Help with problems getting the bit in please!

R

rose bud

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 July 2011
Messages
213
Visit site
Hi,
when i bought my mare (2 wks ago) the owner said that she had been untacked by a young girl recently who had bashed her in the teeth with the bit and she was a bit reluctant to let you put it in her mouth. However i saw her being tacked up on two different days and she looked ok with it.
When i brought her home and tried to put her bridle on she would not let me put the bit in, she put her head up and paced around the stable getting stressed!
She has since let me put it in 3 times with a treat on my hand, but it takes quite a while!
Has any one got any tips to make it easier? Do you think thats its a trust issue at the moment as she doesn't know me that well yet?
I was wondering whether to try a happy mouth, but i'm not sure how strong she is yet. Shes in a french link eggbut snaffle at the moment.
I had her vetted and he checked her teeth which were all ok.
Any ideas welcome please, i want to ride her!
 
Personally I would just persevere with the treat idea but I wouldnt ler her move around when your doing it eg no pacing round the stable.

ETA: also in my experience a horse that was bashed in the teeth untacking was funny about having the bridle taken off and the horse that was scared of its mouth when being ridden wasnt funny about its bridle being put on or taken off while a horse that had been tweaked when the bridle was being put on had an issue when the bridle was put on (solved with the treat method ;) ) so what they're telling you doesnt quite add up for me but maybe others have had different experiences...

EETA I dont think a happy mouth will help, I would just keep it in what it is used to.
 
Last edited:
try putting some apple sauce or something similar that she likes on the bit so she assosiates it with something nice rather than something cold thats going to bash her teeth. it couldnt have been a pleasant experience.
 
First thing I'd be doing is checking the bridle very carefully once on to make sure everything fits properly. You'd be suprised how easy it can be to miss something e.g. a too tight browband, that can quickly make the horse reluctant to be bridled. Check the bit too - make sure it's not too narrow and have a good feel to make sure there are no sharp edges or anything that may cause her discomfort.

Once you've ruled out the above I'd take the noseband off the bridle - just to keep everything simple and easy - and I'd put the cheekpieces down a hole before putting it on so you can be careful round her ears and also to make sure the bit doesn't jab her in the mouth as you put the headpiece into place. I don't mean to imply that there is anything wrong with the way you put the bridle on but if she has been bridled roughly in the past you'll build her confidence much quicker if everything is done in the softest way possible

I'd be taking the bridle on and off several times per day if you can, making sure she has a treat each time she takes the bit. You could also try smearing something tasty onto the metal the first few times to encourage her to accept it. If she's trying to charge round the stable you may want to leave her headcollar on underneath and have someone gently hold her while you do this. It can be a difficult balance to get as you want to be able to get the bridle on and off so she realises it's ok but if you put too much pressure on her to stand still you may make the experience more stressful. Often, especially with a new horse, we get flustered quite quickly with this kind of thing - which only makes things worse! - so having a calm, experienced friend to help can be very beneficial.

The other option of course is to ride her in a hackamore or bitless bridle for a couple of weeks, which will let you build more of a relationship before you tackle this issue. It should also give an indication of whether it's the bit she's objecting to or if she's protesting about the bridle in general - or even about being ridden. It can be difficult at times to pinpoint the exact cause of these kind of problems - hopefully the previous owner was being honest with you and it's something which can be solved fairly quickly with calm, fair handling. :)
 
I second the using the headcollar idea. When my new mare arrived she was tricky to tack up, she was generally a bit tricky with everything new. So I kept her tied up with headcollar on, and bridled over the headcollar. (Which I left on while I rode)
It meant we could both take it very gently and quietly, and after a few times she settled. Your issue may take a longer while to work through, but cut down on the ares where there is an issue -if you can keep her still and head within reach there are 2 things less to worry about. Good luck!
 
undo the bit at one side for a start. put bridle on normally, then put the bit in and fasten it. same to take it off for a start. after a few days/weeks you'll be able to take it off normally. just need to break the habit of her being scared.

ditto having a hand and a headcollar on for more control. quiet persistance, dont need all guns blazing but start as you mean to go on and dont settle for less.
 
Squeak said:
Personally I would just persevere with the treat idea but I wouldnt ler her move around when your doing it eg no pacing round the stable.

ETA: also in my experience a horse that was bashed in the teeth untacking was funny about having the bridle taken off and the horse that was scared of its mouth when being ridden wasnt funny about its bridle being put on or taken off while a horse that had been tweaked when the bridle was being put on had an issue when the bridle was put on (solved with the treat method ;) ) so what they're telling you doesnt quite add up for me but maybe others have had different experiences...

EETA I dont think a happy mouth will help, I would just keep it in what it is used to.
Click to expand...

thankyou,
i'm starting to wonder if they have told me the truth (im hoping they have) but the other thing that she does is holds the bit in her teeth when you take the bridle off.... What do you think this would mean?
 
Is she quite young? Most youngsters I have had have gone through this stage.

I think the untacking is the cause of the problems. We often expect/assume a horse knows to open its mouth to let go of the bit because a more experienced horse does, but you often have to slide your hand in the mouth to open the mouth when you untack as well, and keep your hand on the nose to prevent them rushing away and raising their head which results in them getting a rap on the teeth if the bit is still in..

I would continue down the treat road a little bit, but not too much. I don't like horses excecting treats. With horses with this problem, I put the reins over the neck, then spend a few minutes fussing the horse, while holding its head - gentle talking and stroking to reduce the stress and make putting the bridle on a nice experience.

Also remember to hold the bridle halfway down, rather than at headpiece when you tack up, so that you can keep your hand on the nose (where you were stroking) while you ease the bit in, and if the horse lifts its head it is not immediately out of your reach.

With one of my more recent youngsters, we had to do the cuddle thing even two years later when the pony was fine about being tacked up - she would just shove her head under your armpit and go soppy when she saw the bridle!

You will get there, just be as smooth and efficient with the process as you can. My husband's 7yr old will still play the "not having my bridle on" with novices but never with us!
 
Last edited:
Hi,
she's 11 years old, so no not young!
I have tried keeping my hand on her nose but as soon as the bit comes near she throws her head up too high for me to reach. She also holds the bit in her teeth when i take it off.... Does this mean anything?
I'm a bit worried that tying her up short will stress her more as the old owner did it with her loose in the stable.
She does seem to give up after a few attemps tho and let me put it in! I'm just sick of the battle!
 
2 weeks is a short time for the trust to be there for her, so stop worrying and give both of you time and try and not get stressed out with each other. I had this with my youngster when backing him, he's much better accepting the bit, but on some days it's a no no and you just have to be patient and most of the time he wont release the bit, when you try and take the bridle off and a piece of apple or carrot works wonders and yes I banged him in the teeth a couple of times, when he threw his head up as I was taking the bridle off, sometimes it cann't be helped. But you will get there.
 
highlandponygirl said:
try putting some apple sauce or something similar that she likes on the bit so she assosiates it with something nice rather than something cold thats going to bash her teeth. it couldnt have been a pleasant experience.
Click to expand...

ditto this! i had a little 11.2 (daughters pony) that when she first arrived would only accept the bit if it had been dipped in honey!!! This only lasted a few weeks and she then would readily open her mouth in anticipation lol:):)
 
My horse arrived exactly the same - and I used treats/honey and now it is a long fogotten problem. (PS Once she was a little bit confident, I started giving her a treat After the bit was in and gradually weaned her off).

Another thought, you could buy a happy mouth/rubber straight bar bit to practice getting the bit in, as you know you can give her another clank in the mouth.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top