Have you ever had a horse dislike a bridle???

RubysGold

RubysGold

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Ok, so about 3 weeks ago I changed Jimmys bridle

He went from: normal bridle with flat hunter style brow and noseband.
Changed to a: Chunkier brow and nose band style, crank noseband but always done up really loosely. Noseband strap goes over the top of the headpiece.
But ultimately, their both just plain cavesson bridles. With the same bit

He started being evasive, not stopping when asked, putting head in air, refusing to drop his head, or bend etc.
At the time, I didnt put 2+2 together, and so I spent a couple of weeks trying to work out what was wrong. I had teeth and saddle checked, tried hacking instead of schooling and kept a keen eye on him. I thought of the bridle a few times but dismissed it becuase the bridles are so similar

Finally, 2 days ago I thought, Maybe it IS the bridle, so I put my bit back on the old bridle. Hacked out yesterday and he felt better but its hard to tell hacking.
Schooled him today and I had my good responsive boy back. Giving inside bend, dropping his head, stopping when asked. Not kicking off about being asked to rein back etc.

The only things I can think of are, maybe the bit is in a different position, or maybe he doesnt like the headpiece on the new bridle. Will try my crank noseband on the old bridle because I prefer this noseband!

Has anyone elses horse ever disliked a bridle?
 
my mare is not comfortable with a noseband on, they have lots of nerves running under their jaw and after a while my mare becomes uncomfortable and starts head shaking she only does it with a noseband. so maybe your new bridle has something that sits/puts pressure on a nerve?
 
Yes, my old mare was very fussy about the fit of her bridle. I ended up mixing and matching three to get the perfect fit!
 
Is it one of those comfort headpieces with padding on the poll? I think they can be unnecessarily bulky which some horses don't like
 
min was getting quite naughty about having her bridle on she would always stand and accept the bit nicely but as soon as you went to put it over her ears she would shove her nose forward and try and barge you over or bolt out the dorr/accross teh field where ever you were - tried different bridles but still the same and couldnt get her out of the habbit even with 3 people trying to restrain her! but she was fine once it wa on and good to ride. had the SMT out who found alot of soreness in her poll and suggested to try a sheepskin noseband cover across the headpiece of her bridle, she was naughty again the first time but hast done it since 6months later and she doesnt get sore there any more :) would deffinatly recommend it if its the pressure of the hyead piece on the poll, shes improved dramaticcally too from a ridden point of view
 
Wheels said:
Is it one of those comfort headpieces with padding on the poll? I think they can be unnecessarily bulky which some horses don't like
Click to expand...

This! I bought one for my sensitive TB thinking it would be lovely and comfortable for him but he hated it, We went everywhere like a giraffe. Put him back in a regular head piece and problem solved.
 
Yep. My boy is very sensitive around his ears/poll. His old bridle had quite a wide headpiece and he used to consequently head shake because of it. Changed bridle and he doesn't do it any more!
 
I have the most beautiful dressage bridle for mine, like you it is still ultimately a snaffle bridle with yes a crank but done up loosely.
He hates it, goes like a board will not flex or drop into it and after a days use refuses to be bridled when he see's it coming.

Stick the 3 yr old soft as butter hunter bridle on, its not fancy and has no 'padding', and he goes like a lamb.

Unfortunately said fancy dressage bridle with 2 x browbands will be headed to e bay :(
 
Yes and billy is not a hugely sensitive soul so I was surprised! Got him a nice bridle off eBay which was a crank noseband which went over the top of headpiece.
He absolutely hated it! No huge misbehaviours or anything but he kept his ears back most of time (and we were hacking, any new bit or bridle I try to hack out in first) and then was resisting more than usual. Swapped it back to his normal bridle and he went right back to normal! :)
 
Use your original bit, how are his teeth, is the bit sitting in the right place in the mouth, not too high catching teeth or too low catching tongue
 
Intrigued as to why you changed bridles in the first place?

Also, have you tried bitless, if you really need to change? I know two top notch eventers who ride their horses in them, and I've always loved them (and the horses too!!)
 
Thanks everyone, Im glad to hear that its not just my horse! At least now I know what was wrong :)

Rose: The one he was wearing (which Ive now put back on) was one I bought cheap in the sale when I was getting ready to back him. Always planned to replace it with a nicer one when he was riding away (backed 2 years ago now) but never got round to it. Then found my mares bridle which she stopped wearing when I bought brown tack for her, so I put it on him

I don't want a bitless bridle, Ill stick with this one.

I didn't change his bit but I do wonder if maybe it was sat slightly higher or lower in his mouth. But I get the impression it was mostly likely the headpiece that he wasn't keen on :)
 
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