Horse was broken bit less now doesn’t like bit

[Sashadressage]

Hi, I have a horse that I bought very green and only really backed. The people who had her before backed and schooled her bitless and now that I have introduced a bit she hates it. She tries to grab at it and opens her mouth with her tongue out. (I have had the dentist out and her bridle is fitted correctly) I have tried different bits on her and her current one seems to be the best match but she still just hates having it in her mouth. (Current bit is a copper French link with a sweet iron lossenge)
I have used a flash on her and she gets really stiff, throws her head about and I can tell it’s uncomfortable. Any suggestions.

 

[Barton Bounty]

Sounds just like its not something she is used to, I would maybe try an apple flavoured eggbutt , see how she gets on with that. But I am thinking she will probably just take time.

 

[Birker2020]

You might find a warmer bit like a nathe type like BB suggested would work. Or a NS bit as they have the added copper alloys which makes them warmer in the mouth and better at encouraging the horse to accept the bit. They have a thinner mouthpiece which can benefit horses with large tongues or fleshy lips. Can you run a little toothpaste along the mouthpiece in the centre or will this encourage her to mouth more?

Bit butter is very effective and will help. Its designed to moisturise the horse's mouth of prevent rubbing and encourage acceptance of the bit. It also helps to heal any existing dry or split areas and is enriched with a 'mouth softening complex' that includes mango and shea butter, peppermint and soybean oil, vitamin E, beeswax and jojoba.

It smells amazing, they should make a body mouse out of it I think!

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Have you tried without the flash?

 

[SEL]

The NS bits seem to be well tolerated by horses - the metal feels warmer. Their turtle top worked well as a starter bit when my Appy was young and getting her tongue over everything.

It's worth popping a cavesson on and lunging from that whilst she's also wearing her bridle - then she gets used to the feel of a bit without any movement on it. If she settles without a rider then I'd next do some flexions from the ground so she understands what you want from the bit

 

[Cortez]

I suggest to contact a good trainer experienced with breaking horses to help you. There are many stages involved with introducing a horse to the bit when breaking in, this will also apply to horses which have been ridden bitless.

 

[Sashadressage]

Have you tried without the flash?

Yeah I currently have her out long reigning for the last week without the flash she seems to be accepting it more. I only tried the flash for half a session but it was making her so much worse

 

[Cortez]

Yeah I currently have her out long reigning for the last week without the flash she seems to be accepting it more. I only tried the flash for half a session but it was making her so much worse

Well of course it was.....Flash straps are problematic at any stage, and certainly not appropriate for a horse with an uneducated mouth. IME long reining is not the best way to teach horses how to respond to the bit, and is actually counterproductive in the early stages if you want to do any kind of more advanced riding.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Yeah I currently have her out long reigning for the last week without the flash she seems to be accepting it more. I only tried the flash for half a session but it was making her so much worse

I hate Flash nosebands and would never use them horrible things, is the bit low enough I see lots of horses with the bit far too high in the mouth and it can cause a lot of discomfort.

I wouldn't long rein either just get on and ride with a very soft contact for short periods at a time.

 

[Horseysheepy]

She just needs treating like a young horse who has never been bitted in it is life.
If in doubt, ask a person who has experience in young horses in how best to approach this.

 

[Sashadressage]

I only had the flash on for 10 minutes before taking it off. I had the yard manager check my bridle. I am bhs and pony club qualified to fit tack so it was just a second opinion. Im just being patient with her and doing small sessions every day as I suppose it’s just taking her a bit longer to get used to it. Thank you for tips. Everything is appreciated.

 

[Squeak]

She just needs treating like a young horse who has never been bitted in it is life.
If in doubt, ask a person who has experience in young horses in how best to approach this.

This was my thoughts as well. It can seem misleading as you are used to riding her and so don't think of her as an unbacked youngster but in terms of bitting she needs to be taken right back to the beginning and almost taught like a horse that hasn't seen a bridle or been ridden in one.

 

[planete]

I would put her bridle on and a simple bitless bridle, or even a halter or the cavesson, with reins on both so you can slowly transfer your rein aids from the bit less bridle to the bit starting with her just carrying the bit in her mouth until she is happy with it there before picking up any contact with the bit.

 

[ihatework]

What mouthing / yielding stuff have you done?

I always make sure they are completely happy/settled with bit in mouth when loose in stable.
I then get them comfortable to yielding to the bit whilst in stable, essentially just standing on the ground by their shoulder and with the reins just gently getting them to yield left and right. Then teaching them the woah aid again from the ground.

Lots of subtle advances from that too, but for me those are the bare minimum they must 100% understand before lunging/longreining/riding with a bit.

 

[dominobrown]

A horse isn’t born knowing what a bit is and how to react to it. Often when they feel pressure for the first time they don’t how to react.
Also I don’t like switching bits when they are first started as it becomes confusing for them so just stick to something simple that fits well and isn’t too bulky in the mouth.
Also don’t expect a horse to work in a „consistent„ until they understand and become stronger. Reward the try and just bear with… they will get there eventually. I find a lot of people worry and chop and change when in fact a horse just needs time and consistency. Good luck
oh and I agree with ihatework post.

 

[Sashadressage]

This has been so helpful. Today she was actually really good she has stopped the open mouth tongue sticking out stuff thank god. She likes to play with the bit but honestly I just think I needed her to get the feel of it. Small bits every day and seeing massive improvements in just a few days

 

[Lyle]

Lots of good advice here. I don't put reins on a bit until the horse is completely comfortable in the stable with the bit in (I supervise this stage, even though there is nothing left in the stable to get the bridle/bit caught on, but we know horses!) I do lots and lots of ground work before riding. I start mine bitless, they have the concept of seat/voice cues and directional cues established first under saddle. I then put the bit in and ride with a bitless bridle until they are comfortable with the bit in their mouth while being ridden (usually it's no issue at all). Then, I add the reins and do the same flexing exercises as I've done on the ground, under saddle (the horse has also done these bitless/in a rope halter) so the horse has plenty of understanding to try and offer me the correct response. I then ride pretty normally, using the same seat/voice cues and directional cues. They are still green babies though, and it's important to be super sympathetic.

 

[Boulty]

See how you go but if you're still struggling see if there's a bit fitter local to you who could bring a range of styles & materials of bit with them to see what she likes. My Highland is currently in something vaguely similar to a Cambridge snaffle (it's some weird ported straightbar designed for small mouths & big tongues that I can't remember the exact name of). It's not something I would ever have thought to put him in of my own back tbh despite already having the cheapie version in the tack room form experimenting with the Welsh (who it turned out was definitely a NS boy (expensive tastes!) but he made it quite clear that he didn't like a bit with a joint or a losenge and so bit fitter tried this and he was instantly a lot quieter in his mouth and has (apart from a few little baby blips) generally accepted the contact well in it. We did a lot of lunging & longreing off a lunge caveson whilst he had the bit in his mouth to play with and I also did a little bit of teaching him to yield to bit pressure on the ground as a separate thing. As yours is already broken bitless have you tried riding with 2 sets of reins ie one of the bitless and one on the bit (you might need to take the noseband off the bitted bridle so she doesn't end up with too much on her face)? That way you could do a gentle transition from one to the other?

 

[maya2008]

Just a thought, but perhaps they rode her bitless because she had the same reaction with them.