[onlyrodeoqueen]

I didn't know where to put this question but here it is. I just bought a 17yo Arab mare. I am having problems with her taking the bit, she doesn't like it when I get anywhere near her mouth with it. It doesn't help that we don't have a place to tie her and when your out alone your holding her by yourself. She even doesn't like it when I try to look at her teeth. I know the people we bought her from had said they didn't work with her much(they only owned her for a couple of months) and her previous owner let her step all over her. They also said she had gotten her teeth floated in the fall, so I was thinking maybe she's afraid thats what I'm guna do. Any suggestions with what I can do? Everytime I go out by her I rub her nose and work my way to her mouth and sorta work my fingers in her mouth and back out. Has anyone had this problem?

 

[Speed Racer]

If you have a vet out to look at her and it's not her teeth, she may just not like taking a bit.

If she was allowed to bully her previous owners, she may just be piggy about things she doesn't want to do.

Casper didn't like taking the bit, so I did the same thing I did with my now-deceased gelding. When bridling, I'd offer a treat in my hand under the bit. In order to get the treat, he had to accept the bit.

Worked like a charm, and eventually I didn't need the treat to get the bit in his mouth. It's just a routine now, and he even puts his head down for the bridle.

People say not to train with treats, but I've found for something like this sometimes it's just the easiest road to take. No fighting, no stress, and nobody gets hurts.

 

[justsambam08]

My gelding is also this way. Before I bought him, his previous owners put him out to pasture and left him there, and then before that he was a racehorse. We're having the dentist come out this week to look at everyone's teeth, and I've set up a consult so I'm looking at the teeth option, even though this has always been a problem. He takes wormers fine, but if I want to stick my fingers in there, or peel his lip up to look at his tattoo (they did this before EVERY race, so I know he knows whats going on) he jerks his head away and won't let me touch him.

Since he gets nippy about treats, I decided to go bitless and he was very nice with it. He picked up on it right away, no fussing about it. He would shove his nose into his hackamore.

 

[NorthernMama]

I did the treat thing with my horses. Works like a charm. But you really should have a place to tie your horse. And I would practice just putting the bit in the headstall just on, never mind any curb straps, flashes or jowl strap (jeez, the proper name escapes me now). Put it on with a treat, let her enjoy the treat and take it off. Walk away.

At other times of the day, get her used to having your hands all over her face. She needs to know its ok.

My horses will usually come when I shake the bridles in the paddock now.

 

[Allison Finch]

Definitely check to see if her teeth need attention.

I painted the bit, of a horse who hated bridling, with molasses. After a while, the horse was looking for that bit....oh, yeah!

 

[Team Penner]

Molasses on the bit works very well. Allison Finch is correct you horse will want that bit after a while.

 

[Rule of Reason]

I did the treat thing with my horses. Works like a charm. But you really should have a place to tie your horse. And I would practice just putting the bit in the headstall just on, never mind any curb straps, flashes or jowl strap (jeez, the proper name escapes me now). Put it on with a treat, let her enjoy the treat and take it off. Walk away.

At other times of the day, get her used to having your hands all over her face. She needs to know its ok.

My horses will usually come when I shake the bridles in the paddock now.

Agree with this, using the molasses that other people have mentioned. Also of course be very careful not to bang her teeth with the bit. Maybe go to a Happy Mouth bit for a while (with molasses :wink. When you take the bridle off, just hold your hands kind of low and let her actually spit the bit out herself, that way you can't bang her.

Throatlatch is the word you were looking for. Good luck.