Caol Ila
Well-Known Member
Some of you may or may not remember a thread I started about troubles with bridling Fin. He would throw his head back and spin away from you as soon as you put the reins over his head, and good luck pulling the bridle over. Had the vet out, found nothing wrong, etc. etc.
I changed bits and bridles, from a mechanical hackamore to a simple Western headstall attached to a very nice Fager titanium snaffle (luckily for me and horses, Hermosa didn't like it... it was expensive so I am over the moon that Fin did). Once you got the tack on, he seemed happier in this setup. He'd hated every other bit I had tried, hence the hackamore*, which he went really well in for a while. Until he suddenly didn't. Made a pair of hacking buddies who fancied a fast, far hack turn for home early because he felt like he was going to lose it. That was our low point. However, he felt more relaxed and like himself in the Fager, so that was a start. Then I worked out that if you undid the cheekpiece and put on the bridle like headcollar, he accepted it like a quiet, happy little lamb. Problem solved. So that's what I have been doing for about six months.
A friend of mine is on a course to get certified as an equine behaviourist and needs case studies, so I offered up Fin. Mainly for his hacking alone stuff, but he has many other quirks. She wanted to see what he did if you bridled him the normal way. The whole spinning giraffe impression. I proceeded to put on the bridle the way most people put on bridles, and he stood like the best behaved riding school pony and quietly accepted it. "Oh," I said to my friend. "Nevermind." For the last couple days, I have continued to bridle normally, and he continues to act calm and happy about it.
My best theory is that the poll pressure from the hackamore must have become unpleasant. Maybe from repeated use. Maybe from something happening in the field. Fireworks night happened around the time bridling got tricky, and he could have strained a muscle freaking out. Who knows. Hence immediate improvement once ridden in the little Fager, but he still associated 'normal' bridling with pain. I put on the bridle in a different way, and the bad association gradually broke because he no longer connected the bridle itself with pain or discomfort.
Sometimes, the 'future me problem' approach to horsemanship does work!
*I am very aware that mechanical hacks are one of the harshest bitless bridles out there. Fin occasionally likes to try to take over the steering, and unfortunately riding in things like bosals and sidepulls was a good way to end up having an adventure crashing through trees. Or landing on top of long-suffering OH when he stepped into the bushes for a pee. To the great chagrin and confusion of my behaviourist-trainee friend, who thinks all bits are cruel, a snaffle is the least harsh thing you can ride him in that gives you enough control to not end up in a bush. She has kind of acknowledged that, which is a mega revelation for her.
I changed bits and bridles, from a mechanical hackamore to a simple Western headstall attached to a very nice Fager titanium snaffle (luckily for me and horses, Hermosa didn't like it... it was expensive so I am over the moon that Fin did). Once you got the tack on, he seemed happier in this setup. He'd hated every other bit I had tried, hence the hackamore*, which he went really well in for a while. Until he suddenly didn't. Made a pair of hacking buddies who fancied a fast, far hack turn for home early because he felt like he was going to lose it. That was our low point. However, he felt more relaxed and like himself in the Fager, so that was a start. Then I worked out that if you undid the cheekpiece and put on the bridle like headcollar, he accepted it like a quiet, happy little lamb. Problem solved. So that's what I have been doing for about six months.
A friend of mine is on a course to get certified as an equine behaviourist and needs case studies, so I offered up Fin. Mainly for his hacking alone stuff, but he has many other quirks. She wanted to see what he did if you bridled him the normal way. The whole spinning giraffe impression. I proceeded to put on the bridle the way most people put on bridles, and he stood like the best behaved riding school pony and quietly accepted it. "Oh," I said to my friend. "Nevermind." For the last couple days, I have continued to bridle normally, and he continues to act calm and happy about it.
My best theory is that the poll pressure from the hackamore must have become unpleasant. Maybe from repeated use. Maybe from something happening in the field. Fireworks night happened around the time bridling got tricky, and he could have strained a muscle freaking out. Who knows. Hence immediate improvement once ridden in the little Fager, but he still associated 'normal' bridling with pain. I put on the bridle in a different way, and the bad association gradually broke because he no longer connected the bridle itself with pain or discomfort.
Sometimes, the 'future me problem' approach to horsemanship does work!
*I am very aware that mechanical hacks are one of the harshest bitless bridles out there. Fin occasionally likes to try to take over the steering, and unfortunately riding in things like bosals and sidepulls was a good way to end up having an adventure crashing through trees. Or landing on top of long-suffering OH when he stepped into the bushes for a pee. To the great chagrin and confusion of my behaviourist-trainee friend, who thinks all bits are cruel, a snaffle is the least harsh thing you can ride him in that gives you enough control to not end up in a bush. She has kind of acknowledged that, which is a mega revelation for her.
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