Help for headshy horse

[viceversa]

I visited a friend at the weekend and her horse is very headshy. He has a scar on his left ear and he doesn't like you going near this ear in particular, think he's probably had a nasty ear twitching experience in the past. He doesn't like you brushing the top of his neck and face and is difficult to bridle. She's always had to take the whole bridle apart to put on but now has progressed to loosening it to make it more roomy then putting it over his ears before putting the bit in.
Does anyone have any advice / experience with headshy horses which may make both their lives a little easier?
Thanks

 

[cowgirl16]

I can't give you a quick or magic fix for this because there isn't one. You don't say how long your friend has had this horse, but I'm assuming not very long. Years ago the yard I worked on took on a little mare for selling which was given to me to care for. She was extremely headshy. Like your friend's horse, she was virtually unapproachable on the left side of her head. We came to the conclusion she had been beaten around the head. Like your friend, I had to take the bridle apart to get it on her. With time and a lot of patience, I managed to get her to accept the bridle. It took 6 weeks. I saw no point in trying to bridle her from the off side, as I wanted her to accept and be comfortable being worked on the nearside. It sounds from your post that your friend has made progress, which is great. I'm sure that with more time and patience and quiet handling that her horse will come good. As we all know, no animal forgets being treated harshly, and it can take a very long time indeed to get their trust back. If we ever do! This little mare that I cared for never forgot her past, and you had to be very quiet about her head. I was worried sick about her when she was eventually sold, but her new owners were told about her sensitivity around her head and handled her sympathetically. They were thrilled to bits with her, and she thrived in her new home. Tell your friend to keep up the good work. She understands his problems, and her horse will sense that. He will come good for her.

 

[Tyssandi]

My mare is head shy, though since with me she has improved quite a bit but still doesn't like quick movements round her head

 

[Maesto's Girl]

My mare was the same and all I can say is it takes time. I've had to build her trust in me and take things really slowly. I'm really one of the only people she will allow to touch all parts of her head, but she is getting slightly better with others so long as they are really sensitive.