Bridiling?

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Anonymous

My horse is 3 1/2 and i started ridding him when he was 3. We sent him to the trainers and when we got him back we had no trouble bridiling him, but about 1 month ago he started geeting so that he didn't want to take the bit but he didn't fight it to much. But then about 2 wks ago we got his wolf teeth pulled and i thought it would get better,but it only got worse now he puls back and the other day he bit me.(which he had never done b4)I can always get him bridled but it it to much to have to fight him everyday! I have treid everything i cant think of and when i give him treats he just gets really mouthy. I don't know what else to do!



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> My horse is 3 1/2 and i started
> ridding him when he was 3. We sent
> him to the trainers and when we
> got him back we had no trouble
> bridiling him, but about 1 month
> ago he started geeting so that he
> didn't want to take the bit but he
> didn't fight it to much. But then
> about 2 wks ago we got his wolf
> teeth pulled and i thought it
> would get better,but it only got
> worse now he puls back and the
> other day he bit me.(which he had
> never done b4)I can always get him
> bridled but it it to much to have
> to fight him everyday! I have
> treid everything i cant think of
> and when i give him treats he just
> gets really mouthy. I don't know
> what else to do!

Hi April,

I have a 3 year old colt that had his wolf teeth pulled last year. What's important is that these horses have suffered a minor mouth trauma and that affects them mentally. I've found that by putting the bit in some honey has the colt reaching for it with enthusiasm.

You can try doing that and see if it doesn't work for you. :)



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> My horse is 3 1/2 and i started
> ridding him when he was 3. We sent
> him to the trainers and when we
> got him back we had no trouble
> bridiling him, but about 1 month
> ago he started geeting so that he
> didn't want to take the bit but he
> didn't fight it to much. But then
> about 2 wks ago we got his wolf
> teeth pulled and i thought it
> would get better,but it only got
> worse now he puls back and the
> other day he bit me.(which he had
> never done b4)I can always get him
> bridled but it it to much to have
> to fight him everyday! I have
> treid everything i cant think of
> and when i give him treats he just
> gets really mouthy. I don't know
> what else to do!

April, Mary gave you good advice.Also remember that a horse is cutting teeth until it's about 6 years old.If he is throwing his head up ( in Advoidance of the bit)start by going back and rubbing his neck until,he feels comfortable with it.Work your way up the neck slow and steady until you come to the ears, at the top of his pole apply downword pressure until he gives his head.As soon as he shows a drop, take your hand away(like a hot potaro move).Start over again and repeat. Take your time and make sure that when you do this you don't have anyother things to do.Hpoe this will help you get started.Happy Trails

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April, you've been given some good advice here. But, if you are not extremely experienced with horses, I would strongly suggest you take your horse back to the trainer and have him or her spend a little bit of time with your colt. It won't take an experienced person long to get the colt back to where he was before. I honestly believe this problem is a little more complicated than most folks can easily handle, but not complicated at all for a good trainer to "fix." A bit covered in honey just might do the trick, but if it doesn't, your colt needs a short refresher course from a professional on showing respect, lowering his head, looking to humans for relief, and taking the bit. He's suffered minor trauma that has caused him to forget his training, and his trainer needs to work with him for a little bit. At his age, if this isn't approached carefully and with knowledge, you could have a horse that's "ruined" for life.

Please consider stopping all treats. As you seem to have already discovered, treats tend to make a colt "lippy" or "mouthy." Your horse should look to you for verbal praise, and physical praise.

Good luck with this problem. Please let us know how it goes.

> Hi April,

> I have a 3 year old colt that had
> his wolf teeth pulled last year.
> What's important is that these
> horses have suffered a minor mouth
> trauma and that affects them
> mentally. I've found that by
> putting the bit in some honey has
> the colt reaching for it with
> enthusiasm.

> You can try doing that and see if
> it doesn't work for you. :)
 
One of the reasons horses start avoiding the bridle is because it hurts when it is taken off. You may have to have a trainer get him to take the bit again, but when you start bridling him again be careful taking the bridle off. Many people take the bridle off the ears and allow the horse to put his head up as soon as it is off the ears. This drops the bit suddenly against the teeth. When you take the bridle off the ears, hold it up in it's normal position until the horse is calm. Then lower the bit slowly in his mouth and let him spit it out. If he throws his head up when you unbridle, you may have to hold the bit up with a hand under the jaw, just as you do putting it on, Lower the bit slowly, never letting it hit his teeth.

Good luck.

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Very good point, Diana.

> One of the reasons horses start
> avoiding the bridle is because it
> hurts when it is taken off. You
> may have to have a trainer get him
> to take the bit again, but when
> you start bridling him again be
> careful taking the bridle off.
> Many people take the bridle off
> the ears and allow the horse to
> put his head up as soon as it is
> off the ears. This drops the bit
> suddenly against the teeth. When
> you take the bridle off the ears,
> hold it up in it's normal position
> until the horse is calm. Then
> lower the bit slowly in his mouth
> and let him spit it out. If he
> throws his head up when you
> unbridle, you may have to hold the
> bit up with a hand under the jaw,
> just as you do putting it on,
> Lower the bit slowly, never
> letting it hit his teeth.

> Good luck.
 
> April, you've been given some good
> advice here. But, if you are not
> extremely experienced with horses,
> I would strongly suggest you take
> your horse back to the trainer and
> have him or her spend a little bit
> of time with your colt. It won't
> take an experienced person long to
> get the colt back to where he was
> before. I honestly believe this
> problem is a little more
> complicated than most folks can
> easily handle, but not complicated
> at all for a good trainer to
> "fix." A bit covered in
> honey just might do the trick, but
> if it doesn't, your colt needs a
> short refresher course from a
> professional on showing respect,
> lowering his head, looking to
> humans for relief, and taking the
> bit. He's suffered minor trauma
> that has caused him to forget his
> training, and his trainer needs to
> work with him for a little bit. At
> his age, if this isn't approached
> carefully and with knowledge, you
> could have a horse that's
> "ruined" for life.

> Please consider stopping all
> treats. As you seem to have
> already discovered, treats tend to
> make a colt "lippy" or
> "mouthy." Your horse
> should look to you for verbal
> praise, and physical praise.

> Good luck with this problem.
> Please let us know how it goes. It's nice to know that there are still knowledgeable horsemen/women out there. Good luck with the colt I agree with everything you've been advised.

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