Getting Your Horse To Like The Bit
Good morning this is Will Faerber from Art2Ride. I want to give you a simple idea of how you can improve the horse’s contact and acceptance with the bridle.
I have received several emails lately about how people’s horse’s mouths have been ruined and they can’t ride them in bridles any more and have to ride them in hackamores and things like this. So I wanted to share a little secret about how to get your horse to accept the bridle that we use as well as my father, Nuno Olivera and many masters. We use a sugar cube.We want the horse to enjoy the bit, mouth the bridle and get their salivary glands to work. We want to see the horse’s mouth softening as well as a nice foam. I am also a singer and eating these hard candies keeps the throat moist, well the same thing is true with your horse. If you put a bridle on the horse, you want him to associate it with something good. What could be better than a little piece of sugar.
Whenever you are working with young horses, or for those of you who are retraining horses that have a lot of bit problems, check to make sure the bridle is adjusted correctly and then give them a piece of sugar. When our horses come out, they put their heads down ready for their head to go into the bridle because they know they have something great coming! I also give my horses a piece of sugar at the end of the workout in the ring, so they associate the ring with something good. Some people argue about the use of sugar, however I have been using it since I was five and I am sixty now and I have never had a problem with horses using sugar. My father, Nuno Olivera and almost every great master I’ve ever known has used sugar.
Some people say they use carrots, however the problem with that is they gum the bridle up and really don’t do what you want them to do and make a big mess in the horse’s mouth. A piece of sugar instantly dissolves and it activates the salivary glands. So once again, this is Will Faerber from Art2Ride. To get the horse to accept the bridle, give them a little piece of sugar.
10 responses to “Getting Your Horse To Like The Bit”
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In the past I have always used honey spread over the bit before putting it into the mouth as a way to get the horse to accept the bit, It especially works well when introducing the bit to a young horse, having said that I now don’t bother with bits at all on any of my horses any more!!! I just ride in a halter with reins attached in the same manner as I would with a bit maintaining a light contact and find most resistances disappear over night and still achieve the same results following the Classical Foundation Training.I can recommend it well worth trying….but don’t expect to be able to compete in Dressage Competition in a halter….you might scare the other competitors and the judges!!!! I find it also works equally well Jumping and Cross country too.
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Donette Carol Zegar says:
HI, I am curious about your thoughts of bitless riding and training. I am not a competitor and I will be riding for pleasure only. I love the classical dressage principals and I very much like your approach. Do you find that using a bitless bridle or rope halter it is possible to get similar results?
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Kali says:
Answered by Art2Ride Associate Trainers:
Karli Starman I have used both; I started my young mare in only a halter and currently ride her in a side pull type bridle. She needs much more time to get used to carrying a bit and then eventually using it.
I have also used both on my older horse. I went back to bitless after years in a bit to ensure I was using the reins only for communication and NOT coercion via pressure.
Following that time, which I used as a self check in, I did return to a bit due to the additional refinement it gave me over the communication between myself and my horse.
I think you can get all of the basic work done with a halter (cavesson is better, it works with the horses biomechanics more) and bitless bridles, but as you work more towards collection the bit does become useful as a tool of refinement with more subtle levels of communication.
One of my favorite quotes is something along the lines of ‘the reins are to feel the horses thoughts’. (*If any one knows the source for that please let me know!) To me, that means that with the reins we are able to feel into the horse and dissapaite tension. If they are thinking a thought, such as “that looks scary over there”, we can contact that thought process via the rein and encourage relaxation by focusing them on us and using the physiological position of the stretch to reestablish relaxation though their whole being.
I feel it is paramount to keep the reins/bit ‘clean’ of all forced cooperation, but when they are, they are a wonderful mechanism of communication.
