Am I doing something wrong?

[Opticalillusion]

Hi guys,

Three weeks ago, I bought a lovely traditional cob mare. She has just turned three, and was only halter broken when I got her.

I have introduced the bridle, which she took to really well. She started taking the breaking bit (with keys) for 10 mins a day, and now we have progressed to walking out and lunging with the breaking bit and slight tension with the side reins to encourage her to work the bit in her mouth.

She's really coming on with lunging, and is becoming really responsive to walk and stand.

The problem is, I don't think she likes it. When I first got her, she was really easy to catch. She would walk straight up to you, and I had no problem at all getting her to accept the bridle. Now, she runs away, and doesn't even like going into the stable to be groomed. Once she has the tack on (roller, bridle, side reins), she seems to enjoy lunging / going out for a walk etc.

The equine dentist is coming out in a couple of weeks, but i'm really worried that i'm doing something that will eventually create a problem with her, and that her teeth are fine. I really don't want to ruin her trust and enjoyment of human company.

She will still come for food, but would happily come up to me before I started the process of bitting her without it.

Something just doesn't seem right... I'm debating ditching the side reins to make the entire experience more enjoyable. She doesn't like them, and gets bored easily stood with them on. Yet I have people advising me to leave her in them for hours at a time for her to 'mouthe' properly. She'd hate that, and no wonder then she wouldn't want to be caught!

I am experienced with horses, and have broken them before, but am starting to doubt the methods I have been taught by other experienced people, and have therefore always used.

What benefit is there to side reins and prolonged exposure to the bit, aside from just making the horse not want to be caught and unhappy?

Maybe I have just answered my own question...

 

[asommerville]

do what YOU think is right, its your horse. imo long lining is better than using side reins but maube thats just me

and yes i think you answered your question

 

[cm2581]

Two more likely possibilities - 1, there is more grass in the field now, 2, she has settled in and no longer requires you as her security blanket so would prefer you left her to eat (or a combination of the two!).

 

[cm2581]

OMG I've just re read your post. Why on earth would any sane person leave a horse of ANY age stood with side reins on for hours?! You're lucky you don't get booted in the face!

 

[Littlelegs]

I've never been a fan of lunging youngsters anyway, most I do is a few circles each rein to establish the idea at 3, even at 4 I'd be using 2 reins so I can longline & circle intermittently, because lunging is physically straining for a youngster. Never use side reins on a youngster to teach contact or to get them used to a bit, light hands are much kinder once ridden. Plus on the lunge all I really want a young horse to do is stretch right down through its back & go forwards, which I do with just a cavesson. To get them used to the feel of the bit, i'll put it on for a minute after grooming while their relaxed, & build up to doing fun stuff with it in. Such as walking in hand but with a headcollar over the top to lead off. All I want from a youngster is for it to go forwards, enjoy work & learn to stretch nice & low in a loose baby way, none of which I think happen getting them standing round in side reins. Apart from the fact it must be miserable for the horse, working correctly to me is all about using the quarters, lifting the back & self carriage, not learning to hold the head in a fixed place.

 

[Opticalillusion]

Thanks for your replies

I think i'm going to try without the side reins. I did wonder if I was becoming soft in my old age for thinking that she wasn't just being lazy. But she even moves away from the headcollar in the stable because she knows that after the headcollar comes the bridle.

She also hates being tied up. She doesn't mind while-ever you're grooming her, but she gets bored when I nip to do other stuff and starts to paw.

Maybe she's just bored by the entire process, and would just much rather be eating. I don't know. Still though, I want to nip it in the bud before it becomes a habit / bigger problem.

 

[Opticalillusion]

That's what I thought CM. I've been putting them on only for work, but have other, 'experienced' people at my yard telling me that I should leave them on for a long time to get the horse to get used to the bit.

Surely that would just cause a hard mouth anyway though, never mind the boredom problem.

 

[HBM1]

I recently started doing more groundwork on one of my mares. It is amazing to me how many "experienced" people gave advice. I will always ask for advice and take it if I agree with it, but when it is completely stupid I respectfully ignore them. One such piece of advice was, when she had a cut mouth, to put Golden Syrup on her bit to make her take it. My response was, she has a cut mouth (she banged it on the side of her stable door), so will get time to heal before the bit goes anywhere near her again! If you feel advice is wrong for your horse, don't take it....she will also get used to the bit just by having it in her mouth on a bridle I would have thought.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

IMO, you need to think very carefully about what you want to achieve and what is the best way to persuade the horse to want that too.
Just as a matter of interest, why do you want the horse to 'work the bit in its mouth'? I prefer my horses not to be fussy in their mouths! And I would have thought that side reins would encourage the horse to fix its neck and lean - again not want I want my horses to do!
IIWY, I'd forget about the bit and side reins for a while, get the horse back to being enthusiastic about wearing the headcollar and going out and about with you. Oh and I wouldn't tie her up either, you know you can if you need to but its even better if you can deal with her loose, teach her to stand still.

 

[bumper]

OMG I've just re read your post. Why on earth would any sane person leave a horse of ANY age stood with side reins on for hours?! You're lucky you don't get booted in the face!

Umm....^that^!!!
Longlining her would be better than lungeing.

 

[zaminda]

How often are you working her? I would say as she is just coming 3 that a couple of times a week would be plenty, maybe coupled with a couple of lead outs. I certainly wouldn't be lunging in side reins any more than that. As for being told to leave her stood in side reins, grrrr. I have a mare I never used side reins on, as she didn't accept them, so I worked round it.
Go with your gut, she may be getting bored/tired.

 

[Opticalillusion]

I've been working her every other day, starting with 10 mins on lunge then a walk out.
I'm going down tonight and am just going to fuss and groom her while she has some grass outside the paddock (where it's nice and long). The side reins are going in the bin, and I'm going to re-introduce the bridle (minus the bit) after a few weeks of fussing and bonding. Once she allows me to put that on with her head down and not being tied up, I'll take it as she will be ready to have the bit again, but we'll see. Also, I'm not sure if a loose ring french link would suit her more than the thick breaking bit - again, I'll see after a few weeks.

Thanks again for all your replies, I'll keep you posted xxx