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Post by sheilahinch on Dec 29, 2011 18:00:22 GMT 1
Has any one ever had this problem please ! We bought a horse from Ireland 18mths ago and at first he just didn't like you to flip the headcollar strap over his head and then it has gradually got worse and worse. At first we could get the bridle over his head if we got his bottom trapped in the corner of the stable and then we had to catch him up first. Everytime we find a cure for the latest problem he finds another way to evade us. Now we have to slide the headpiece over his head and then open the martingale and rein straps and do them up again round his neck. We have always treated him very kindly and respectfully and canot understand this and are at our wits end, can anyone help with any ideas  He ought to know by now that we don't mean him any harm |
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Post by shan on Dec 29, 2011 20:34:33 GMT 1
Hiya, well you may think he ought to know, but he doesn't - something's put him off and he can't forget it (yet). I know of some 'people' who drag horses about by their ears to 'teach' them to yield - he could have had a beating over the head, caught his head on something - anything... He's trying to tell you he's scared and as far as he's concerned he's not being listened to, epsecially as he's been cornered in his stable - I know sometimes we think it's the only way to do things but it perpetuates fear. Do you know his history, is he showing fear about other stuff, have you tried going right back to the beginning and maybe just stroking over his head or stroking him with a headcollar strap then rewarding him and letting him go again? He needs reassurance, and horses who have fear issues need really small steps so they can learn that although it's scary, it doesn't have to be - break the steps down, do you have to ride him? Sounds like you could do with letting him have a break and just doing some ground work with him first  |
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Post by rosemaryhannah on Dec 30, 2011 11:22:20 GMT 1
When you have to put o a bridle or head collar by trapping him in a door, what he will feel is fear. Imagine if a policeman caught you, trapped you behind a door, tied a headscarf o you, and then gave you a tube of sweeties - how would you feel? Safe?
If you force him through experiences that terrify him, he will get more and more anxious.
You can work with this by advance and retreat (see Sarah Weston's No force, no fear).
You can get a RA out to teach you personally.
You can resign yourselves to taking his bridle to bits, and putting it on a bit at a time, which in time will lessen his fears.
Can you touch his ears if you do not have a bridle or head collar?
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Post by outoftheblue on Dec 30, 2011 16:17:06 GMT 1
Just another thought he may have a poll problem and a chiropractor might make him more comfortable and then he might feel happier about the bridle. Interesting point by Rosemary above. If you can touch his head when you dont have a bridle or headcollar then you would know its the bridle/headcollar thats the problem. Its also intesting to red in the original post that he ought to know by now etc. I think there is a moment with every horse with issues when he realises he can trust you and things rapidly get better. However, some can take much longer than others to come to this. Its never easy to get over these fears for a horse and patience is the only answer. Try putting lavender oil on the headcollar so that it smells appealing. Lavender is also calming. Good luck.
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Post by sharoncforster on Dec 31, 2011 11:50:18 GMT 1
reading the previous posts i agree he sounds like you are endorsing his fright, and no amount of forcing will get over this, my girl suddenly rejected the bridle virtually overnight, not the same i know and having had every bone/wrinkle/layer checked i stopped fitting it to her as all i was doing was upsetting her, my diagnosis was unfortunately a trainer i had got in to help was a bit rougher than i and had frightened her. 15 months on she is now fine again but it took at least 4 months before she would even consider looking at the bridle, I had tried to do what you are doing and all i got was a very upset horse, do you need a bridle, have you tried riding off a dually, are you able to handle his head at all, try to find the source of his problem and work up from there before you completely alienate him
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Post by helenj on Jan 2, 2012 17:59:19 GMT 1
Hi Sheila
I think that this is something that you need help with, either from an RA, or from getting hold of some good reading. Monty covers this in From my Hands to Yours, and in Ask Monty and on the online university.
This isn't necessarily a long problem to solve, but is an easy one to make worse by not tackling the problem in small enough steps or by getting your timing wrong. People get to the point of being frustrated or annoyed and then have all sorts of other problems because the horse is getting unhelpful energy before they have even walked through the stable door.
Agree with outoftheblue that it could be worth having a McTimmony or physio look at him, as the problem may well have started with pain in the poll, and at least eliminate that from the current situation.
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