How do you help a horse who is head shy?

Favorite Answer

Horses become head-shy by something that has occurred to this horse. It is a man-made vice. Either being hit, slapped, ear grabbed or other abuse to the head is what causes it. Less likely but also possible, it can also be caused from dental problems or poor fitting or incorrect bitting.
For there to be any chance of this being cured or made better, there cannot be anyone who is continuing to hit or abuse this horse. That said, it is a slow process of re-building trust, hard, but not impossible. Gentle slow massaging of the head is first, later re-conditioning that things moving around her head are not going to hurt her.
If this were your horse, and no one else was handling her, she might stand a chance at gaining trust back. If this is a horse that lots of people ride or have contact with, then it is going to be very difficult or impossible, unless everyone is working together and using the same training techniques.
I suggest you read Monty Robert's book "The Horse Whisperer" to learn about resistance free training and the basics of "join-up" that would correct the being hard to catch problem. I highly recommend any of Monty's other books on training and how to work with problem horses. His gentle way of teaching horses has worked real miracles on horses with all kinds of problems....Show more

With your horse haltered and also you preserving a protracted lead line situation your hat to your hand and lift it top slowly, so the pony continues his eye on it, process with a carrot within the different hand, deliver her the carrot and puppy her and positioned her up. If you check out tying this horse--- and dealing with it is head use severe warning. And most effective tie to a buried cement block with a hoop on it! A hitching put up or corral or nook put up will finally end up together with her splitting her head throwing it as much as break out, or the hitching put up will probably be uprooted, torn aside and bouncing down the lane in the back of your horse! Or worse-if you're correct there she is dependable to spoil correct into your head! or Plow you right into a constructing. Go gradual and be trained all her buttons. Good success!...Show more

When your in the stall with her do lots of work round her head, it depends how head shy she is, but when you brush her spend most of the time brushing the highest part of her neck and her face. Don't get angry with her or anything just get her used to things being round her head. When you tack her up, put the reins over her head several times, back and forth and maybe take her bridle on and off a few times to. Just make her realise that nothing bad will happen if something is near her head. You may want to check that she is in no pain or find the cause of her being head shy, previous owners etc....Show more

One thing way to do it, is to bribe him with treats. Call him over for a carrot, and when he's eating slowly pet his neck. Gradually work your way up.

http://horsetrainingsuccess.blogspot.com/2007/10/head-shy-horse-what-to-do.html that might help too....Show more