Help needed with new horse

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crellow4

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I have taken a mare on loan, she's been with me for 2 weeks now. I was aware that she would need some work as she's not been ridden for over a year due to injury. What I wasn't expecting is that she's virtually impossible to tack up. Once the tack is on she's very calm, it's getting it on that's the problem. This morning it took half an hour to put a bridle on and in the end I undid the cheek piece and slid the bit in. I was then unable to fasten the noseband or throat lash, to be honest I was just pleased I managed to get that far. She throws her head around and barges you out of the way. She's very strong and appears to have grown used to using her strength to avoid doing things.
Her teeth were cheked before she came to me so I'm happy that this is not the problem. Any suggestions???
 
Repetition, lots of praise when she does it right. Do it over and over and over again til she's bored sick and has learnt she isn't going to stop it happening. This worked with my old horse, so it might with yours.

Don't leave it til you want to ride, because you will become annoyed at her and she will pick up on this and it will make things worse.

Best of luck
 
Sounds lile you'll just have to take it steady with her, don't be in any rush. To begin with try to only attempt to tack up when you have plenty of time. Groom her for a while first and touch all around her face etc and just take your time. Don't get angry with her but don't let her walk all over you. I don't think there will be any quick fix solution, she probably just needs to learn to trust and respect you.
 
Sounds like she may have had an issue with her teeth in the past... they don't forget very easily!

Agree with the others, repetition is the key. Hopefully she'll soon realise there's nothing to worry about
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Good luck!
 
My mare use to be the same, use to take ages as she'd stick nose in the air, that was teeth related. Just time and repartion, if you feel that you could lose your temper walk away for a little while and try again. Once I got the bridle on would make a fuss of her and give her a small slice of apple, but only when the bridle was on and after a week, she was ok.
 
Can I please make a friendly suggestion to wear a hat (if you don't already) when trying to get her bridle on, I nearly got seriously injured in the summer when trying to get a bridle on a head shy horse, luckily I had my riding hat in which saved me a trip to hospital!

Good Luck with your new mare
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a few packets of polos shd do the trick.

i would take the bit off the bridle completely and start with just the leather work. i would put the reins over her head onto her neck then give her a polo, take the reins off - give her a polo. repeat this until shes happy. then rest the headpiece onto her nose like a noseband take off give her a polo, do that again but hold it on a little longer remove then give a polo. do it again but now give her a polo while its on her nose. i think you get the picture
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i would leave the bit until the very end if you want to ride and attach it when the bridle is on (get some clip cheekpieces) just until she gets more relaxed with the bridle.

just take it really steady and make sure that she knows you wont hurt her but that you wont take any crap either
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The hat is a great idea, she very nearly knocked me out today. It's amazing how much it hurts being clobbered by a horses head! It's a good tip to walk away when you feel you're losing your temper - I'll try that one. Off to the shops for polos.........
 
I'd sugest smothering the bit in toothpaste or honey or molasses so that it tastes really nice and just be patient with her like a baby - try taking some rescue remedy yourself before you start as this helps to keep the adrenaline in check!

Also just start with the simplest form of bridle - remove the noseband and browband so you just have the bit to get in, headpiece to get over the ears and throatlash to do up... once she's used to that, add the browband and then the noseband.

you could also try putting a (rather large) carrot between you'r knees or in a pocket to encorage her to keep her head down...
 
My horse is brilliant now but was bridle shy when I got her. If I remember rightly it was honey on the bit, apples, lots of praise, patiencem repetition and reducing the bridle down to the absolute minimum to start with.

and don't necessarily ride her immediately its on, maybe take it off, and try again, but make it into as much of a game as you can.

Oh, I also used to warm the bit up - a cold bit on teeth wont help!
 
Is it an issue with the bit? Is she ok with the headcollar going on, if she is then try a bitless bridle she may at some point had problems with her teeth which she remembers. It will take a lot of time and patience. Also dont always ride her after youve put the bridle on because she will associate the two. Have you had her back checked as she may associate the bridle with being ridden which causes discomfort if shes got a sore back. She should get better with time if she learns to trust you and that your not going to hurt her, she may also just be testing the limits if you've not had her long which she may have got away with before. Treats (polos, carrots) is also a good idea as it will distract her and hopefully she will eventually associate the bridle with food. Good luck!
 
I've not ridden her at all, just trying to get past the basics first. She's had her teeth and back checked recently, her owner tells me that she sometimes 'tries it on'. I'll persevere and also try some ground work as her manners in general leave much to be desired. She's unmanageable on a regular lead rope - she barges past you and keeps going until you run out of rope and let go so I'm now using a lunge line. She's a lovely looking mare and only 8, I'm hopeful that we make some progress.
 
Just take your time and be patient. I've had my horse for three weeks now, she's 16, she came from a farm in the middle of nowhere and had never been inside in her life! Today she came into the stable for the first time ever. It's taken me the full three weeks to get her to go in calmly (and come out again calmly!) but we've got there in the end.
 
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