My horse lifts his head when I try to put his bridle on. How can I get him to lower it and keep still?

With any behavioural issue, the first step is making sure pain or a physical problem is not the cause. Eliminate all possible sources of discomfort before taking steps to change the horse’s behaviour through training. With bridling problems, the first place to check is inside the horse’s mouth for sores on the tongue, bars or sides and for sharp teeth. Next, check that the bit fits correctly. Tongue size, palate height and depth of the lips as well as mouth shape and width all affect how comfortably the bit sits in the horse’s mouth.

Finally, consider that if being ridden is uncomfortable or unpleasant in any way for the horse, he will associate being bridled with that negative experience. Sources of discomfort can include:

  • Tack that fits poorly or is in bad condition, creating pressure points
  • Soreness or stiffness in joints or muscles anywhere from nose to tail
  • Rider imbalance, stiffness or poorly timed aids

Once all possible causes of discomfort have been addressed you can focus on re-training your horse for bridling. First, ask your horse to bring his head to you by using his natural bend “button.” Standing at your horse’s side, gently stroke his barrel where his girth would sit. Keep your weight shifted away from his head so that you’re not pushing your body toward it. Patiently wait for your horse to respond to the stroking by gradually bringing his nose toward you. His head will naturally lower as he bends. Reinforce this response by sliding your hand up to scratch his withers.

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