Tips on bridling big horses?

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Thelwell_Girl

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Morning all!

Was tacking up some of the horses for a staff lesson last week and, well, what with me being a lofty 5'1 and the horses around 16hh+ I found it a bit hard! :o

None of the horses are particularly head shy or anything, its just I have to reach sooo far up! Doesn't help when they're putting their heads up, not taking the bits, and I almost fall over :o

Does anyone have some tips on successfully getting the bridle on tall/slightly grumpy horses?

TIA!

TG xx
 
My usual method is to slip the headpiece over the nearside ear then duck under the head to deal with the offside ear. I require this method for anything over 15.2hh! If they're raising their head and refusing to take the bit it's something that needs to be dealt with in general though.
 
Thanks Munchkin - thats a really good idea.

They're not really protesting as much, just going 'meh cant be bothered!'. Once the bit is in then they're fine.
 
I would put a small bit of food in your palm with the bit - I use a linseed lozenge, polo, bit of apple etc. Then they pop their head down nicely for you to slip the bridle on and learn how nice it is to be bridled at the same time! Everyone's a winner!
 
glosgirl said:
I would put a small bit of food in your palm with the bit - I use a linseed lozenge, polo, bit of apple etc. Then they pop their head down nicely for you to slip the bridle on and learn how nice it is to be bridled at the same time! Everyone's a winner!
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Thats a really good idea glosgirl, I always have about 50 half eaten tubes of polos in my bag :D
 
Mine put their heads down, bridle on and and get praise and a treat - I can do this with mine as they are not nippy. This is not done all the time now, but I do use the reward at first so they know putting their head down is a good thing.

On the rare occasion they do put their heads up, I put my thumb behind their ear and if they keep pressing up after being given the opportunity to come down, I back off and then repeat the procedure, they get pressure from my thumbnail, lower it and pressure is off. I am 5' and several of our horses over the years have been 16.3 so I need horses to help me, hence the pressure and reward method.

Mine do not have bridle issue, just the occasional don't want to work today as it is hot and mum is a short arse so I will stick my head up, hence my pressure method does work when applied just the once, ie head is down as they don't want a pointy finger behind their ear, but I would not use in on a horse that was likely to overact to it or was in geniune fear of the bridle.
 
Get a step stool and stand on it or one of them tack boxes which you can stand on.

I know how you feel, I'm 5ft and my old horse was a very large 16.1 :p
 
Theresa_F said:
Mine do not have bridle issue, just the occasional don't want to work today as it is hot and mum is a short arse so I will stick my head up, hence my pressure method does work when applied just the once, ie head is down as they don't want a pointy finger behind their ear, but I would not use in on a horse that was likely to overact to it or was in geniune fear of the bridle.
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I might try that out on one of the slightly quieter horses, and see how we go. I can see how it'd be really helpful!

Kokopelli said:
Get a step stool and stand on it or one of them tack boxes which you can stand on.

I know how you feel, I'm 5ft and my old horse was a very large 16.1 :p
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I might have to! :D
 
Persephone said:
I used to stand on a bucket, eventually she got the idea and puts her head down now.

I am 5' and she is over 16.2.
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lachlanandmarcus said:
a bucket/stool is a good idea until the cleverer horse realises how much hassle they can cause just by ambling off away from it just enough that you cant reach....:-00)
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Erm, might have to try it!

SusannaF said:
Strap one of its legs up, use a twenty-foot-long rope as a twitch and... oh, wait... :rolleyes:
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Now THATS good advice! :D
 
Try feeding a sugar lump from the palm of your hand and get the horse to lower their head down , you should not have to reach all the way up or stand on anything, the horse should be taught manners to lower their head down to have the bridle on. Once you've done this a few times they should hopefully get the idea! so that it ends up being that you could almost sit on the floor to put their bridle on!!
 
I second the treat/food idea. I am 5' 8" and prefer big horses. I have found that often large horses have been made, let's say, wary of the bridle by having tack put on roughly, often by shorter people. Even I struggle to reach when they put up their heads, so re-training them to put their heads down is vital for every-one's comfort. I would have thought that horses would have been expected to have good manners on a professional yard and that the staff would have been shown how to nurture these manners.
 
K27 said:
Try feeding a sugar lump from the palm of your hand and get the horse to lower their head down , you should not have to reach all the way up or stand on anything, the horse should be taught manners to lower their head down to have the bridle on. Once you've done this a few times they should hopefully get the idea! so that it ends up being that you could almost sit on the floor to put their bridle on!!
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Thats a good idea, some of the horses are HUGE and I just cant reach! :o

Kitsune said:
Dont ask PP? ;)
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Dont worry, I won't :D
 
Not that I have to bridle many big or even many horses but I am erm short. I'd teach them to lower their head rather than stand on something, I'd probably fall off or there is the risk of being knocked off if the horse spooked.
Food rewards/clicker training would be good for this so long as the horse isn't food aggressive. Otherwise I use pressure and release to teach head lowering.
 