Hope that helps, Karli CAT@A2R
Ekaterina Krylova Hi! The bit gives us more fine contact and is more clear for horse than rope halter or bitless bridle. Also when horse is chewing the bit she is more relaxed and that’s a good sign for us. The bit is a perfect instrument to communicate with horse’s mouth but only in a gentle way. You can ride with everything you want:) sometimes (especially with young horses) you start with cavesson at lunging, also you may use a rope halter.. but our goal is to ride fully developed hose with nice top line etc and I think it’s real difficult to teach her without using the bit.. but I think also that person who is perfect in training fully developed horses with bit like Will or other trainers they can do the same without the bit – because they know how it must be. I think you can try both ways and check which one is better and more clear for your horse.
Katherine Potter The founders of Art2Ride (Will Faerber and Karen Loshbaugh) do not recommend bitless as a permanent training tool since you lose the essential connection perfected over hundreds of years of training evolution between the relaxation in the mouth (and the trainer’s ability to gauge it through contact with the reins) and the full participation of the entire topline musculature. At some point in the training, bitless will leave you without understanding of what is going on and an inability to communicate with a more refined cue. That said, folks can make their own choices in these matters understanding that they may not get the same results in the longterm health and progress of their horse.
Linda Thilqvist A cavesson, side pull, hackamore or whatever bitless device you can use, can be as hard as a bit. It all depends on the hands holding the reins. When you ride without a bit you want your horse to be able to work without any contact. When we ride with a bit we want the horse to seek the contact. You will not be able to get the exact same feeling without a bit.
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Alex says: The pony that I ride will throw his head up when I try to put the bit in do you have any recommendations of how to break this habit
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Answered by Art2Ride Associate Trainer Amber: Maybe try a treat in your hand and be very patient. Put the treat next to the bit and wait for the pony to come to it. Its takes a lot of time and patience to work through something like this. So a little bit as often as u can so it is consistent. You can also just try following the head up but don’t try to force the bit in just follow until the pony relaxes and then ask for him to open his mouth. Good luck!
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Also Answered by Art2Ride Associate Trainer Amy: Hi! I would make sure to take your time when bridling. Rushing can make your pony feel anxious. Slowly put the bridle up to your pony’s face. If he raises his head, try to keep the bridle on his face wherever he moves. Once he settles down take it off of his face. This way he does learn that he can get away. Give him a moment to think about what you just practiced and then practice again. He should get calmer about it.
Treats are also a very good reinforcement! 😁
Alex says: Do you have any recommendations of how to get my horse to trust and bond with me? I really want him to feel safe around me
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Answered by Art2Ride Associate Trainer Virginia: Wow! There is a lot to answer this question, depending on where your horse has been. If your horse has had some bad past experiences then it will take more time and pertinence . First start in his corral or stall. Do you always walk up to your horse to halter him? Well you want to stop that and walk in and ask him to come to you. A tap on your leg, say his name. If he does great. Move to another spot, does he follow you and want to be with you? Great pet him and tell him he is so wonderful. If not, keep asking. You want your horse to want to be with you. So many times they just stand and wait because they are being obedient. They really don’t want to be with you. Then you want to go to a larger area, round pen if there is one. This is only for a larger safe area to work on this same concept. Pens are not for running your horse around to lower his energy, but a safe smaller area to work in. Turn him loose, What does he do? See if you can get him to come to you here. This is quiet thoughtful work. Not run him around work. If you have used the round pen for running him around, that may be what he does, so you need to step in and get him to change direction to get him to notice you so you become important. Again this is quiet work. No lunge whip, nothing. You have a halter in your hand, just wiggle it and see if he pays attention.. This may take awhile to get him to follow you depending on what baggage your horse has from previous experiences. Keep this type of work up and he will eventually come to know that you are patient, kind and fair, and he will begin to let your become his leader, as he will learn that you will take care of him. This can take a long time with some horses but it is worth it.
