Struggling to get his bit in!

[welshied]

New horse is great apart from one problem of getting his bit in his mouth he clamps his mouth shut and lifts head as high as he can get it and when hes nearly 17hh i don't stand a chance, tried putting food in my hand when offering bit and this worked for a few days, dentist is due to come out but don't think this is the problem as once the bit is in and he is ridden he is very accepting of it and has really foamy mouth!
So anyone got any other ideas that i can try?

 

[stencilface]

Do you bridle him with his headcollar still done up? If not I'd try that.

Or these things that wrap around the bit and make the horse like them are good

http://www.horsehealth.co.uk/supplements/well-being/bit-mouth-products/lickity-bit-wraps-pack-of-six

 

[Tinsel Town]

hummm Spot used to do this quite a lot, and he is a big chap too, luckily I'm tall and managed to grab his nose and hold it until i could get the bridle near his face, i used to put my finger/ thumb in his mouth to get him to open it, it worked for a while, then i had to do both sides, which was quite tricky, and food also worked for a while.

other than standing on a mounting block to get a high advantaged i dont have any useful suggestions! sorry!

 

[lolly10fi]

i usally have the same problem with my mare! i cant even reach her head when she puts it up but i try putting my finger in the corner of her mouth as far as i can and that normally does the trick..you might have a manky finger but it works! its not one of the best ideas so i would love to find out what everyone else thinks

 

[Bobbly]

I had this problem once, horse just would not open it's mouth so I got an old whip that had no knob or handle on and poked that in sideways, he then got busy thinking it was his bit and opened up enough to slide the bit in, sneaky but it worked for me!

 

[welshied]

I can't even get to the point where i can get my finger in corner of his mouth before he lifts his head it more that he raises it really high rather than clamps it as just as he starts to open his mouth and i nearly get it in thats when he lifts it right up!

 

[rhylis]

Could you try him in a bitless bridle? Might be worth a try if all else fails getting him to open up!

 

[blood_magik]

I use a step because I'm so short
mine tries to back away so I make sure his bum is against the wall and I'm high enough up that he can't just stick his head up and drop the bit once I have it in.

 

[Littlelegs]

Firstly make sure you aren't doing anything to cause it like banging teeth or lips. Warm the bit up in your hands & smear a bit of mollasses or similar on the bit. Then stand on something if you have to so if he does move his head halfway you don't knock his mouth. Then if you're on the left rest the bit on the fingers of your right hand, should open up for the mollasses & you can use your right thumb in the corner, then guide it in slowly & very carefully. But its worth noting horses have issues with bits for a reason, either pain or someone catching their mouth in the past.

 

[Paint Me Proud]

on anything other than a horsey forum you thread title would certainly raise a few eyebrows!

 

[lisa_dundee]

I wrap all my bits in latex bit wrap, the horses love it

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

It's an annoying habit that can be broken with patience. As already suggested, get a headcollar that does up with a buckle on the nose, tie horse up short so it can't raise the head out of reach. As well as putting a finger in the corner of the mouth, press on the gum or roof of mouth with it to get horse to open up. Put bit in slowly without banging teeth. Take headcollar off now bridle is on by undoing nose buckle as well as head buckle. When removing the bridle put a finger in the mouth to press the gum as before to open the mouth, and lower the bridle gradually so the bit comes out slowly without banging the teeth. If horse is throwing its head around a lot, practice bridling with a rubber or plastic straight bar bit that won't hurt so much if the teeth get banged, until horse learns to keep still.

 

[rhylis]

on anything other than a horsey forum you thread title would certainly raise a few eyebrows!

Very funny and very true!

 

[Gingermonkey]

My Mare was 16.3hh and I was and still am 5'4 and had the same problem.

I know it's probably not conventional but I used to separate one side of the bit off the bridle, put all except the bit on, then do the loose side of the bit up by the normal way of sticking my thumb in the corner of her mouth. Funnily enough she was quite happy to accept the bridle and the bit doing it this way.

Good Luck

 

[katherine1975]

My mate started to be difficult when putting the bridle on, she was ridden in a myler comfort snaffle. It turned out that she didn't like the bit, I changed to a Neue Schule bit and she is now very happy and easy to tack up.

 

[Doris68]

I had this problem with my mare when I got her as a 4 yo. Just used a Polo mint on my hand under the middle of her snaffle bit and she accepted this very readily and stopped sticking her head in the air. She's 26 (now retired), but we never had any further issues!

 

[rhylis]

My Mare was 16.3hh and I was and still am 5'4 and had the same problem.

I know it's probably not conventional but I used to separate one side of the bit off the bridle, put all except the bit on, then do the loose side of the bit up by the normal way of sticking my thumb in the corner of her mouth. Funnily enough she was quite happy to accept the bridle and the bit doing it this way.

Good Luck

I do the same with my welsh sec a, he was terrified of having even a headcollar put on him when I got him. He's now fine with it all as long as I put his bit in as you describe, he'll even open his mouth for it now. This method really worked for us.

 

[Enfys]

Teach him to drop his head on cue if he doesn't do this, and it doesn't sound as if he does. I simply cannot understand why so many horses are not trained to do this from the start, it is very simple to do and really is as essential as learning to tie up and that 'Whoa' means stop, NOW!

It isn't a quick fix, and takes time, but it makes bitting easier, another thing does he absolutely have to be bitted? All this makes me sound a bit pink and fluffy, I am not, but if your horse has no physical problems and enjoys his work he's either just having you on or is telling you something.

I had a lovely natured mare once that was a bitch to bit, she'd hide in the corner of the stall, pin her ears, raise her head, bury her head, do anything to avoid the bit - it wasn't a physical or dental problem, and it wasn't my hands either, the day I put a hackamore on her I swear she smiled - more a case of "Thank you God! She finally got the message!" she just didn't like a bit in her mouth it seemed.

She just didn't want a bit in her mouth (and God knows I'd tried all kinds of mouthpieces and styles) from that day on she'd bridle herself and we hunted for years over the Welsh mountains in an ugly old English hackamore.

 

[jools123]

littlelegs is right horses have issues for a reason-maybe his mouth is sore/uncomfortable? see what the dentist says.
is there no-one with experience with youngsters on the yard to give some advice if things dont settle after the dentist?
i know this is one where i would pay for a good trainer to come and watch what is going on and offer some help/advice. trying to force a bit in is likely to make the situation progresively worse as he will surely become more evasive and less trusting.
it may just be that he has learnt he can do it but dealing with it sensitively in a controlled manner over a period of time may resolve the problem permanently, so a trainer may be money well spent

 

[welshied]

Thanks for all your advice will try putting something on his bit or maybe the mint idea and see how it goes and see what dentist says, i am thinking someone has smacked him in teeth with it!
I bitted my last youngster and never had a problem with him and as soon as he sees his bit he has his mouth wide open trying to grab it so gone from one extreme to another!