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Post by kerryo on Mar 6, 2010 17:38:06 GMT
Can anyone help with any ideas on how i can make my 3 year old TB/Sec D take his bit please.
We have tried everything, at first he took the bit with no problem but was a pain to catch in the field, now he is perfect to catch and now wont take the bit. He now stands at 16.1hh and i'm only 5ft so its very difficult when is plays up with it.
If anyone has any ideas it would be great :-) thank you
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Post by thecremellosociety on Mar 7, 2010 11:23:11 GMT
can you offer a mint at the same time or put something yummy on the bit make him realise its ok and nice
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Post by welshbyname on Mar 7, 2010 17:02:11 GMT
I know people say old ways are the best, and I laughed when I first heard about what i'm going to tell you, but it works!
My O/H grandpa used to be a horseman 'back in the day' and when I had a pony who wouldnt take the bit, he told me to tie bailer twine to the rings and hang it above the door, accross the door frame ( so its streached out length ways) and spread jam or treacle, or other sticky tasty substance on it, then the horse starts to play with the bit and mouth it themselves, rather than it being forced on them, then they learn to accociate it with tastiness and you go from that stage to getting them to accept the bit, with no leatherwork attached and then keep adding bits week by week, cheeck pieces etc, until they are accepting the whole bridle, bit and all!
It takes patience and you get a bit sticky in the process, but end results are worth it.
xxx
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Post by kerryo on Mar 7, 2010 19:07:59 GMT
Hi, that sounds like a really good idea, we have tried butting things on the bit for him to take it but he just wasn't interested so i think ill try that as then he can go to it in his own time :-) We have tried with carrots on the bit and that didn't work either. Thank you for your help :-) muchly appreciated :-)
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Post by sarah00000 on Mar 7, 2010 19:28:44 GMT
I like welshbynames idea, sound kind and fun, if a bit sticky.
My method is a bit sad, but it works for me.......
If your horse/pony is a softy, then it will work. If they are not into fuss and cuddles it wont.
I always treat the bitting process as part of a "kissing/tickling/pamper session"! Kiss kiss, hands up round face, kiss kiss, smoochy smoochy, hands up start putting the bit up, if they put head up, dont worry, just get on a mounting block and go with them. Make sure you have all the time in the world. Kiss kiss, stroke stroke, tickle tickle until they let you slip the bit in and then LOADS of tickles, kisses etc etc
My mare Lilly, was a total nutter to bit when she came. She had been twitched round her ear and bitted with a bit that made her bleed. Her gums are scarred. Even she succumbed to this method and now loves to have her bridle put on, as she thinks its a pamper session!
Good luck
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Post by welshbyname on Mar 7, 2010 19:44:56 GMT
;D let me know if it works.
Ole Dougie'll be pleased to know i'm spreading the word of the old horsemen!
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Post by lexy on Mar 7, 2010 19:48:31 GMT
Hi,
I have struggled with this problem with youngster I recently bought. Oddly enough, anything I have done from scratch myself has always been *really* good to put bridle on , including putting down head into reins when just held up in front of their head. But this one came already started, and already with "issues" about this.
She used to panic as soon as tried to put bridle on, even if you had un-done cheekpiece so not even putting bit in to begin with and would run backwards and/or snatch head up very quickly.
A technique that a friend of mine suggested which worked well with her (combined with lots of patience and reassurance) was to tied bit on to a headcollar. One side tied on, put head collar on, then have bailer twine attached to other bit ring which then put through other headcollar ring, and gently pull to bring bit up to mouth so resting on mouth (lots of reassurance and telling how good pony is) then very gently and slowly use other hand to put in corner of mouth and persuade to open. All the while keeping pressure on with string so as soon as mouth is opened then can use string to raise bit into mouth.
This also has advantage that if pony does snatch head up that if you still have hold of the string the bit will stay where it is and they dont learn that this is an effective evasion technique.
My little mare got a lot better doing this. If you have time, it is worth putting bit in as often as you can, and not always when doing work. So sometimes you put bit in, make big fuss and just take it out and not always then go on to lunge/ride.
Oh and meant to say ..... do make sure that there arent any physical issues too before you push the issue, and prob worth getting vet to check teeth. You dont want to continue if you might actually be causing pain.
Lexy.
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