Tips bridle off head high rearing

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Ponies1234

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Hi all some tips please really want to nip this in the bud mare hates her bridle being taken off holds her head so high we can't reach sometimes rears so really nard to get it off if we get it over the ears she rips up so its not comi g off nicely tips how we can over come this? Tia
 
Had a similar problem with a very headshy horse who was also 17.2 so made it really tricky to get the bridle on and off! I started with getting him used to being touched on his face, head and ears whilst using his feed bucket to keep his head low. He was quite food motivated and he got the idea that I wasn't hurting him and accepted me touching him quite quickly. Then moving his ears around as if I was going to tuck them under the headpiece of a bridle. Then we practised bridling up without the bit so I could distract him with his food bucket. and taking it off. eventually he associated it with his favourite thing and would readily drop his head and allow the bridle to be removed. It took a few weeks to get there and a lot of patience, but it made a huge difference.
 
Does she react the same if you take a headcollar off over her ears - so just undoing the clip under her chin if you get what I mean? Or if you put on a bridle with no bit attached?
 
Yes ive had her teeth checked, yes she does same with the head collar getting bridle on & h/c is fine it's just taking it off is the problem
 
Sounds like it's either ear mites or she's had bad experiences of people dropping the bit onto her teeth. What bit are you using? Try a rubber bit if not already. Using food as a distraction might help, offer a carrot as you are taking it off. Does she accept her ears being handled generally?
While you try to get it sorted, you could undo the cheek pieces so there won't be any pressure on her poll/ears. Done that method before on bridle shy ponies.
 
I have a 2 yr old who is 17hh we have to slide the bridle on without the bit then assemble taking off no problem the opposite round to you he's fine taking it off we keep repeating the exercise and a little reward every time had a mare the same as you years ago had to literally take the bridle on in pieces took a few month but soon got the idea
 
Yes we had a few with ear mites they cannot stand their ears being touched at the base you might want to get her a fly mask with ears for the field as well.
 
Whatever the underlying reason the memory will remain, and IME the best way to reprogramme is reinforcement training (think clicker but without the clicker).Polos are useful because you can have a pack in your pocket and a polo in your teeth, ready to reward each slight lowering of the head. Take it in tiny increments and reward instantly each improvement (works for putting bridles ON too)
 
My mare hates her bridle coming off over her ears as she was accidentlly clunked in the mouth twice by her bit.

I just undo the bit by the cheek piece and she's fine
 
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