Zenker
New User
Had my chap 4 years. He's soon to be 16. Still difficult to get his head lowered for putting on head collar and bridle. Takes bit in easily then lifts head. Any advice welcome
Lowering horse's head
- Thread starter Zenker
- Start date
J&S
Well-Known Member
Sore ears? Sore poll? Try putting the bit in with a cheek piece undone, gently slide headpiece and browband on, do up cheek piece. Teach your horse how to lower his head with carrot stretches.
Cortez
Tough but Fair
Stand on an upturned bucket, he’ll soon stop evading you if his little trick doesn’t work.
rextherobber
Well-Known Member
Has he always been like this, or is it a recent thing?
Goldenstar
Well-Known Member
That’s what I would do .
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Barton Bounty
Just simply loving life with Orbi 🥰
I would hold the bridle in one hand slide over the front to make sure the bit is at the mouth, other arm under the neck and towards ears and slide your bridle up and slip over the ears
I must be so lucky, BB practically puts it on himself lol
I must be so lucky, BB practically puts it on himself lol
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paddi22
Well-Known Member
I only have one arm that functions properly, so I can't lift it up at all. so I usually put something sweet on the bit and then they learn to look forward to accepting it
View
Well-Known Member
Assuming that this is not new (so not had a painful experience, not in pain from a physical or bridle/bit issue), I would put the bridle on using my preferred method.
You need to ensure that the horse will yield to pressure and understands to move their head away from the pressure.
Standing on the nearside, right hand goes over poll and between ears and hold headpiece.
Left has holds bit and guides it into place, right had lifts headpiece over ears. If the head goes up do not raise right hand/arm, horse meets arm and drips head away from pressure.
It’s very rare from me to put a bridle on using any other method. I just find this so much simpler and less faffy.
You need to ensure that the horse will yield to pressure and understands to move their head away from the pressure.
Standing on the nearside, right hand goes over poll and between ears and hold headpiece.
Left has holds bit and guides it into place, right had lifts headpiece over ears. If the head goes up do not raise right hand/arm, horse meets arm and drips head away from pressure.
It’s very rare from me to put a bridle on using any other method. I just find this so much simpler and less faffy.
Jambarissa
Well-Known Member
I teach mine to lower their head from gentle poll pressure using clicker training. Rarely takes more than 20 mins for them to get it then repeat a few times. Now I just have to raise my hand (unfortunate naz* salute look) and they'll drop their heads.
Alternatively as others have said if its not a pain /fear thing he'll stop doing it if he doesn't get away with it so something firm to stand on like a bale of straw should do it.
Alternatively as others have said if its not a pain /fear thing he'll stop doing it if he doesn't get away with it so something firm to stand on like a bale of straw should do it.
Horseysheepy
Well-Known Member
Once bit is in, stand at its side and turn the head around towards you so it's at 90degrees, some horses find it difficult to lift their heads up if their head is bent round like this.
Or the standing on a bucket works too.
Or the standing on a bucket works too.
dottylottie
Well-Known Member
as long as it isn’t pain, have a look at steve young horsemanship - he trains all of his to lower their head and turn it to him before he takes anything off/puts anything on
Ratface
Well-Known Member
I always scratch the offside middle of Old Horse's neck with one hand, slip the reins over his lowered and stretched out neck/head. and then have a horse sweet in the hand which is supporting the bit, take the hand previously holding the reins and bunch it round the middle of the bridle, half way up the cheek pieces. Horse opens his mouth to take the horse sweet whilst I guide the cheek pieces, headstall and throat latch to their appropriate places. Unless he's in a Princely strop, this takes about two - three minutes. If he's in his stable, he's loose. If he's tied up in the courtyard, I undo the headcollar, move it quietly off his head, slide it down his neck, re-do it and put the bridle on. The head collar rope remains tied to the baler twine loop attached to the wall ring.
He's never (so far!) been at all difficult to tack up, but I'm always mindful of his history with some people who were very rush/dash/pull/thump with him.
For a long time, Old Horse bore a simmering grudge against humans. It's taken a long time to regain his trust in them, but he's (mostly) managed it. He does require eagle-eyed watching though. He'll offer to bite first and review the necessity to do so afterwards. One growl and a firm "get back", usually fixes it, along with dreadful snake faces and the long, weaving neck.
He's never (so far!) been at all difficult to tack up, but I'm always mindful of his history with some people who were very rush/dash/pull/thump with him.
For a long time, Old Horse bore a simmering grudge against humans. It's taken a long time to regain his trust in them, but he's (mostly) managed it. He does require eagle-eyed watching though. He'll offer to bite first and review the necessity to do so afterwards. One growl and a firm "get back", usually fixes it, along with dreadful snake faces and the long, weaving neck.
Parrotperson
Well-Known Member
well if he's ok and he's always done it stand on a step! its probably just a habit. you could try putting a piece of carrot or apple under the bit as you put it on.
Zenker
New User
Thank you for useful replies. When I got him you could not use a brush around his head or neck. Used grooming gloves. Pretty much okay with anything now though. I have tried all the ideas you find in books regarding lowering head but admit I'm not very savvy at it. Do love him to bits though and. He has had a bit of rough time in the past