Dina Schultz says: Hi – I’ve had horses for over 50 years, backyard hobby, pleasure, trail, etc… my horse now is a 20y OTTB gelding. I have had him about 11 years. We have been through many “experimenting” together over the years in terms of saddles, pads, halter, headstalls, bits, bitless. He is never ever as calm and confident as he is when he has a big fat bit! And the headstall that is like a figure 8 and crosses down and around to hold the bit for him. He is like a different horse in that set up. His whole body confidence head low, etc… and I honestly don’t understand why except that he is a “nervous-type” and I equate it with dogs who are calmer with thunder-jackets or people who are more relaxed with weighted-blankets. It’s not my preference but every time I change it up to “my preference” he goes with it because he is a kind soul, but he clearly prefers the figure-8 and fat silver bit. Your thoughts?
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What happens in the mouth of the horse is only a symptom of what is going on somewhere else in the body. Without seeing your horse to assess its muscular development, it really is hard to answer that question. A horse that has been trained to lift its back and move through its top line never needs anything more than a loose ring snaffle. If you post pictures and videos on our Facebook site, we can give you a much better answer.
In the past I have always used honey spread over the bit before putting it into the mouth as a way to get the horse to accept the bit, It especially works well when introducing the bit to a young horse, having said that I now don’t bother with bits at all on any of my horses any more!!! I just ride in a halter with reins attached in the same manner as I would with a bit maintaining a light contact and find most resistances disappear over night and still achieve the same results following the Classical Foundation Training.I can recommend it well worth trying….but don’t expect to be able to compete in Dressage Competition in a halter….you might scare the other competitors and the judges!!!! I find it also works equally well Jumping and Cross country too.
HI, I am curious about your thoughts of bitless riding and training. I am not a competitor and I will be riding for pleasure only. I love the classical dressage principals and I very much like your approach. Do you find that using a bitless bridle or rope halter it is possible to get similar results?
Answered by Art2Ride Associate Trainers:
Karli Starman I have used both; I started my young mare in only a halter and currently ride her in a side pull type bridle. She needs much more time to get used to carrying a bit and then eventually using it.
I have also used both on my older horse. I went back to bitless after years in a bit to ensure I was using the reins only for communication and NOT coercion via pressure.
Following that time, which I used as a self check in, I did return to a bit due to the additional refinement it gave me over the communication between myself and my horse.
I think you can get all of the basic work done with a halter (cavesson is better, it works with the horses biomechanics more) and bitless bridles, but as you work more towards collection the bit does become useful as a tool of refinement with more subtle levels of communication.
One of my favorite quotes is something along the lines of ‘the reins are to feel the horses thoughts’. (*If any one knows the source for that please let me know!) To me, that means that with the reins we are able to feel into the horse and dissapaite tension. If they are thinking a thought, such as “that looks scary over there”, we can contact that thought process via the rein and encourage relaxation by focusing them on us and using the physiological position of the stretch to reestablish relaxation though their whole being.
I feel it is paramount to keep the reins/bit ‘clean’ of all forced cooperation, but when they are, they are a wonderful mechanism of communication.
Hope that helps, Karli CAT@A2R
Ekaterina Krylova Hi! The bit gives us more fine contact and is more clear for horse than rope halter or bitless bridle. Also when horse is chewing the bit she is more relaxed and that’s a good sign for us. The bit is a perfect instrument to communicate with horse’s mouth but only in a gentle way. You can ride with everything you want:) sometimes (especially with young horses) you start with cavesson at lunging, also you may use a rope halter.. but our goal is to ride fully developed hose with nice top line etc and I think it’s real difficult to teach her without using the bit.. but I think also that person who is perfect in training fully developed horses with bit like Will or other trainers they can do the same without the bit – because they know how it must be. I think you can try both ways and check which one is better and more clear for your horse.
Katherine Potter The founders of Art2Ride (Will Faerber and Karen Loshbaugh) do not recommend bitless as a permanent training tool since you lose the essential connection perfected over hundreds of years of training evolution between the relaxation in the mouth (and the trainer’s ability to gauge it through contact with the reins) and the full participation of the entire topline musculature. At some point in the training, bitless will leave you without understanding of what is going on and an inability to communicate with a more refined cue. That said, folks can make their own choices in these matters understanding that they may not get the same results in the longterm health and progress of their horse.
