Bridling a Clydesdale

[DutchGirl]

I am having extreme issues bridling my Clydesdale, Magnum.

Whenever I try to put the bridle over his head, he tosses his head way high and I can't get to it. I don't know if it's because he doesn't like his ears touched, or he's scared, or what. Any ideas?

[Missy&Boo]

Play with his ears each time you go out to see him/feed him/whatever.

What this sounds like to me is he's found a way to avoid being bridled, for whatever reason. When were his teeth last checked?

If his teeth have been checked I suggest getting a trainer out to help you, maybe someone who is taller and can reach him when he gets his head up. It doesn't even really have to be a trainer, just someone with horse experience.

Also ensure your bridle is fitted correctly and not pinching him, and make sure the bit size is correct for his larger mouth.

[DutchGirl]

He had his teeth floated last September ... I'm using the same bit size his former owner had for him, do their mouths grow? He was four when I got him, now he's five ...

I've tried playing with his ears when I go out to feed, he just walks away or tosses his head ...

(But for the advice.)

[laterider]

Can you get a halter on him?
If you can, then when you are practicing bridling I'd leave the halter on and put the bridle on over top. At least then you have something to keep him beside you with so that he can't walk away from you.

[RiosBravo]

It doesn't take them long to figure out they're taller than you - so if you've ever knocked their teeth or been too hard with your hands (while riding) they'll learn to avoid you!

I'd make sure you can touch his ears, and teach him to lower his head - with no bridle present. Once he'll allow his head to drop (as low as you want/need it) and keep it there while you run your hands up his face and play with his ears... then grab the bridle and repeat the process, just having the bridle near.

If he's fine with that, then go to put the bridle on. What I do with our big guys is put one arm over their poll, between their ears - so I can apply a small amount of pressure if need be to remind them where I want their head.

If that fails - then what I've done is practice putting the headstall piece of the bridle on over the ears (like normal) but with the bit undone on one side. This isn't me "giving into" the horse - I'm STILL putting the bridle on over their ears, but it does make sure I can't clank them in the teeth if they do go to avoid me. I then ask the horse to open their mouth for the bit, and slip it in - do it up. I repeat the process until the horse allows me to do so without undoing the bridle, in some cases we get it the second try, others we go at it for awhile first.

These horses are often so tall, and powerful that it can be difficult, if they choose to "leave", to NOT hit their teeth... and getting the teeth doesn't make them want to put the bridle on at all. I've found over repetition doing it this way they eventually don't mind just putting their head in the bridle.

Remember to stay calm, and don't over-think the issue - it seems to repel them.

[DutchGirl]

I can put a halter on him, but I can't put it on over his ears -- it has to clip around his neck. How do I teach him to lower his head?

[RiosBravo]

I put one hand over the poll, the other over the "bridge" of their nose (not over the nostrils, but higher up)... and apply soft pressure to the poll - if the horse drops their head... even a little I stop the pressure and stroke the neck (or whatever praise you want). Then repeat

If you can't reach his poll... then you can do it with the halter. I will apply soft, pulsing pressure to the leadrope (if I'm working with a rope halter I will just "stroke" the leadline... that may or may not work for you in a nylon halter depending on how sensitive your horse is) in a downward direction until the horse gives it's head - just a little. As soon as he goes to drop the head, I stop and praise... then repeat.

Once I have the horse lowering it's head for me, I will start to take my hands away to see if they will stay there (this seems to be a trust thing). If the horse does keep it's head there I will run my hands everywhere - including the ears. Whenever they go to avoid, I will start the process over again.

[Tess]

Teaching your horses to lower their heads is easy, it just takes some time! Take the halter (preferably a rope one) and with your hand holding underneath, gently pull downward - at the SLIGHTEST try release the pressure, pat him and tell him he's a good boy - keep repeating til he is very light and will come down and stay down very low. The trick is to release very quickly when you get what you want, the release is the reward. I also say "down" and my horses put their heads down on command.
From there you can slowly introduce the bridle, each time bringing their head down, if he tries to pop up - it can take some time but if you're consistent, it works like a charm.

