Easy to put on bridle..any such thing?

[Femail733]

Hi there, we were told our new cod was ear shy…putting on headcollar and bridle have apparently always been a bit of a fight. After a week of me taking the head collar slowly and undoing buckle and attaching again once her nose was in it’s now not a problem…the bridle on the other hand still is a massive issue for us.
The bit she came with was horrendous, nobody has seen one like it and I haven’t been able to find it. It clearly caused her pain and she was very uncomfortable. I’m assuming fighting the bridle was due to this rather than her ears as I can touch, move and clean her ears no problem. As soon as she sees the bridle she becomes anxious even with the new bit. it looks like undoing it to try to put it on isn’t going to be a possibility so what im asking is there a bridle that would allow us to fit easier over her ears or something we could fit like a headcollar and buckle up after bit and nose band are in/on?
We are new to this as you can probably tell

 

[Parrotperson]

There was a racehorse years ago that was the same. (Burroughill lad or garrison savannah I forget which!)

You couldn’t put a bridge on him.

They did it by taking the bridle apart and putting it on bit by bit. Worth a try. Cob might well get used to it and eventually you’ll be ok.

 

[Parrotperson]

Bridle not bridge.

 

[dreamcometrue]

Would it help if you took off the noseband and browband altogether?

 

[Highmileagecob]

An endurance bridle might work, the nylon one where the bit just clips in, and can be dropped loose for rest breaks. Otherwise, going bitless for a while may help.

 

[ycbm]

Deleted, didn't read it properly.

 

[paddy555]

I think the first job is to get a vet/dentist out, get a gag on and see what's going on in her mouth. If there is a problem there which may simply be sharp teeth needing rasping then she is never going to happily accept any bit.

 

[fetlock]

We had a pony like this once.

I had to assemble the bridle piece by piece onto her head. After about 10 months of patience, feeding her whilst assembling the top (problem) bits and lots of treats/rewards she did improve a lot but still wasn’t good about it.

It was problematic in the show ring too and she put me on the floor a few times when judges moved to hook rosettes on her browband.

We sold her back to the stud who bred her in the end as a brood mare.

We bought her newly backed. God knows what those who backed her did to her to cause such distress. It was also a hard lesson learnt too, to ensure to see them tacked up in front of you during a viewing.

 

[The Xmas Furry]

An endurance bridle might work, the nylon one where the bit just clips in, and can be dropped loose for rest breaks. Otherwise, going bitless for a while may help.

Yes, one like This, can put on as a headcollar, then put bit in as you would a driving bridle as the cheeks clip to the side ring.
Remove browband to start with.

 

[Glitterandrainbows]

Bit butter on take the nose band off teach horse to lower head for a treat and put the bridle in ur right hand and lower over horses face instead of coming in from side x

 

[Glitterandrainbows]

 

[Glitterandrainbows]

Tried to add a photo in my left hand had abit of a stud muffin believe me she had the worst fear of bridles

 

[Polar Bear9]

Mine is like this and no amount of desensitisation has ever worked. I use a monocrown bridle with buckle browband so I don't have to fully dismantle. Undo noseband and bit, un-pop browband. Then put round ears, reattach browband and then put bit in mouth and do up bridle. I've been doing it so long now that this method is second nature and I can barely remember how to put on a bridle properly.

 

[sassandbells]

I bought the Presteq Faysport bridle for this exact reason. The Browband is attached with poppers, and the bit is clipped onto the bridle so can be taken off completely. Super easy and quick to put on!

 

[stangs]

Undo cheekpiece on one side, slip onto ears without pressure and then put bit in mouth and do up. Easiest done without a noseband.

Alternatively, an endurance bridle as mentioned above.

 

[Barton Bounty]

Would it help if you took off the noseband and browband altogether?

Id try this, just an open bridle over the headcollar to start with. Encourage with treat and over exaggerated, well dones

 

[Femail733]

There was a racehorse years ago that was the same. (Burroughill lad or garrison savannah I forget which!)

You couldn’t put a bridge on him.

They did it by taking the bridle apart and putting it on bit by bit. Worth a try. Cob might well get used to it and eventually you’ll be ok.

Ah so this is what Ive asked a few people, would it not be better to undo and then do it up and have been told no? I’m still finding my around bridles (she’s my daughters pony but I’m helping to look after her). I will have a go at taking apart and putting on tomorrow. I’m sure this is the answer to it thank you

 

[Femail733]

Would it help if you took off the noseband and browband altogether?

I’m wondering if our bridle is one where this is t possible with as I’ve been told there’s no other way than pushing over her ears after bit is in? I’m going to have a good look it tomorrow and see if I can work it out. Thank you for your reply

 

[Femail733]

An endurance bridle might work, the nylon one where the bit just clips in, and can be dropped loose for rest breaks. Otherwise, going bitless for a while may help.

