how long would you leave a youngster in a bridle

[Ibblebibble]

daughters 5 yr old pony has a bit of a bridling issue at the mo, someone who does a lot of breaking advised getting a bridle on him and then leaving it on him all day in the stable, I can see this would get him to accept the bridle being on, but would he think 'sod you you're not leaving me with that on again' the next time i went to bridle him would you leave a youngster bridled all day? i know it is done but i'm not 100% sure i'm comfortable with it

 

[Cocorules]

What is the bridling issue?

 

[Devonshire dumpling]

I've seen people tying bits on to headcollars and leaving them on all day, personally I would be freaking out they would catch it on something and tear their mouth open or choke on hay!
I think you need to go back to basics and work out what the problem may be, I started off bridling my big boy by putting the headpiece over his poll with the bit only done up one side ( no brow band or noseband) then gently slipping the bit into his mouth and doing up the cheek piece, leave it on 2 mins, take off and reward. Baby baby steps, perhaps someone has bashed his teeth, often its when you take a bridle off that ppl bash teeth! Also he may have a sore mouth? XX

 

[WestCoast]

Too easy for it to catch on something.

 

[Ibblebibble]

he throws his head up as soon as you go near with the bridle, backs up to the end of the rope and fights as you try and get the bit in, then he'll freak and fight when you try and get it over his ears.
we've been doing lots of work slipping his head collar on and off over his ears, playing with his ears and he is now happy with all of that, i have got a webbing bridle as my next step was to do the same as you DD and have the bit only done on one side and get it in his mouth and then done up. The silly thing is, he was fine last year when we started him, it was only when we tried to bring him back into work this year that he freaked and has been freaking ever since

 

[Devonshire dumpling]

he throws his head up as soon as you go near with the bridle, backs up to the end of the rope and fights as you try and get the bit in, then he'll freak and fight when you try and get it over his ears.
we've been doing lots of work slipping his head collar on and off over his ears, playing with his ears and he is now happy with all of that, i have got a webbing bridle as my next step was to do the same as you DD and have the bit only done on one side and get it in his mouth and then done up. The silly thing is, he was fine last year when we started him, it was only when we tried to bring him back into work this year that he freaked and has been freaking ever since

Warm the bit so it isn't ice cold and coat it in something yummy x

 

[Cocorules]

It sounds as though it is more an issue with it going on than being on. You could just build the bridle on so undo the cheek piece on one side put the headpiece on then bit in and up on cheek piece. Also check it fits comfortably and have teeth checked. I cannot see the point of leaving on all day.

 

[Rueysmum]

Accident waiting to happen.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Put on like a driving bridle - undo a cheekpiece & once you have managed to get headpiece over then slot bit through.
Try to get a larger browband so nothing is too tight round the ears.
Otherwise, work on the bit issue 1st: get a couple of clips where you can clip bit onto headcollar & forget the rest of the bridle to start with, otherwise the headpice issue will also become a bitting issue.

Good luck, but please dont leave him in a bridle on his own

 

[mulledwhine]

Make it a nice thing to have, as others have said, warm it, attach it to head collar, ( some do not like the fuss of putting a bridle on at first) and smother it in yummy treacle

Good luck, and take it slowly

 

[Persephone]

I wouldn't leave any horse unattended with a bridle on.

 

[Mrs B]

I wouldn't leave any horse unattended with a bridle on.

This ^^^^^^^. I don't even like crossing the yard away from them and if I have to, I'll always loop the reins behind the stirrup leather.

 

[EmmaC78]

Agree with the others that I definately would not leave it on all day. I would be constantly worried about it getting caught on something.

 

[Bestdogdash]

he throws his head up as soon as you go near with the bridle, backs up to the end of the rope and fights as you try and get the bit in, then he'll freak and fight when you try and get it over his ears.
we've been doing lots of work slipping his head collar on and off over his ears, playing with his ears and he is now happy with all of that, i have got a webbing bridle as my next step was to do the same as you DD and have the bit only done on one side and get it in his mouth and then done up. The silly thing is, he was fine last year when we started him, it was only when we tried to bring him back into work this year that he freaked and has been freaking ever since

Migh be a bit obvious but have you had his teeth checked ? If he was ok before - something may be hurting him to make such a drastic backwards step. Just a thought.

 

[Ibblebibble]

thanks peeps you kind of voiced my concerns about leaving him in it, just too many risks for my liking and TBH i just can't see how it's going to change his veiw on being bridled!
DD and MW i have tried coating it in minty horselyx! what a mess that was lol, still got himself all worked up
as mentioned i have a webbing bridle so i can make that as basic as a headcollar and as it looks nothing like his bridle I'm hoping he'll be fooled enough! I'm thinking i might try a rubber bit instead of metal as he even reacts to the noise of the metal one rattling he's always been an odd bod, he'll play with cardboard packing box and pick it up and fling it about , walk over a tarp, say hello to the cows in the barn but show him a bridle and he goes to pieces, he's never had a days hard handling in his life as we've had him since he was 5 months so i know everything that has been done with him or to him

 

[Sparkles]

A previous pony reacted the exact same way, he had cauliflower ears [Aural plaques]. Have you had a look in there to see if there's anything down there causing pain for him? Pony didn't have a bad days handling either. He was fine if you built the bridle on him, stood there like a lamb and was a lamb to ride/handle in everyway. But, put a bridle on properly or a headcollar slipped on/anything which moved his ears...he would flip.