Linda Thilqvist A cavesson, side pull, hackamore or whatever bitless device you can use, can be as hard as a bit. It all depends on the hands holding the reins. When you ride without a bit you want your horse to be able to work without any contact. When we ride with a bit we want the horse to seek the contact. You will not be able to get the exact same feeling without a bit.
The pony that I ride will throw his head up when I try to put the bit in do you have any recommendations of how to break this habit
Answered by Art2Ride Associate Trainer Amber: Maybe try a treat in your hand and be very patient. Put the treat next to the bit and wait for the pony to come to it. Its takes a lot of time and patience to work through something like this. So a little bit as often as u can so it is consistent. You can also just try following the head up but don’t try to force the bit in just follow until the pony relaxes and then ask for him to open his mouth. Good luck!
Also Answered by Art2Ride Associate Trainer Amy: Hi! I would make sure to take your time when bridling. Rushing can make your pony feel anxious. Slowly put the bridle up to your pony’s face. If he raises his head, try to keep the bridle on his face wherever he moves. Once he settles down take it off of his face. This way he does learn that he can get away. Give him a moment to think about what you just practiced and then practice again. He should get calmer about it.
Treats are also a very good reinforcement! 😁
Do you have any recommendations of how to get my horse to trust and bond with me? I really want him to feel safe around me
Answered by Art2Ride Associate Trainer Virginia: Wow! There is a lot to answer this question, depending on where your horse has been. If your horse has had some bad past experiences then it will take more time and pertinence . First start in his corral or stall. Do you always walk up to your horse to halter him? Well you want to stop that and walk in and ask him to come to you. A tap on your leg, say his name. If he does great. Move to another spot, does he follow you and want to be with you? Great pet him and tell him he is so wonderful. If not, keep asking. You want your horse to want to be with you. So many times they just stand and wait because they are being obedient. They really don’t want to be with you. Then you want to go to a larger area, round pen if there is one. This is only for a larger safe area to work on this same concept. Pens are not for running your horse around to lower his energy, but a safe smaller area to work in. Turn him loose, What does he do? See if you can get him to come to you here. This is quiet thoughtful work. Not run him around work. If you have used the round pen for running him around, that may be what he does, so you need to step in and get him to change direction to get him to notice you so you become important. Again this is quiet work. No lunge whip, nothing. You have a halter in your hand, just wiggle it and see if he pays attention.. This may take awhile to get him to follow you depending on what baggage your horse has from previous experiences. Keep this type of work up and he will eventually come to know that you are patient, kind and fair, and he will begin to let your become his leader, as he will learn that you will take care of him. This can take a long time with some horses but it is worth it.
Hi – I’ve had horses for over 50 years, backyard hobby, pleasure, trail, etc… my horse now is a 20y OTTB gelding. I have had him about 11 years. We have been through many “experimenting” together over the years in terms of saddles, pads, halter, headstalls, bits, bitless. He is never ever as calm and confident as he is when he has a big fat bit! And the headstall that is like a figure 8 and crosses down and around to hold the bit for him. He is like a different horse in that set up. His whole body confidence head low, etc… and I honestly don’t understand why except that he is a “nervous-type” and I equate it with dogs who are calmer with thunder-jackets or people who are more relaxed with weighted-blankets. It’s not my preference but every time I change it up to “my preference” he goes with it because he is a kind soul, but he clearly prefers the figure-8 and fat silver bit. Your thoughts?
What happens in the mouth of the horse is only a symptom of what is going on somewhere else in the body. Without seeing your horse to assess its muscular development, it really is hard to answer that question. A horse that has been trained to lift its back and move through its top line never needs anything more than a loose ring snaffle. If you post pictures and videos on our Facebook site, we can give you a much better answer.