Struggling to Bit Youngster - Advice Needed

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Joyous70

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Im having major problems bitting my youngster and was hoping you may have some advice for me.

She has had a bit in her mouth on a few occasions, but it has not been easy and has taken two of us, one to hold her and the second person to put the bit in her mouth, with quite a bit of objection from madam, ie backing up to the point of rearing up also.

I have tried to bit her myself, but she will throw her head up to the point i can no longer keep her head under control (i am only 5'1", which doesn't help) also if I can get the bit in, i then struggle getting it out again, for the same reason, she will throw her head up, even if i put my hand on her nose to steady her.

We have tried putting the bridle on, and undoing the cheek piece on one side and sliding it in sideways, with and without something yummy slavered all over it, we have tried holding bridle in right hand resting over her nose, to try and keep her head down in a reasonable position again she backs up and throws her head around.

Im running out of ideas, and my right arm is now 6" longer than my left and very sore.
 
IMO you should never get to the stage you are fighting a any horse to get a bit in. if the bit is not being taken willingly with curiosity and interest by a young horse i would suggest you enlist the help of someone with more experience.

if 2 of you are fighting the horse to the point of it rearing how do you think things will be in a few yrs time? you are setting the tone for how the bridle will be accepted for the rest of the horses bridled life
 
Dentist had a look at her in November, just after i got her he said all was o.k. at the time. Once the bit is in her mouth, she's fine no fussing with it or anything like that, its just getting it in and out that seems to be the issue.

She is 3 in June this year, and i am currently trying to use a softer plastic/nylon bit so she wont' bash her teeth on a metal one.
 
Jools2345 said:
IMO you should never get to the stage you are fighting a any horse to get a bit in. if the bit is not being taken willingly with curiosity and interest by a young horse i would suggest you enlist the help of someone with more experience.

if 2 of you are fighting the horse to the point of it rearing how do you think things will be in a few yrs time? you are setting the tone for how the bridle will be accepted for the rest of the horses bridled life
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This is why im asking for advice - i don't want the bitting to become an issue. When the two of us were bitting her, it was me and my YM, who has broken and backed horses for 30 years, so she does have more experience than i do.
 
I would get a vet with an interest in dental work to check her again under sedation.
I would get an ACPAT physio preferably one who is used to working with the vet to look at her urgently.
As others have said you have now a big problem and it's going to take time as time every day to solve it.
If it where me I would think I would being going down the sedation route so you can bridle daily with out a fight.
I think you should think about getting someone with experiance in dealing with difficulties like this to look at it and advise Richard Maxwell springs to mind.
I think it's likely you will need to invest considerable time and money in solving this.
Good luck with it and let us know now you get on.
 
My rising 4 unbroken youngster when she was rising 3 I simply held a happy mouth bit in front of her let her sniff lick chew, no pressure no restraint. Within 5 minutes she was happy to take in and out of her mouth. Lots of praise and treat after she took and held in her mouth. No biggie when then attached to a stripped down bridle no noseband browband or reins. Left in a couple of minutes and gave a great. Gradually built up the time, adding rest of bridle bits and bobs. Again no fuss or pressure, making it a pleasant experience. Now happy to open mouth when bridle offered up and walks out in hand in her bridle. Slow and steady wins the race! Fear you have set up problems with your horse by pushing the issue. I would go right back to basics and just hold out the bit with horse unrestrained and start by rewarding when horse touches it with nose and work up from there . Good luck
 
if YO has 30 yrs experience and is still prepared to force the bit in the I would look elsewhere for help.

its something you need help with in the flesh not something that I feel can be advised on over here.

often a youngster that does not fuss with the bit is very uncomfortable with the idea of a foreign object in their mouth.

look around and ask questions about people who will assist with backing in your area, the problem with using those around us is often its harder to say when you dont agree with their methods.

ditto the treats and i give them when the bit is in not when its out, but you really need professional help if you have got to the stage of so much resistance.
 
