Best bridle for a headshaker

[bluewhippet]

My horse is not a terrible headshaker but he does toss his head around a lot and also uses me as a scratching post whenever I am on the ground.

He is an arab and very sensitive about girths etc and doesn't like being handled around the ears - have to loosen the cheekpiece to bridle him.

He is in flash at the moment but it is not essential - he is not an easy ride but he is not strong to stop. He is is in a loose ring snaffle.

I know there are lots of bridles with shaped and padded polls and wondered which would be best. I am quite happy to remove the noseband completely and am also going to plait his forelock and the front bit of his mane to see if that helps.

I know sunlight triggers a lot more headshaking, and wind and flies (and difficult schooling!). He is my perfect horse but I would just like to see if there is a bridle that might help. He doesn't seem to mind the bit at all and is happy to work with contact.

 

[bluewhippet]

What is the difference between an elevator bridle and the padded headpieces that everyone now produces?

 

[5horses2dogsandacat]

My mare used to headshake, since putting her in a padded poll bridle and in a flash it has helped her no end and we dont even headshake anymore.

Does he still have his wolf teeth? as sometimes this can trigger headshaking..

 

[bluewhippet]

I am so ignorant that I don't know if he has his wolf teeth! I will find out.

He has a polyp on his nose that is very small. The vet was going to remove it but thought it would actually cause more problems if he operated at the moment.

 

[FionaM12]

My mare is a head shaker and I found she's happier without a browband. It looks a bit weird, but it seems to help.

 

[StormyMoments]

comfort bridle, larger browband and a nice padded noseband

 

[cremedemonthe]

Whatever bridle you decide on make sure the browband is long enough as one of the most common causes of headshaking and largely overlooked is the browband being too short.
It has the effect of pulling the headpiece up onto the back of the horse's ears, irritating the hell out of them.
To eliminate the browband see if you can get 2 adult sized fingers under it with ease when on the horse, if in doubt, try removing the browband completely to see if it makes any difference.
Oz

 

[charmeroo]

Nosenet! They work really well for headshakers!

 

[bluewhippet]

I think the problem is light rather than pollen, not sure though of course. Thought I'd just start with the bridle. If I buy a padded Jeffries headpiece, remove the noseband and make sure the browband is big enough (pretty sure it is), then will that be about as comfortable as a bridle can be or is there anything else I can do?

 

[nosenseofdirection]

I would definitely check the browband as Arabs often need a size bigger than the rest of the bridle (mine has a pony bridle with cob browband, for example). Worth a try?

 

[bluewhippet]

I will - it would be lovely if something small like a few alterations to his bridle could make a difference. He enjoys being ridden but I would love for both our sakes to make him comfortable.

 

[speedycivic]

You could try a bosal. Bitless bridle. Also uvmask. Had a partially photic triggered headshaker for ten years

 

[bluewhippet]

Thanks speedy civic, did the uvmask make a difference?

 

[[59668]]

Uv mask made a huge difference to my lad this summer.

 

[Jazzy B]

if bridle is fine, then a nose net. With my mare (who was awful in the summer) I got a fly fringe and tied some knots in it to make it heavier and attached it to her nose band it really helped head shaking but hers was def allergy related

 

[hairycob]

Re the suggestion of trying without a brow band. I did this & the bridle came off at canter , so I suggest that, unlike me, you try it in an enclosed area!

 

[ThePony]

A bridle with a padded poll is well worth it - make sure that it is actually cut back behind the ears though rather than just padding added. Was impressed with the heritage one my mare came with (she is in a m2m now) http://www.headtohoof.co.uk/product-details/b--heritage-comfort-bridle/0/
She also has a much bigger browband - it is 'too big', but she is happy so I am too! In a correctly fitted browband she shakes. For some reason she doesn't get on with the v padded crank nosebands - even when at normal noseband looseness. She prefers no noseband, but she has a v plain (not too wide) hunter caversson on for dressage to keep the rule makers happy! When I got her the back teeth were sharp (first vets didn't pick up on this) and this has def lead to remembered pain in this area, I think this is why she doesn't get on with more snug padded nosebands as it pushes the skin against her back teeth.

Good luck! Unless your horse is v standard in the fittings it is worth buying the bridle in bits - my mare takes full headpiece, cob cheeks, xfull noseband, and larger than xfull browband (she doesn't look odd!).

 

[bluewhippet]

Re the suggestion of trying without a brow band. I did this & the bridle came off at canter , so I suggest that, unlike me, you try it in an enclosed area!

That occured to me but I can quite see me just happily heading off for the woods in other less thoughtful moods!

 

[bluewhippet]

A bridle with a padded poll is well worth it - make sure that it is actually cut back behind the ears though rather than just padding added. Was impressed with the heritage one my mare came with (she is in a m2m now) http://www.headtohoof.co.uk/product-details/b--heritage-comfort-bridle/0/
She also has a much bigger browband - it is 'too big', but she is happy so I am too! In a correctly fitted browband she shakes. For some reason she doesn't get on with the v padded crank nosebands - even when at normal noseband looseness. She prefers no noseband, but she has a v plain (not too wide) hunter caversson on for dressage to keep the rule makers happy! When I got her the back teeth were sharp (first vets didn't pick up on this) and this has def lead to remembered pain in this area, I think this is why she doesn't get on with more snug padded nosebands as it pushes the skin against her back teeth.

Good luck! Unless your horse is v standard in the fittings it is worth buying the bridle in bits - my mare takes full headpiece, cob cheeks, xfull noseband, and larger than xfull browband (she doesn't look odd!).

Thanks very much. I am going to try a full browband even if does seem a bit too big. I have a padded headpiece - a Jeffries one that I have just bought - which I assume will be slightly cut back. A bit of a waste really because it has clever noseband slot design but I am not planning to use a noseband. Maybe if we ever tempt dressage in public ....

 

[speedycivic]

Hi bluewhippet. It did help, but needed to do other stuff other than just that as was triggered by multiple things x

 

[FionaM12]

Re the suggestion of trying without a brow band. I did this & the bridle came off at canter , so I suggest that, unlike me, you try it in an enclosed area!

Before I tried riding without a browband, I started a thread here asking was it safe to do so and the reply was yes. How can the browband keep a bridle on? It's at the front of the bridle, and it would come off forwards, surely? Mine is a cross-under bitless, so rather different anyway.

Here's the thread about it: http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=479465