An endurance bridle might work, the nylon one where the bit just clips in, and can be dropped loose for rest breaks. Otherwise, going bitless for a while may help.

ah this sounds like something we could do with. I will have a look for one, thank you

 

[Femail733]

I think the first job is to get a vet/dentist out, get a gag on and see what's going on in her mouth. If there is a problem there which may simply be sharp teeth needing rasping then she is never going to happily accept any bit.

I did have a vet check on her before buying and vet said all sound as far as she could see but I am booking in dentist tomorrow just to be sure

 

[Femail733]

We had a pony like this once.

I had to assemble the bridle piece by piece onto her head. After about 10 months of patience, feeding her whilst assembling the top (problem) bits and lots of treats/rewards she did improve a lot but still wasn’t good about it.

It was problematic in the show ring too and she put me on the floor a few times when judges moved to hook rosettes on her browband.

We sold her back to the stud who bred her in the end as a brood mare.

We bought her newly backed. God knows what those who backed her did to her to cause such distress. It was also a hard lesson learnt too, to ensure to see them tacked up in front of you during a viewing.

Oh that’s such a shame for you thinking about it now, although we got to know her over 3 Wk period before bringing her home we never actually seen her being tacked up. She was always ready and waiting to be hacked out on when we got there I did notice one time that the headcollar was a prob for one of them so I questioned that and was told she never likes getting her ears touched and over 7 years it was something they just accepted…. After 2 week of patience and going east with the head collar she’s fine now with that bad has no probs with me cleaning her ears either. X

 

[Femail733]

Yes, one like This, can put on as a headcollar, then put bit in as you would a driving bridle as the cheeks clip to the side ring.
Remove browband to start with.

Oh great this looks like it could be the answer to it. Thank you

 

[Femail733]

Tried to add a photo in my left hand had abit of a stud muffin believe me she had the worst fear of bridles

Beautiful pony! I will give this a good go tomorrow, thank you

 

[Femail733]

Mine is like this and no amount of desensitisation has ever worked. I use a monocrown bridle with buckle browband so I don't have to fully dismantle. Undo noseband and bit, un-pop browband. Then put round ears, reattach browband and then put bit in mouth and do up bridle. I've been doing it so long now that this method is second nature and I can barely remember how to put on a bridle properly.

Thank you,I know people are thinking they don’t want it taking any longer than it has to but I’d prefer to do it the long way round if it means she’s not scared and can go into a ride relaxed and not fearing the bridle every time we have to get it out. I will have a Google of the monocrown, thanks

 

[Caol Ila]

Undo cheekpiece on one side, slip onto ears without pressure and then put bit in mouth and do up. Easiest done without a noseband.

Alternatively, an endurance bridle as mentioned above.

My horse went off bridling some months ago and refused to let you pull it over his head. Vet never found a reason. Anyway, I started using a Western headstall because it didn't have a noseband, unbuckling the cheekpiece, then bringing it up and around his neck, like you would with a headcollar, and awkwardly maneuvering the bit into his mouth. Then rebuckle cheekpiece He accepted it calmly and quietly. I did have to wiggle his ears under the browband, which he was fine with but could be a probem with a more ear shy horse. Recently, he's gone back to accepting the bridle going over his head the standard way.

If it helps, I can do it the other way with someone videoing (assuming I can find a volunteer) so you can see the method that I found useful.

 

[Glitterandrainbows]

If u. A teach him or her to lower her head (with treats )I think think their teeth open naturally when they lower their head . But once u come over with the bridle u can’t take it away untill there still or u have it in if they start paddying just calmly keep the bridle near them then when they stop remover and reward

 

[Vodkagirly]

I think the first job is to get a vet/dentist out, get a gag on and see what's going on in her mouth. If there is a problem there which may simply be sharp teeth needing rasping then she is never going to happily accept any bit.

This in abundance, I would also get them booked in for massage after dentist as there is probably a lot of tension in the poll if they have been fighting bridle or in pain.
You can't train away pain so get the proper checks done ASAP.

 

[Oneday]

Had a horrendously head shy horse, he was when I bought him at 2, wouldn't have got a bridle on, so I used to unbuckle cheek piece to put it on, then had a saddler make me browband with press studs either side so on put it on after bridle . He did entually accept it on and off the normal way after a lot of patience, but you ways had to be careful.

 

[Parrotperson]

Ah so this is what Ive asked a few people, would it not be better to undo and then do it up and have been told no? I’m still finding my around bridles (she’s my daughters pony but I’m helping to look after her). I will have a go at taking apart and putting on tomorrow. I’m sure this is the answer to it thank you

Slowly and quietly. And have a carrot or two ready for reward or help with the bit (although I know someone who used a bit of bread soaked in apple juice to help get a bit in!)

 

[paddy555]

I did have a vet check on her before buying and vet said all sound as far as she could see but I am booking in dentist tomorrow just to be sure

excellent news