mare pulls bit

[Miss Daisy]

I took a ride in the corral on my 9 y.o. mare earlier this evening. We turned some barrels for awhile and she was a bit keyed, but like never before. Whenever i put pressure on the reins, she would pull her head all the way to the ground, as if trying to break the bit. I have been riding her in a 3-piece gag bit for some time now and she hasn't done this before. What do you think could be causing this reaction?

 

[msscamp]

I'm assuming 'turning' the barrels means running them. If so, it sounds like it got her going and she just didn't want to heed the bit. Has it been a while since you've given her a good workout? Is she a barrel racing horse? If the answer to both questions is 'yes', then that will also factor in since barrel racers tend to key off of the running the barrels.

 

[Miss Daisy]

after thinking about it for awhile, she did this the last time i rode her, and that was jst through the fields. maybe something else? maybe not. I did mean running the barrels too, sorry about the confusion. she isn't a "barrel racing" horse, we just do it for fun now and then

 

[msscamp]

I edited my response because it occured to me that there might be other factors as well, may want to re-read? Barrel horses tend to key off running the barrels because that is what they are trained to do. Depending on the level of exercise provided to this horse, you might want to consider increasing it to give her some place to go with her adrenaline or possibly consider a different bit that will give you a little more control.

 

[hayray]

I took a ride in the corral on my 9 y.o. mare earlier this evening. We turned some barrels for awhile and she was a bit keyed, but like never before. Whenever i put pressure on the reins, she would pull her head all the way to the ground, as if trying to break the bit. I have been riding her in a 3-piece gag bit for some time now and she hasn't done this before. What do you think could be causing this reaction?

She has learned to pull now on the bit from too much pressure on the reins. The gag bit is for elevating the head and neck, so if she has learned to pull hard on the gag bit then you have a real issue that is going to take some re-training. Also, that gag is probably pinching her some where fierce if she is really diving down on the bit when you take on the reins. Gag bits always lead to a rode of limiting returns once they have out lived the initial purpose of cranking the head up.

 

[D.R. Cattle]

Most of us try to lower the head instead of lift it. For the sake of relief and exercise I'd try a Reinsman 404 (1/4" Argentine with short shanks) and a homemade set of martingales. Get away from the cans and ride cow herds or trails for a few hours. See how the reaction is and go from there.

 

[Miss Daisy]

thanks eveyone. sounds like i ought to switch bits and take it easy and see how that goes. we have an extra tom thumb bit i will put in her mouth.

 

[Stepper]

Something you might want to look for to is to see if its wolf teeth have been pulled. You would be surprised at how many horse owners own horses that do not know to look for wolf teeth. They will have troubles similiar to what you are discribing with their horse slinging its head or fighting the bit. And will try several other bits and still have the same problem. A lot of times a horse will not start to grow its wolf teeth until it is 4 years old and sometimes older. And these teeth grow in right where the bit is held in the horses mouth. And then when a bit is put it their mouth it irritates the horse.