How to Train the Hard-to-Bridle Horse

How to Bridle a Difficult Horse

A horse that is hard to bridle can be a nightmare; they may throw their head all the way up and stand there, confident that you cannot reach them. I have also had horses shove me, spin away in a box stall, and even present their rear. One horse was so reluctant that she ran backward into a standing stall and hit her head on the beam between the stall walls. (She was rather easier to bridle after that little incident, but ouch.)

A less extreme reaction is the horse that will simply clamp its mouth shut and refuse to open it for the bit.

What Makes a Horse Hard to Bridle?

There are several possible causes for this behavior.

1. A green horse who was not properly "bitted" or taught to accept the bridle before being broken in. Although many people these days denigrate old-fashioned bitting, where the horse is left standing wearing a bit and bridle (with no reins attached) in a stall for periods of time, I have found horses trained in this way are less likely to be hard to bridle, providing the bitting was done correctly.

1. People have been bridling the horse incorrectly. School horses often end up reluctant to be bridled after being used to teach students how to do it—older, quiet, and patient horses should be used for this, as they're less likely to develop misbehaviors as a result. Some quite experienced riders may also bridle a horse in a manner it doesn't like.
2. The bridle doesn't fit. If the bridle is too small, most especially if the browband is too short, then the process of getting it on can be uncomfortable for the horse. Always check the bridle fit first with a horse that is being difficult. Also, check that the bit is not too small or too large. In some cases, a horse may be trying to tell you he, or she hates the bit you are using.
3. The horse is experiencing direct pain when bridled. The most common cause of this is that the horse needs its teeth floating. Sharp edges on the teeth can cause pain when they come up against the bit. Sudden refusal to be bridled is most likely indicative of either a tooth problem or the presence of ear mites.
4. The horse is experiencing negative associations with work in general and expressing it by objecting to the bridle. This may indicate low-grade lameness or back soreness. It could also be indicative of a "sour" horse that is bored or frustrated with training and needs a break. I have also seen a horse refuse to be bridled the day after a close pasture mate died when this was not normal behavior—I can only guess that she was too unhappy to feel much like work that day. Some horses may object to the bridle on hot days.