Advice for a horse who is tricky to bridle

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FinalFurlong

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So I have a time limit when tacking up, I have to be ready to pull out with all the other racehorses.

Horse in question has always been like this, he is a racehorse but isnt in training anymore but belongs to one of the lasses and I ride him so I can focus on my race riding position without having to focus on being taken off with :cool:

He is my least favorite horse at the racing yard, he is incredibly lazy.

Getting to the point, it takes me FOREVER to get his bridle on and I just dont have time to spend ages flapping about with this. I've been told to hold his nose which I do I hold his nose as hard as I can but he still flings his head straight in the air and im too short to reach him. I put the bit in his mouth (holding his nose) then as I go to sort his ears out he just throws his head up.

He isn't head shy as I brush/touch his head and ears all the time and he doesn't do anything then, he quite likes an ear scratch its just his bridle (which fits fine, it isnt too tight)

The boss just said 'he doesn't like having his bridle on' Yes boss i figured that.

Hoping I don't sound like a novice but i'd rather ask than continue to struggle.
 
We have a tb who sounds similar, not headshy but difficult to bridle unless you know him as he throws his head up and goes backwards at a rate of knots. The secret with him is not to hold him at all, if he's tied up to take off his headcollar first and not to try and restrain him in anyway. If left alone he's easy to bridle, try anything else he's almost impossible. Worth a try maybe ?
 
Undo the cheek piece, put the head piece on - leave the bit hanging down his off side, then slip it in and re do it back up. Should eliminate the 'head so high - I can't reach thing'!
Good luck.
 
bonny said:
We have a tb who sounds similar, not headshy but difficult to bridle unless you know him as he throws his head up and goes backwards at a rate of knots. The secret with him is not to hold him at all, if he's tied up to take off his headcollar first and not to try and restrain him in anyway. If left alone he's easy to bridle, try anything else he's almost impossible. Worth a try maybe ?
Click to expand...

I would say the same, horses resist pressure so by pulling his nose down his natural reaction is to push back by putting his head up. You could maybe undo the bit so you just have the headpiece, maybe use a mountain block next to him so you are a bit higher, but the headpiece over his head first, then attach the bit to one side, put it in his mouth then do it up the other side.. I know he's not actually headshy but he might not like the feeling of the bridle being pushed over his ears
 
Mine was a absolute nightmare for ages. He kept putting his head way up in the air and clenching his teeth. Found that polos worked a treat. Firstly would hold a polo in my hand in front of the bit. He wouldn't get the polo until such time the bit was in his mouth. Then taught him separately to lower his head on the command of "head down". Again used a polo and I would bend down whilst giving the command and give the polo as soon as he obliged.
Now all I do I say head down the bit goes in and the head piece is on and he gets a polo after that for being a good boy.
I took about three goes for him to get the idea and now he is an angel about 95% of the time.
 
Fools Motto said:
Undo the cheek piece, put the head piece on - leave the bit hanging down his off side, then slip it in and re do it back up. Should eliminate the 'head so high - I can't reach thing'!
Good luck.
Click to expand...

^^^ this. The only way I could bridle my boy who otherwise did an award winning impression of a giraffe. If i tried to hold his nose whilst putting his bridle on he would completely lose it. Maybe worth a shot
 
ImmyS said:
I would say the same, horses resist pressure so by pulling his nose down his natural reaction is to push back by putting his head up. You could maybe undo the bit so you just have the headpiece, maybe use a mountain block next to him so you are a bit higher, but the headpiece over his head first, then attach the bit to one side, put it in his mouth then do it up the other side.. I know he's not actually headshy but he might not like the feeling of the bridle being pushed over his ears
Click to expand...


Fools Motto said:
Undo the cheek piece, put the head piece on - leave the bit hanging down his off side, then slip it in and re do it back up. Should eliminate the 'head so high - I can't reach thing'!
Good luck.
Click to expand...

Will try these, as it is when I go to sort his ears out he throws his head up so it could well be the fact he doesn't like the bridle being pushed over his ears. He probably thinks 'bit in, then headpiece' so knows whats coming so if i do it the other way round this (fingers crossed) should work.

Gusbear said:
Mine was a absolute nightmare for ages. He kept putting his head way up in the air and clenching his teeth. Found that polos worked a treat. Firstly would hold a polo in my hand in front of the bit. He wouldn't get the polo until such time the bit was in his mouth. Then taught him separately to lower his head on the command of "head down". Again used a polo and I would bend down whilst giving the command and give the polo as soon as he obliged.
Now all I do I say head down the bit goes in and the head piece is on and he gets a polo after that for being a good boy.
I took about three goes for him to get the idea and now he is an angel about 95% of the time.
Click to expand...

If what is quoted above doesn't work, I'll try this :)

Thanks everyone :)
 
Why not try an endurance bridle which has clips rather than buckles? The bit usually attaches to the headpiece with the clips on the cheek pieces, so is easier to attach. Some of these bridles also convert to a headcollar so all you need to do is clip on the bit and reins.
 
My girl previously had aural plaques so doesn't like the bridle going over her ears (fine with ears otherwise).

I pop noseband on separately, then with left cheekpiece undone put the bridle over her ears, then bring bit round into her mouth and do up. It doesn't really take that much longer and there's no battling or head in the air etc :-)
 
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