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Your YO may be experienced but she is not doing you any favours. Setting you and your horse up for long-term strife.
Back off a bit. Forget riding for a week. Ask the YO to just leave you to it for a while. Take the bit out of the bridle. Prepare a nice big bowl of sugar water or maybe syrup and put some on your hand for your horse to lick. Put some on your hand and the bit and ditto. Take your time, work in short sessions. Don't force your young horse at all. Tell anyone who comes along and wants to hang off your horse's head to go away. Work towards the point where your horse is looking to take the bit into it's mouth because it tastes nice. Then return you your bridle and make sure you can put it on easily with no bit in place (leave the headcollar on). Hopefully your bridle is nice and simple, I'd probably take the noseband off first time, and put it back on when the headstall goes on easily. Rest your arm up over your horse's neck and - without force, bring the bridle up on the head from underneath the neck. Ideally ask your horse gently to turn his head slightly towards you and bring it down a bit to accept the bridle. If you need to give a tiny treat for every stage of accepting the bridle then do it.
Now you're ready to put the bridle and bit back together (no reins and still with the headcollar on). Don't forget to put sweet stuff on the bit and continue to rest your arm over the neck softly and offer the bit and bridle from below.
In other words, treat your youngster as a bit of a remedial case now because the way things have been done so far has built in fear and resistance. Take the pressure off. Take the force away. Work slowly and in small stages and be very patient. Oh, and ask anyone else around to just leave you alone, no hovering in the background, no sage words of advice and no leaping in to physically "help" you!

p.s. Depending on how calm and confident you are I don't really think you should need to pay for help. But if you do, it's a pretty small scale problem in my opinion and the Intelligent Horsemanship associates tend to be a bit cheaper than Richard Maxwell!
 
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Id leave it personally for a bit. I had bitting issues with a TB mare I had. She took to it fine then one day decided that seeing the bridle meant bashing her head on the stable wall and forcing it into the corner of the stable so as i couldnt get near her.

I had to just leave her for a bit with the bridle tied up in the stable for her to play with (and destroy) until she realised it wasnt anything major.
 
What's the rush? Your horse is rising 3....

Just for your info my youngster who is now rising 4 has seen the dentist 4 times in less than 12 months. There will be many changes in your youngsters mouth this year.

Dentist would be my first port of call then if all is ok you need to break things down for her and take things slowly. I would do as a previous poster suggests and let her lick sugar or honey or something else tasty from the bit first then just put the bit on a sliphead with no brow or noseband so you can just try and put it in her mouth and hold it in place. Then move on from there. You must take your time with this. Bitting is not something you should rush
 
sorry i don't know how to multiquote

At the moment im dealing with this situation myself, YM is generally not around in the evenings when i am, so its me on my own.

I have got a basic bridle, no reins or noseband attached, this she will accept easily over her headcollar no problems. Im using her favourite mollasses lick to smother over the bit and hold this to her mouth, she will happily lick this and look for more this is what ive been doing and was going to continue to do for the time being until she starts to accept the bit and take it in her mouth herself, i always have her loose on the yard when i do this, as she prefers to be outside rather than in her stable so no restraint at all. As others have suggessted this, then i feel more comfortable that im doing the right thing, so thanks for your replies.
 
That sounds really positive. I must admit I'd be really cautious about an "expert" who is prepared to resort to forceful methods so early in a young horse's education and for such a small issue. It doesn't bode well for any future "help" they might give you.
As others have pointed out, at 3 years old your horses is just a baby, so there's no rush really is there?
I'd be a bit cautious about leaving the bit in for the youngster to get used to in the stable. It can work really well of course. As long as they don't decide to rub their head because of the foreign object in their mouth and manage to get caught up somewhere...
 
