# Wont take a bit and tosses head. What do I do?



## MythRider (Dec 10, 2009)

AbbieWalters said:


> My horse will not accept a Snaffle bit so we used a Curb bit and we barely got it on him. My dad was riding him bareback with that on and he kept on tossing his head and tried to Crow Hop him and rear but when I got on he tossed his head but didn't try to spook. Im only 12 and i weigh 106 pounds. My aunt bought me a whole entire bridle set and she bought a tie-down and a breast collar with it, should i use that? My horse has only been ridden 3 times since we have had him but he is a rescue and all we know is that apparently he has been ridden and was trained at one point.My dad is really skinny and my horse is like a Welsh/Qh and he is 13.2 hh. The lady who rescued him rode him once and she used a english bridle with a full mouth snaffle and she gave it to us but he wouldnt accept it, for about an 30 mins out of the hour that we rode him he kept on licking his mouth and my uncle said that the Curb bit was a little bit big for him. I want to do barrels with him him and he overal did better than what I expected and I want to know how can I get him used to using a bit and if we go out and ride him almost every weekend how long would it take before I would be able to do barrels with him?I thought of putting honey on the bit so he will eventauly take it without the honey and so he thinks its a good thing and not something from hell lol.



Someone was saying that their horse chews everything. I recommended calling the vet and/or dentist. she might have a problem with her teeth and it may be really hurting her which she doesn't like it because of that...


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## Honeysuga (Sep 1, 2009)

Get him checked by a vet or equine dentist if he is that resistant. It could be a pain issue. Have you tried riding him bitless? 

You might want to get a professional trainer if you are wanting to do barrels, there is a lot to the training and it takes quite a while before a horse is trained well enough to be a child's barrel horse, even when trained professionally.

Not trying to be rude but at 12, you should have lessons with a professional so you know how to handle a barrel horse.


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## TwisterRush (Sep 8, 2009)

i think that you need to use a snaffle, i dont think that changing the bit's is going to do anything. 
He obviously was not trained to take a bit, so you need to teach him to lower his head. 
you will just rest your hand at the top of his poll, when he goes down, just alittle bit you will praise him, if he doesnt you will continue to leave your hand there, only apply very little pressure, hardly any.

repition is key


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## AbbieWalters (Aug 22, 2008)

I know thats why im taking leasons on wednsday and saturday


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## AbbieWalters (Aug 22, 2008)

I used to take lessons on a ex barrel horse and he still had a lot of git-up-n-go in him and i was able to control him perfectly


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## justsambam08 (Sep 26, 2009)

My OTTB (with plenty of get up and go in him) HATES having any kind of bit in his mouth. I use a hackamore on him and he's fine, except when he's being bratty, but thats a "me" issue not a "him" issue. Assuming you've had his teeth checked, I would say have you looked at how big or small his mouth is. I didn't realize until someone pointed it out to me that my horse had a REALLY small mouth, so even though the bit fit him length wise, it probably wasn't very comfortable for his lips to be jammed back like they were (even though there were only two wrinkles). Also, you said he was a rescue, so consider how long its been since he may have been last ridden. It might just feel funky to have something in there, and he'll need time to adjust.


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## Honeysuga (Sep 1, 2009)

AbbieWalters said:


> I know thats why im taking leasons on wednsday and saturday


Good, I hope you have fun!


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## mom2pride (May 5, 2009)

Your trainer may be able to help you with your bridling issues as well. Perhaps something you are doing, is causing him to be able to toss or pull his head away while you are trying to bridle him. 

As far as 'what' to ride him in, for barrels, you just about need a bit that the shanks move seperately from the mouthpeice, so I would either go back to the snaffle, or make sure you get a curb bit that has swivel cheeks on it. You could try a hackemore as well.


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## rocky pony (Oct 5, 2007)

Definitely have him see a vet/equine dentist ASAP. It sure sounds like it could be that he needs his teeth floated.
If pain is not the issue, he may need to be trained to accept a bit, or ridden in a hackamore or a bitless bridle.

Resorting to the tie down wouldn't be a good decision IMHO. That just puts a bandaid on a problem instead of actually solving it.

If he reaches a point where he is accepting a bit, I definitely recommend the snaffle. I ride my horses in a snaffle no matter what we're doing, and they do wonderfully.


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## AbbieWalters (Aug 22, 2008)

There is NO WAY i could possibly ride him in a hackamore because i would have ABSOULTE no control over him what so ever because he tends to be a little frisky. And yes, his teeth have been floated recently so I know its not his teeth.


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## rocky pony (Oct 5, 2007)

Perhaps you should have a trainer work with him, then. If he's doing that without pain being the issue, that's a pretty bad problem to have. It's sounding kind of like he would really benefit from some proper training.


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

I couldn't really gather from your first post - Is the problem actually putting the bridle on? Or is it how he accepts the bit once it is in his mouth?


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## AbbieWalters (Aug 22, 2008)

Well really its both.


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## SmoothTrails (Oct 1, 2009)

Ok, if he has issues with you putting the bridle on it may just be that someone has banged his teeth in the past while putting it on or taking it off. Repetition is the key. He may just need practice where you don't bang his teeth. On the bit issue he may just need time to adjust to the new rider. If he has been riding in that bit I would not advise changing it. I would see if you could get your trainer to look at him and see what he/she thinks of the issue while the horse has the bit in its mouth.


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## Ridehorses99 (Dec 23, 2009)

Once you get the bridle on him, take the reins off and leave him in a stall for a couple of hours getting used to the bit in his mouth. You can put a little honey or molassas on the bit to make it more pleasant. I would also work him a lot in a round pen with the bit in his mouth and the reins a little shorter on one side than the other to tip his nose to the center of the pen to get him relaxed and accepting the bit BEFORE you spend time on his back.


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## SouthCreekPaints (Dec 26, 2009)

It may be a physical problem. He may have some sharp teeth, an sore in his mouth, broken teeth etc. Could even be a rib or back problem although it wouldnt explain the tossing of the head it might explain a high head carriage(bowing out the back) Or it may just be that he is a stubborn pony. Check for the physical problemsfirst and if he checks out clean...TIE HIS DARN HEAD around to the saddle (some slack) and work his little butt. Ask him to give...then TELL him its not an option and make him pull against himself for a change and not against your hands


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