[island_cowgurl]

Play with his ears and get him used to tossing and putting things around his upper neck. Also teach him to drop his poll. Using a stool to reach up and push down on his poll also helps for teaching if they are too high to reach/

[Trouble]

My WB mare went through that phase. I tried everything trying to get her to stop. Finally I just started disconnecting the bit from the cheek piece, then would put the bridle on, do everything up, then slide the bit in last. After awhile she forgot she had an issue and now lets me bridle her normally. A step might help you too so you are taller. A rope halter is easier to fit a bridle over too.

[DutchGirl]

I'm actually very pleased with yesterday's work ... the rope halter I had gotten my appy fits Magnum, good enough for training at least. I did a bit of Parelli with him -- got him circling me without me following him. Plus worked on getting his head down, by pulling on the lead line. I'm going to try doing this without the step stool for now ... hopefully it'll be like his feet and repeating is the key.

[Missy&Boo]

Repetition is the key. My gelding had an issue with his ears, until my friend and energetic alignment specialist started playing with his ears. Now he lets me touch them and bridle him. I was always able to bridle him, however I would have to go slow and loosen the notch on the side of his bridle by two holes so I didn't have to bend his ear so much. It was a walking-on-eggshells process because he'd put his head up and show the whites of his eyes in fear... And sometimes rear or pull away. Now I don't have to worry because he is used to having his ears handled again.

[RiosBravo]

[Sammy258]

get on a stool, and do something so that his forelock is out of his eyes. noone like hair in their eyes. by moving his forelock, when you touch his face he wont panic that his hair is going to poke his eyes.

sure laugh now. beause u dont think it will help, but it has helped with many horses ive worked with.

[Trouble]

This might seem like a funny question but what hands are you using for for what during bridling? My sister has had problems with bridling and I was watching her one day and realized she had her hands backwards. She was using her left hand to pull the bridle over the head while standing to the left and her right hand on the nose or guiding the bit into the mouth. I got her to switch her hands and no more problems.

[HunterEq95~Maddy]

I use to have the same issue. Make sure the bit fits and it is the right shape for your horse's mouth. If all is good, then start teaching your horse to lower it's head by applying pressure on it's poll. Keep the pressure on, and when your horse lower's its head, release the pressure. Keep on doing this until you only have to use minimal pressure to get your horse to lower it's head.

Next, check the way you are putting on the bridle.

DON'T do it this way:
http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/an_sci/extension/horse/Images/How%20to%20Bridle%20Horse.gif

Instead, do it this way:
http://www.cowboyway.com/images/Bridle3.jpg

I switched to that method, and voila, no more bridleing problems. If anything, now his head is too low :P And it was a huge problem before, it use to take 20 minutes to put on his bridle, and he'd hold his head up really high and back up and try to get away.

Hope this helps :)

[Trouble]

Interesting. I dont think I could do the second one. Im too short and have a bad shoulder. But the first is sort of similar to what I do, except I use my right hand to lower the poll. Sometimes I actually hold onto the forelock a litttle. Im not sure why exactly, I think its easy on my arm and the horse doesnt mind. It seems to work.

[Missy&Boo]

I think it also depends on how the horse was taught in the first place. My gelding gets bridled the second way, always has. And his issues weren't with bridling they were with his ears in general. And from what I've read on this thread so far, the main issue isn't with bridling, it's with this horse's ears. So his ears need to be handled regularly before you try incorporating a bridle into the equation. It's kind of like skipping step 1 and trying to do step 2 without the prior knowledge you would have gotten from step 1. Once he is used to you handling his ears and you have taught him to drop his head, you can then attempt to bridle.

[Trouble]

Sometimes if its an ear issue they could painful ears. Icant remember that name of what can happen in ears right now where they can get those bumps. I only got a few hours sleeps after working nights so my brain isnt working right now. Ive had a few horses with ear issues in my past and sometimes they did better bridling if you didnt fuss with the their ears at all during bridling. Each horse is different though. Also someone mention how they loosened the bridle during bridling so it wouldnt be too tight while going over the ears. That was a good suggestion.

[Missy&Boo]