Tinypony said:
That sounds really positive. I must admit I'd be really cautious about an "expert" who is prepared to resort to forceful methods so early in a young horse's education and for such a small issue. It doesn't bode well for any future "help" they might give you.
As others have pointed out, at 3 years old your horses is just a baby, so there's no rush really is there?
I'd be a bit cautious about leaving the bit in for the youngster to get used to in the stable. It can work really well of course. As long as they don't decide to rub their head because of the foreign object in their mouth and manage to get caught up somewhere...
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:) Thank you - yes, she's only a baby and theres no major rush to get her bitted, im not keen on leaving her unattended with a bit in, i'd far rather once she's used to having it in stay with her and brush her and fuss her until its time to take it out, once shes comfortable with it in, i'll walk her out off her headcollar with it in for a few minutes.
 
I'd go back a stage. I was having trouble with my three year old too. She suddenly decided after previously being an angel that she didn't care to have a bit in her mouth despite there being no medical issues, throwing her head in the air, reversing at high speed etc. I went back to practising handling her head, rubbing my hands all over her ears and eyes and inside her mouth etc until she was happily standing for me to do this. Then when I brought the bridle back I used pressure and release to teach her to accept it. I started just standing next to her with the bridle. When she stood calmly with lowered head I took the bridle away and rewarded with a pat. Then I progressed to holding the bridle against her head. She objected but I just stood quietly with the bridle resting on her face and as soon as she relaxed I took it away to reward. I did it stage by stage from there. Holding bit against her lips, putting my hand over her nose etc, taking the bridle away each time she was accepting what I was doing. It was a little tedious but has made a more relaxed horse who lowers her head for the bit.
 
Orls said:
I'd go back a stage. I was having trouble with my three year old too. She suddenly decided after previously being an angel that she didn't care to have a bit in her mouth despite there being no medical issues, throwing her head in the air, reversing at high speed etc. I went back to practising handling her head, rubbing my hands all over her ears and eyes and inside her mouth etc until she was happily standing for me to do this. Then when I brought the bridle back I used pressure and release to teach her to accept it. I started just standing next to her with the bridle. When she stood calmly with lowered head I took the bridle away and rewarded with a pat. Then I progressed to holding the bridle against her head. She objected but I just stood quietly with the bridle resting on her face and as soon as she relaxed I took it away to reward. I did it stage by stage from there. Holding bit against her lips, putting my hand over her nose etc, taking the bridle away each time she was accepting what I was doing. It was a little tedious but has made a more relaxed horse who lowers her head for the bit.
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Thank you - this sounds a lot like my girl, she was at first an angel then decided to object in much the same way you have described. I am so glad you have said that this is what you have done with your youngster, i have been standing with her on the yard getting her used to me touching all over her face, nose and in her mouth, brushing her tongue with my fingers etc., this she accepts now, and i can put the bridle on her, she's not keen on me holding the bridle to her face with my hand on her nose, so this is a work in progress, but thank you for your encouragement, i will continue in this manner, and if im still standing at the yard in 3 months time doing exactly the same thing then so be it, i would far rather have my girl trust me and be happy and relaxed, than fearful of me. :)
 
If his/her teeth are all in good check, try rotting them!! :D

See if your horse likes honey, try giving him/her some without involving a bridle.

If she/he gets a taste for it, pop it on the bit and she/he should accept it.

Mine was like this, chuck head up in the air and and try run around. He now won't let go of his bit!

I only gave him honey about 3/4 times. He now lowers his head when I bring the bridle towards him.

Sometimes the most simplist of bribery is the easiest option! :D x
 
Surreydeb said:
My rising 4 unbroken youngster when she was rising 3 I simply held a happy mouth bit in front of her let her sniff lick chew, no pressure no restraint. Within 5 minutes she was happy to take in and out of her mouth. Lots of praise and treat after she took and held in her mouth. No biggie when then attached to a stripped down bridle no noseband browband or reins. Left in a couple of minutes and gave a great. Gradually built up the time, adding rest of bridle bits and bobs. Again no fuss or pressure, making it a pleasant experience. Now happy to open mouth when bridle offered up and walks out in hand in her bridle. Slow and steady wins the race! Fear you have set up problems with your horse by pushing the issue. I would go right back to basics and just hold out the bit with horse unrestrained and start by rewarding when horse touches it with nose and work up from there . Good luck
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This is how I did it, just offered it up, without any pressure of having to wear it at first. It's best to take as long as it takes, I've spent the last two weeks working on getting my youngster to walk forward with a bridle on, don't care if it takes 6 weeks at 2 minutes a day, I'd rather take the time it takes to get our result without any resistance.
 
