught cue to drop head in head collar using pressure/release. When horse dropped head reliably, introduced bridle and carried on pressure/release: Had right arm under throat and on top of nose - just gently resting unless he tried to lift head in which case I equalled his pressure - and released the instant he did. When he stopped lifting/tossing his head at sight of bridle I brought it up to his face with left hand - keeping right hand on nose and repeated pressure/release. When his head was still with bridle held to face I held bridle and nose in right hand till he was happy with that. Next step: opening his mouth with my left hand and inserting bit. Final step was putting head piece over ears. Took a few days till I got him dropping his head for bridle and not faffing about - though I still need my hand on his nose or he'll start giraffe-ing again, (though I never need to exert any pressure on it).

Didn't need a step ladder and I'm 5'5"....

I learnt the pressure release approach from a previous thread on bitting a reluctant horse which I'm too computer illiterate to find again. But thanks to whoever posted it - very helpful!! Maybe you can do a search and uncover the advice again if you are still struggling after trying out whichever of the various suggestions on here you like the sound of. Good luck:)
 
P.S.: Wear a riding hat when addressing any head tossing problem: Getting headbutted is not a lot of fun......:rolleyes:
 
Is there any chance his back etc are hurting. I know some horses express it differently. Some will be grumpy with the saddle, whereas some refuse to take the bit.

It could be that hes not enjoying his work, being pushed too hard so is being difficult with his bridle to try and avoid his work.

As JC said I leave my horse to take the bit himself, I'm not going to force the bit in my horses mouth. I stay very relaxed about tacking up. I put it on as if it doesn't even matter, so my horse stays chilled, and therefore much more willinging to take the bit.
I've trained him to take the bit himself and open his mouth when he sees the bit coming.:)
 
xloopylozzax said:
i was referring to the use of a ladder to apply poll pressure, not on the nose ;)
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Sorry hadn't spotted that! Yes I can see reaching the poll would be tricky.

Incidentally I thought your approach sounded fine. I was just offering an alternative option as it's always useful to have various methods to try, I think. Also I'm useless at putting things back together if I take them apart...:rolleyes:
 
Hi all, I had this problem with my young boy,i was told it was most probably due to a little knock with the bit on his teeth,within a week of being gentle and not rushing him we got there,now he dont mind at all.
 
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