Pearlsasinger said:
I second the treat/food idea. I am 5' 8" and prefer big horses. I have found that often large horses have been made, let's say, wary of the bridle by having tack put on roughly, often by shorter people. Even I struggle to reach when they put up their heads, so re-training them to put their heads down is vital for every-one's comfort. I would have thought that horses would have been expected to have good manners on a professional yard and that the staff would have been shown how to nurture these manners.
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These are some of the more flighty horses, so arent as forgiving as the little ponies that the kids groom/ride.

I did know this isnt an excuse for their 'bad manners' though, we are working on it!

amandap said:
Not that I have to bridle many big or even many horses but I am erm short. I'd teach them to lower their head rather than stand on something, I'd probably fall off or there is the risk of being knocked off if the horse spooked.
Food rewards/clicker training would be good for this so long as the horse isn't food aggressive. Otherwise I use pressure and release to teach head lowering.
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I think I'll use the treat idea, they're all such gannets they coudn't resist!
 
All the horses on our yard are taught to put their heads down to have a bridle, headcollar put on, head brushed, eye's cleaned etc etc etc.

Head down is the first thing that YO will teach to any new horses on the yard (that and leading politely). He starts off with a little pressure on the poll and as soon as the horse puts head down just a little pressure released. My youngster learnt this in just a few days, working up to all i had to do was put my hand over his head (no contact) and the head would come down. Now all I have to do is pick up his bridle or headcollar and down comes his head .

Not only is it far easier but it is also a safety issue I always imagine in an emergency and you had to get 20 horses out of the stables you want to be able to say "head" and have the horse give its head so you can put the head collar on in a matter of seconds not be pratting about with a bucket. Head down also works as a very good place of safety for the horse both when being led and ridden.
 
We always make tacking up "cuddle time" for our youngsters, so they get a scratch and a cuddle, and therefore nice memories with the process - the head in the air thing doesn't last long - they're usually happy and relaxed when we then tack up. One of our ten year olds still insists on his head being cradled before having the bit even now!
 
Chavhorse said:
All the horses on our yard are taught to put their heads down to have a bridle, headcollar put on, head brushed, eye's cleaned etc etc etc.

Head down is the first thing that YO will teach to any new horses on the yard (that and leading politely). He starts off with a little pressure on the poll and as soon as the horse puts head down just a little pressure released. My youngster learnt this in just a few days, working up to all i had to do was put my hand over his head (no contact) and the head would come down. Now all I have to do is pick up his bridle or headcollar and down comes his head .

Not only is it far easier but it is also a safety issue I always imagine in an emergency and you had to get 20 horses out of the stables you want to be able to say "head" and have the horse give its head so you can put the head collar on in a matter of seconds not be pratting about with a bucket. Head down also works as a very good place of safety for the horse both when being led and ridden.
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Thats a really good point Chavhorse, I'll work on the head thing!

Honey08 said:
We always make tacking up "cuddle time" for our youngsters, so they get a scratch and a cuddle, and therefore nice memories with the process - the head in the air thing doesn't last long - they're usually happy and relaxed when we then tack up. One of our ten year olds still insists on his head being cradled before having the bit even now!
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Aww, thats really sweet (and useful):D
 
glosgirl said:
I would put a small bit of food in your palm with the bit - I use a linseed lozenge, polo, bit of apple etc. Then they pop their head down nicely for you to slip the bridle on and learn how nice it is to be bridled at the same time! Everyone's a winner!
Click to expand...

I'd go for the small bit of food in the hand option as well. I'm lucky with 17.2hh Jazzy that he automatically drops his head to be bitted/bridled :)
 
I've been known to throw the reins over his head (literally) and then use them to pull his head down... not elegant but effective (I am 5ft 2 and he is 17.2 so I sometimes need some help but have never failed to get a bridle on my big boy who has been known to take the mickey...)

Blitz
 
Eriskayowner said:
I'd go for the small bit of food in the hand option as well. I'm lucky with 17.2hh Jazzy that he automatically drops his head to be bitted/bridled :)
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Most of the horses do that, luckily Bonnie Coblet does and Albert will if he feels like it :D

blitznbobs said:
I've been known to throw the reins over his head (literally) and then use them to pull his head down... not elegant but effective (I am 5ft 2 and he is 17.2 so I sometimes need some help but have never failed to get a bridle on my big boy who has been known to take the mickey...)

Blitz
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Might have to do that for some of them! *ahem*MAX*ahem* ;)
 
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