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How do you get a horse to take the bit?

3K views 20 replies 8 participants last post by  Poseidon 
#1 ·
My QH mare was Amish broke and is really sensitive to saddle. She won't take the bit. Except on some rare ocassion when she does. Does anyone know why?
 
#2 ·
I'm curious about this as well. My friend's horse was ridden in a hackamore before she bought him 2 weeks ago and she has had to fight him to get a bit in. She patiently tries to get him to take it and practices with him several times a week. Sometimes it takes 45 minutes to get him to finally take it.
 
#5 ·
This sounds like pain. I agree with poultrygirl: Get its teeth looked at. If that's not it, then feel around the shape of their mouth with your fingers. My mare acts the same way as your friend's horse, atreyu, when approached with a bit. She has a very low palate and if I do get the bit in her mouth, she throws a holy fit the entire time. She's bitless and works much better.

Honestly, if the horse was ridden fine in a hackamore before, why change it? If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
 
#3 ·
Probably the leading cause for a horse to refuse or start to refuse the bit is when people take the bridle of pulling it over the ears and letting the bit drop and hit the horse's teeth before the horse has a chance to open its mouth.

Second leading cause is rough handling of the bit through the reins when riding/driving.
 
#7 ·
He just had his teeth worked on a couple days ago and is still doing. If he were mine, I would probably continue to use a hack, but she has heard they can really hurt them and could break their nose bones. So she wants him to get on a bit. And it's a very gentle, he is just being a butt and testing her I think.
 
#8 ·
Hacks break nasal bones when they're in the hands of people who don't know what they're doing. They get put down too far and yanked on, which leads to broken nasal bones. She could use a sidepull on him that still has 1:1 pressure, unlike a mechanical hackamore. That's what I use. It's basically the noseband of a rope halter attached to my headstall. In fact, Smith Bros. has sidepull halters for $8 right now. I have one of these too that Abby's previous owner gave me with her. Smith Brothers
 
#11 ·
Hacks break nasal bones when they're in the hands of people who don't know what they're doing. They get put down too far and yanked on, which leads to broken nasal bones. She could use a sidepull on him that still has 1:1 pressure, unlike a mechanical hackamore. That's what I use. It's basically the noseband of a rope halter attached to my headstall. In fact, Smith Bros. has sidepull halters for $8 right now. I have one of these too that Abby's previous owner gave me with her. Smith Brothers
Thanks so much for the info. And I know those nasal bones can't be super easy to break, so I'm sure you'd have to be REALLY rough to do that. She may just end up going back to the hackamore.
 
#9 ·
Given teeth are done and no pain... You have to introduce to the bit nicely and gentle. You never want to drug it out when you are done, you never want to push it in. Just stand quietly on side and ask her to take bit in. If no response, stick your finger (gently!) in corner of the mouth asking to open a mouth and again slowly and gently put the bit in looking not to hit horse's teeth. Then proceed with the rest of the bridle.
 
#12 ·
I work at a summer camp and one mare (who unfortunately died this winter of old age) used a hackamore and was a camper horse. She was ridden by kids 6-12 years old on average who were riding usually for the first time. Her nose was never damaged. The shanks on her hackamore were fairly short though, also. My old BOs were endurance riders and used hackamores so their Arabians wouldn't have a bit in their mouths for 100 mile rides. I dug in their bin of bits one day and found mechanical hackamores with shanks at least 9 or 10" long. Those are awful, IMO.
 
#13 ·
Ugh god....those do sound awfully harsh. I dunno, I'm hoping they are still just figuring each other out. Who knows what the previous owner did to him. My friend said she seemed very unknowledgable and do hardly anything with him. It's sad really :( He's a good horse, just this bit thing and they fact he's an antsy pants are his only drawbacks.
 
#15 ·
#17 ·
We purchased an 11 year old rescue pony for my 11 year old daughter about a year ago. She had such a hard time putting the bridle on and wold toss her head and raise it up so that my daughter could not reach. We had her teeth floated but that did not change. Our trainer suggested slipping a peppermint in he mouth each time she allowed my daughter to put the bit in and slip the bridle on. We bought the soft mints that practically dissolve. In about a week my daughter was able to put the bridle on all by herself and her pony does not expect mints every time she tacks her up. She is not nippy and pushy for treats either. Worked like a charm for us.
 
#18 ·
Here is my first post haha! I've been registered but hadn't had a chance to get on here.

I'm atreyu's friend with the stubborn-with-taking-the-bit horse. I've put honey on the bit, tried using a treat as a reward, backed him up when he acted out, tried it calmy, tried it forcefully, etc. He lowers his head with no problem, stands quiet (or as quiet as any Arabian physically can I suppose), I can rub the bridle all over his face and ears, but the moment that chunk of metal gets close to his mouth, all hell breaks loose. He lifts his head, shoots his nozzle out, or even has started turning it to the side.

The first night I thought I was making strides, he took the bit wonderfully three times in a row, but since then, it's became more and more of a headache. Apparently his previous owner did ride him in a hackamore (no details on what kind). He does fine when I ride in a rope halter, but I would like something with a bit more control for refinement, collection, and for trail riding, hence why I hope to try him in Cook's Bitless Bridle.
 
#19 ·
Our horse is 11 and only had her first bit in her mouth when she was 10. She was so green. What finally helped us was after she got the bit in her mouth we then slipped in the peppermint. I bought the soft kind that practically melt, so she would not choke. Flavoring the bit did not work for us either but somehow the peppermint did. I think what finally clicked for her was that each successful time, she was rewarded immediately with something she liked which changed the experience to a positive one for her. If we took the bridle off and then rewarded her, we still had problems getting it back on again. Horses are funny creatures and unfortunately what works for one, might not work for another. Best of luck!
 
#21 ·
The rope halter bridle thing I posted is what my mare was ridden in before I got her and it was given to me when I bought her. The extra nose knots add some bite to it if needed and $8 is much cheaper than the like $90 that Dr. Cook bridles are. Just a suggestion. My sidepull attachment was $16, but the lady has had a lot of family medical issues and temporarily stopped making anything.
 
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