Global Horsemen

Bitting your Horse for the First Time --by Richard Shrake

As a professional horseman, I know that it is much easier to build confidence in your horse when the foundation of accepting the bit is done correctly.

One of the most important fundamental training lessons you will teach your young horse is to accept the bit for the first time. First of all, it is important for you to realize what can happen to your horse when you bit him wrong. Of course, you must also understand and see the benefits of when you do the bitting correctly. Having the correct bit and equipment will make your job a lot easier and to keep you on the right path, you will need to follow a simple one, two, three step plan. This is what I am going to give you.

Over the years, I have seen the results of horses being bitted for the first time and what happens if this is not done correctly. These horses are easy to spot. They are usually very nervous, especially in their mouths. They will tend to chomp the bit and have excessive head movement. They will not tolerate or handle any pressure from the reins. Even the old, lazy horse will go into flight when bridled. I used to have an old ranch horse that was so lazy, you would sometimes wonder if he would ever move faster than a snail when leading him. But put a bit in his mouth and it was instant flight. It reminded me of someone hitting the supercharge button on an old racecar. What is important to understand here is the fact that when your horse is hurt by a bit, in his first introduction, it will be with him the rest of his life. If his first experience was bad, you will see the flight pattern about 95% of the time at each bridling. Very seldom can you ever work this flight pattern out of your horse. The "black ball" will always be there.

On the reverse side, if your horse is introduced to the bit in a way that he is not scared or hurt and say' 30 days down the road someone does over bridle or hurts him through the bit, your chances of repairing the damage and replacing the flight pattern with confidence will be much easier. This is why it is so important to take your time in the beginning. Make sure you have the knowledge to bit your horse correctly.

When it is done properly, your horse will hold the bit in his mouth, just like a sucker. His head will be steady and quiet and there will probably be a little saliva or drawl. If there is, make sure it is coming from both sides of your horse's mouth. You will also see softness in your horse's eyes. His ears will be curious and alert and his poll, neck and shoulders will be relaxed and soft. You will see the Resistance Free "green lights"

1) Drop of the horse's head

2) Licking of lips

3) Head turned towards you

4) Deep breath or sigh

Having the correct bit and headstall is very important. Your horse's mouth is made up of three levels, much like a "cake". The lips (frosting) are the first part of the horse's mouth that the bit comes into contact with. Remember that the lips at the corners are very thin, but they have to support the mouthpiece of the bit. I always select a two piece mouth with tapered bars that are large toward the outside. This will give at least 80% of the signal to that area. When this happens, your horse will always be light and responsive. If the mouthpiece is straight and smaller in size, I find the signal will then go to the next lower level, the tongue. This is too much signal and control for most young horses. Make sure your bit has the right taste. Sweet iron with about 30% copper inlay is the perfect choice. Horses really like this. Totally unacceptable are rubber, chrome and aluminum. The rubber has a bitter taste, the chrome will chip and cut and the aluminum will draw the moisture out of your horse's mouth, leaving him with a dry mouth. I also use a brow band headstall with a throat latch for even carriage of the bit. It gives more balance than a one-ear headstall. I also make sure the leather is soft and very easy to adjust while taking on and off. All of these points are equally important.

Before I start to ask the horse to take the bit, I teach him to drop his head down. The best way is to rub very slowly, back and forth on each side of his poll. The light, back and forth touch releases a natural tranquilizer into the horse's system. It will almost seem like magic. After just a few minutes you will see your horse lower his head with just a touch on the poll. Take a little extra time at this point. The next step is to take one of your fingers and put it into the corners of your horse's mouth, until he starts to chew and lick.

Once your horse lowers his head and chews, the rest is easy. Standing on the left or near side of your horse, hold the top of the headstall with your right hand. Pull the headstall up until the mouthpiece of the bit touches the front part of your horse's lips. Let your horse pick up the bit on his own. It may take a little longer, but when your horse picks up the bit on his own, without forcing it into his mouth, you will see a major acceptance. Once your horse learns to hold the bit and place it in his mouth, go ahead and pull the bridle over his ears. Adjust it up until you have a couple of wrinkles in the corners of your horse's mouth. By taking the bit up, it will prevent your horse from getting his tongue over the bit. If they do get their tongue over the bit in the beginning, it will be a problem for the rest of your horse's life. Be patient and take as much time as your horse needs.

Remember, when you don't have a plan and you end up making mistakes when first teaching your horse to accept the bit, it will cause a lot of problems. But, when you do it right, you will open a lot of doors for your horse's future. Pick the right bit and headstall. Make sure you can control your horse's head and mouth. Patience and listening to your horse will make it Resistance Free.