Joyous70 said:
Thank you - this sounds a lot like my girl, she was at first an angel then decided to object in much the same way you have described. I am so glad you have said that this is what you have done with your youngster, i have been standing with her on the yard getting her used to me touching all over her face, nose and in her mouth, brushing her tongue with my fingers etc., this she accepts now, and i can put the bridle on her, she's not keen on me holding the bridle to her face with my hand on her nose, so this is a work in progress, but thank you for your encouragement, i will continue in this manner, and if im still standing at the yard in 3 months time doing exactly the same thing then so be it, i would far rather have my girl trust me and be happy and relaxed, than fearful of me. :)
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That was my logic haha! Don't care how long it takes so long as I get it done right! I think sometimes they go along with what ever you say for a while and then start thinking about it and come to the conclusion that they know better! We've had various stops and starts but if you take your time and don't panic when things go wrong but instead problem solve then it all comes right in the end! :)
 
I had a few fights with my youngster at the beginning of the winter. It was more the bridle than the bit to be honest as she would quite happily play about with bit. I left her and started again last week...easy peasy. Lol contrary madam. I rubbed stripped down bridle over her face and scratched her with it. Moved to me doing this standing at the side of her and she naturally opened her mouth for the bit. We have built up to full bridle now and no reins over the space of 3-4 days.
One thing I do with her though is put pressure on her poll and release when she lowers her head. She's giraffe like and I'm wee!! She will put her nose on the floor as if to say take it off now lol! Slowly she is learning the voice command "head down" for this :-)
 
When she actually puts the bit in what does she do? What bit are you using? If metal then maybe try an in hand (nylon) type bit or a rubber bit in case she is fearful of the bit hitting her teeth.

Mine started taking the bit OK to start with as a 2 yo (I took him in hand showing) but then hit a point where he decided he didn't really fancy it thanks! He did the throwing his head up and reversing but I would always eventually get it in. However, he was getting worse. I tried flavoured bit 'wraps' but he wasn't fussed about stuff being rubbed on it/wrapped round it. So, i sought assistance off a lady who dod some initial groundwork training with me and him in the initial stages.

His objection was more with my hand round his face and the bridle beingl lifted up. So, we did this movement - hand over nose, raise bridle up and hold it there. he woukd reverse but she said just to go with him, Once he stopped then praise and take the bridle back down. We did not try and put the bit in. Once he stopped reversing we then put the bit in no problems and immediately treated with a bit of food. I am still doing the treating bit now (he's 4 in May) since I am putting his bridle on and riding him a couple of times a week. He is vastly improved and doesn't throw his head up now. he is not bothered about the bit once its in, he never has been.

I would also practice with yours just putting your finger/thumb in the corner of her mouth to get her used to that sensation as mine wasn't keen on that.

Patience is the key, you'll get there and then tjis behaviour will just be a distant memory! I have to say, I did actually resort to standing on a crate a couple of times with mine as he did learn that he could lift his head higher than I could reach! Funnily, after a couple of times standing on the crate he more or less stopped this!! :)
 
Thanks for all your positive replies, im quite relieved to see that im doing the right thing, by taking a step back and doing all the things as mentioned in your posts, rubbing her face, lifting up the bridle with no pressure, dropping it again and praising when she relaxes slightly.

I am using a nylon type bit at the moment, I had originally used a mouthing bit, but was concerned when she threw her head up that she was going to bash her teeth when i tried to remove it. When she does take the bit she will chew and chomp a little to begin with but then settles down with it. It does seem more to be the hand over the nose with the bridle that she dislikes so i will work on that with her for now and then when she's comfortable with that, move on to putting the bit to her lips and take it from there.
 
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