Health and safety (specifically arm over horse's head)

Pearlsasinger

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It's a lot less faffy and less potential for eye poking or ear pulling than the BHS way IMO

However each to their own!


It's a very long time since I was first taught to put a bridle on a horse - and I probably wouldn't have been able to reach to put my arm over the poll anyway!:)
 

bonnysmum

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It's a lot less faffy and less potential for eye poking or ear pulling than the BHS way IMO

However each to their own!

Totally agree. And if you inherit a horse that's been forced to put their head down rather than trained, and you don't have the appetite or strength for such forcing, it's a hell of a lot easier! No risk of poking at all because the nose band is at nose level, whereas if I try with what I now understand is the English technique the noseband just gets in the way!
 

Pearlsasinger

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Totally agree. And if you inherit a horse that's been forced to put their head down rather than trained, and you don't have the appetite or strength for such forcing, it's a hell of a lot easier! No risk of poking at all because the nose band is at nose level, whereas if I try with what I now understand is the English technique the noseband just gets in the way!


I would have thought that putting your arm over the poll was forcing the head down but if it works for you....... I have done all sorts of weird and wonderful things to persuade horses to forget bad experiences and get the job done, like doing everything from the 'wrong' side.
 

bonnysmum

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I would have thought that putting your arm over the poll was forcing the head down but if it works for you....... I have done all sorts of weird and wonderful things to persuade horses to forget bad experiences and get the job done, like doing everything from the 'wrong' side.

You'd think and yet that way she just puts her head down and happily takes the bit. The traditional way turns into a battle of strength that I lose every time!

It's very interesting to hear @TPO 's explanation because I was mighty confused when I went hunting on YouTube for help & found almost everyone telling me the polar opposite of what I'd been taught. Anyone showing the English method, on YouTube or in person, was just like "you just do this and job done" like it was the easiest thing in the world with no explanation of how you get the horse to keep its head down. Warwick Schiller's video on bridling a difficult horse was a complete revelation to me!
 
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TPO

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It's the best part of 20yrs since I was shown it. My bhs way was not compatible with semi ferals with all the had swapping and reaching under reaching under around.

The way you've mentioned is so much simpler and because head lowering is a staple there's no need to hang onto noses.

I'm presuming that it's it's American way of bridling too because that's how I've seen it explained in all the "starting colts" books and dvds.

As long as everyone is safe whatever works for each individual will be the right way for them ?
 

TPO

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Surely out of all the things we do with horses, the placement of your hands/arms when bridling doesn't even make the top 100 most dangerous ?‍♀️??

Until one swings its head towards you and clunks you on yours! With your arm under the jaw and around the outside of the head the "ideal" space is to throw head up and down and/or towards the handlers head.

I've seen it happen but thankfully never had it happen to me. I've also heard stories of people knocked out in that way but thankfully never experienced or witnessed it.

Every innocuous situation has the potential to be dangerous around horse. Its, emm, why we love them?! ??
 

Skib

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I learned to ride as an older adult and did the BHS Stage I stable management course at my RS.

I was taught to take the long strap on the head collar, put it under the horses chin and up the other side of her neck and reach over the neck to take it in my other hand. This sorted out the circle of the head collar that fitted round her nose. And into which most horses, recognising my ignorance, insert their nose.

I cant see how this is dangerous as one can let go of the head collar if the horse throws its head up. But with horses, everything is in context. I learned from John Lyons books that one must be very polite to horses. I tell the horse I am going to put on a head collar and lay the lead rope across her shoulders first. If the head is thrown up, my tactic is to wait.
 

Keith_Beef

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I was thinking about this thread went I went to tack up this morning...

I wish I'd asked somebody to film me putting the bridle on the horse, it must have taken less than five seconds!

He lowered his head, came looking for the bit and took it straight away, so I moved my right hand over his head in front of his ears and slipped it onto him. I don't think my arm was ever over his neck, and I certainly was never reaching up from underneath.
 
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