I have a head that likes to toss her head and doesn't lower her head when putting the bridle on, any sugg.??

If he's tall get yourself a step stool to make it easier. Check to see if he needs his teeth floated - the bit could be causing discomfort, plus, have you bumped his teeth with the bit lately? If you're too short for his head there's a chance you bump his teeth when putting the bridle on, or, that the bit is the wrong size to begin with.

Next, spend time rubbing his face and neck with the bridle, eventually he'll calm down.

Next put the bit in position but don't attempt to put it in his mouth until he holds still again. This is the hard part, outlasting the head tossing. If you hold still with your hand on his nose (not hard over the nasal cavity, many people try to hold their heads and inadvertantly press on their sinuses making it hard to breathe) until he gets tired of tossing his head.

Once he stops bobbing take the bit away, and start over. His reward for holding still is that the bit went away, PLUS that reinforces that it's not something to be afraid of.

Continue getting closer and closer to putting the bit in, without actually putting the bit on until you can get into position with your hand around his head and the bit against his lips without him tossing his head. This could take days of work or an hour depending on how much your horse trusts your judgement and believes it's not gonna be all that bad.

The goal is to desensitize him to the negative reaction he's having. Slowly make it so he holds still, once you can get the bit ready to go on entirely without his head tossing, start using a sweet bit-spray (available most tack shops or make your own with molasses and water), or a small apple wedge in your hand under the bit to help him accept it.

He has a negative association with the bridle because 1. it means getting ridden? 2. it's uncomfortable? 3. he's being a pain? whatever the reason he needs to get used to having it go on and off. Hopefully this method will get him to stop.

Another excellent exercise to do to help with putting his head down: get treats and randomly through the day, whenever you think about it, pat him on top of the head and pull his head down, once his head is low enough give him a treat. Eventually he will associate the head pat with the head-lowering and it'll be a lot easier - it's great to teach them anyway for lots of different little situations you need their head down (worming, checking injuries, forelock braiding, etc)

Good luck!

I had a very tall horse, and when I first started breaking him I taught him that he always got a sugar cube with his bit. He liked it, and he always reached for the bit-- I never had to put my fingers in his mouth. I gave him a couple more sugar cubes while I was doing up his bridle, so he kept his head down where I could reach it. Some people will tell you not to use treats to train horses, but some of them are very food motivated, and this worked very well for this particular horse. He was also taught the command "down," where he would put his head down to have his halter put on or taken off, or his ears clipped, or whatever-- but it all started with the sugar cube and the bit. Since she already has problems, you can teach her the command first, then adapt it to putting on the halter, and then the bridle. Always be gentle, and be sure there aren't any dental problems (a vet can check for you) and that the bit and bridle fit her well, so she doesn't have a reason to resist being bridled. Good Luck!!

The way to truly fix this problem is going to take time. It is a simple fix, but you're going to have to dedicate some time every day and it will most likely take many months. You can "trick her" like one of the other answers stated, but that will get old quickly and she won't take long to catch on.

The correct way to bridle a horse is to stand on her left side, facing the same direction that she is facing. Hold the bridle in your left hand. Put your right hand through her ears from back to front, so that your palm is between her ears and your fingers are dangling over her forelock. Then move the bridle from your left hand to your right hand. Your right hand will move up and guide the crownpiece over the ears while the left hand guides the bit into the mouth gently, being careful not to knock it on her teeth.

If your horse is difficult to bridle, the point in this procedure where you hit trouble is going to be to get your right hand between her ears. This is what you will need to work towards.

Take a few minutes every day and work toward getting her comfortable with your hand there. You are going to need to start at a place where she is comfortable, like her shoulder. Then start scratching and petting her, working up the neck towards her head. When you get to a place that she becomes uncomfortable and elevates her head, move back a bit towards the shoulder and remain there for a few moments. Start moving towards the ear again and repeat. Stop when you can scratch her comfortably in a spot just a bit closer to the ear than the place you got to the day before.

Eventually you will wind up with a horse that is completely comfortable with your hand anywhere on her face, on the top of her head, on her ears, etc. It is going to take some time, but if you are patient it will come. I see this everyday and people just aren't willing to put in the time it takes to truly correct such a problem. I guarantee that when you reach this point with her, bridling will not be a problem.

One of our horses last year had this anti-bridle phase. You might want to have the teeth checked into. Putting the bridle on or taking it off could be bumping the teeth making it uncomfortable for her.

Our mare had to have her canine teeth (the peg like teeth right behind the incisors) removed because it was deduced that this was causing an uncomfortable fit for her and/or bumped them when taking the bridle on/off. No problems with bridling since. Head lowers, and she is receptive to bridling.

Check with your vet or experienced dental trained vet about this possibilty.

If that is rule out, then you may just need to check for proper fit of bridle, or even just need to retrain her to lower her head. How is she for haltering?? If she accepts the halter with no problems, then I would think that is it something to do with the teeth and the bit rather than just being head shy or stubborn.

I agree with Anine. I have a 17.2 horse that HATED to be bridled. There was no way in the Earth that I could get it on. I used apple waffers to get him to lower his head and open his mouth. It really helps. Don't just do that once though, keep doing it all the time. If you only do it once, and don't do it again, he won't ever lower his head again.

she may be sensitive in her ears, or just doesnt like having them touched, as my 8 year old QH mare doesn't. you have to get her used to that. rub her withers and face, and slowly move up until you meed in the middle at her ears. just touch them, and as you continue to do this every day she will become accustomed to it, to a point where you can rub and fold them. i can have the clippers a my mares ear without a problem from doing this. this should help a lot with the bridle, and probably the head tossing too. good luck!!!

Put pressure on his poll with your fingers. He might throw his head up a little but hang on.. As soon as his head lowers take the pressure off immediately!!!! Keep doing this until he will hold his head down. Try Parellis methods. Works wonders!!

Good Luck!

some horses hate bridles

I'm in 4-H horse club and iv'e seen alot of my friends horses hate getting there tarck on. mine is fine

you can trick her and have something in your head or on the ground then her head is down so put your hand / arm between her ears and pull the bridel over just mkae sure you carefull with her tung because she could bite it and thats not god!

hope i helped.

are you sure you are doing it as nicely as possible? maybe it had bad experiences before. or maybe she just doesn't like anyone touching her ears. just try to be as nice as possible when putting on and taking off the bridle.

It is probably head shy.

Do you use any head type restraints on it?