|
|
|
Forum Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 09 April 2011
Posts: 2,
Visits: 72
|
|
| Hi, I was wondering if someone could help please? My mare has started to grip the bit in her teeth when i take it out. But she then starts to panic and her head goes straight up in to the air. She's had her teeth checked. I have tried changing bits which the dentist advised but nothing seems to be working. Please help!!!
|
|
|
|
|
Official Forum Wine Taster
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 21 May 2012
Posts: 2,142,
Visits: 1,913
|
|
| I'm not an expert so I'm not going to suggest solutions but here is what I would suggest: - ask a VERY experienced friend or preferably an experienced instructor to have a look to see what she is doing to see if anything stands out as obvious. - don't be tempted to find a way to strap her down - something's upsetting her and she's telling you quite clearly she doesn't like it (whatever it is) - sometimes what appears to be a bridle/bit problem is actually something to do with the saddle or back. May be worth getting that looked at. Hope you manage to sort it for both of you and good luck! 
|
|
|
|
|
Supreme Buddy
Group: Administrators
Last Login: Yesterday @ 21:23
Posts: 4,232,
Visits: 6,643
|
|
| It's a nightmare when they do that. It's like a vicious circle, they're scared of the bit clanging on their teeth when you take the bridle off, so they throw their head up and it snatches on their teeth so they're twice as bad next time. First off, I would get a roll of bit tape and cover the mouthpiece or practice with a rubber or soft plastic bit and make a simple bridle or take off the noseband and reins of your usual bridle and take the cheekpieces out of the keepers. You need to stand on something to take the bridle off so when her head goes up, you can follow it to avoid the blow to the teeth. Undo one of the cheekpieces and let the bit down that way. You will find it easier to control the bit removal as you don't have to be as high up and no pulling over the ears to alert her that the awful clonk is coming next. Keep doing it and another trick is to offer a carrot to get her head down. I'd practice every day 4 or 5 times  Welcome to the forum by the way  Another very simple thing to do that will help is to get a piece of alkathene pipe and put that in her mouth like you would the bit, but slide it out sideways at first, then downwards 
|
|
|
|
|
Queen of the Unplanned Dismount
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 10 May 2012
Posts: 1,279,
Visits: 2,077
|
|
| Would undo-ing one of the cheek pieces and taking the bit out sideways (probably need to length the other cheek piece a little bit) make any difference? Just to see if you can temporarily break the pattern and then take the rest of the bridle off normally once you've got the bit out of her mouth? That way if and when she chucks her head up she's not going to bash the bit against her teeth (cos it's already out of her mouth). Hope you can sort it!
 Horses stay the same from the day they are born until the day they die... They are only changed by the way people treat them'. Tom Smith - trainer of Seabiscuit
|
|
|
|
|
Iron Maiden
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 26 December 2011
Posts: 791,
Visits: 1,573
|
|
Does she do it at any other times, or just when you are taking it out of her mouth?
|
|
|
|
|
Forum Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 09 April 2011
Posts: 2,
Visits: 72
|
|
Thanks for that everyone.
I have had her back checked and shes just had a brand new saddle flocked to fit her so that wont be the problem. I did start to undo the cheek pieces and that worked for a while but then she started to do the same whilst doing that. So now we have to distract her with a carrot to take her mind of it whilst i take the bit it. I have been advised to try the straight rubber bar bits because apparently they will drop out easier. Thanks everyone for the advice i will let you know how i get on.
|
|
|
|