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Horse Behavior and Training

How to reteach a horse to accept a bit

By:

vb7dragon

Date:

2012-Feb-05 at 02:11PM

I have an 8 year old pony that I rescued out of a kill pen as a yearling. I broke him myself and he's been a kids horse for years now because he has such a good mind. One of the things parents loved was that he'd always drop his head for kids and accept a bit (in the rare occasion that we dont go bitless). This summer a girl took him to fair and decided to barrel race him. I allowed her to use a bit only for this class. Well while she was in the warm up arena walking on the rail another kid galloped their horse straight into him from behind. He lunged forward to get out of the way and the scared little girl yanked back thinking he'd run off. This happened to hard that his bridle leather broke. He stopped and stood as soon as the other horse passed so she could get off, but now he will fight and absolutely refuse to take a bit. The vet and dentist both agreed that there is nothing wrong with his mouth, it's all in his head. How do I get my pony to be as trusting as he used to be with a bit? The put it on, take it off, repeat method that other trainers suggest doesn't sound like it would actually teach him anything.
Suggestions please?!

Dennis 2012-Feb-05 at 02:56PM

vb7dragon
Watch the lesson on Abigail in the Centaur series of lessons. What I got out of these lessons was that to get a horse that will not accept the bit takes a lot of time and patience. Your pony may take more time that you think, and after her takes the bit it will take a very long time for him to trust the hands behind the bit. If he works well with out a bit, why do you need to have hi in the bit? If you need something with a little more positive to control the pony you could start with the hackamore all the while trying to train him back into the bit. For me I would use the bitless bridle since now you will hopefully using more leg and body cues with you pony.

Cheers

vb7dragon 2012-Feb-05 at 03:10PM

Thanks. He is normally in a hackamore, he just needs a little more when running poles and barrels which is the only time I let that kid use a bit. Right now she's riding him in a bosal and doing flat work until I can get him into something effective allowed into contesting classes.

katie_smith30 2012-Apr-15 at 07:18PM

Hi I recently managed to get my mate to accept the bit again, I think her last home she had a bad experience, it took ALOT of time and patience.

First off like yourself I made sure with the be and dentist to check out her mouth, everything was fine. Then I took the nose piece off of the bridle as its just an extra piece in the way. And proceeded to just stand there and really slowly and gently try to get her to take the bit. Although first off just getting the bit touching her muzzle tool some work! If she put up to much of a 'fight' I'd school her back a couple of steps. She then went off to a minty certified trainer that actually helped to fix the problem, doing the same using a lot of patience every time she got the bit in (and me) she would get a piece of carrot or something to make it pleasurable. It's been about 6 months and she isn't fantastic but I know I can get it on..... Probably not much help but you will get there I'm sure, I also didn't try to do it when I knew I didn't have enough time to follow it through.

Good luck x

MaggieF, Melbourne - Australia 2012-Apr-15 at 11:26PM

So pleased to read this success story Katie. Well done! I was wondering whether you needed to put a bit back on her - just go bitless as she usually does but now you have had success so that is great.