I have a 4 year old paint who has not been started with bit or saddle at all (I don't think...). What type of bit should I start with and any tips on how to start a horse getting used to a bit and saddle?
What type of bit should I start my horse on?
- Thread starter Diamond Heist
- Start date
If your not sure, I'd get a trainer to either do it for your, or come work with you - nothing better than a pro's careful hand.
Regarding bits, I'd go for the Training Snaffle .. or french link. Nice and soft, gives your horse a good start
Regarding bits, I'd go for the Training Snaffle .. or french link. Nice and soft, gives your horse a good start
A
AengusOg
Guest
Diamond Heist
Where to start? I'm assuming that you have limited experience with horses; or are you going to be one of those people who ask for advice (appearing to be totally novice) then, when it is given, turn out to be multi-talented and leave us all wondering why you asked in the first place?
How much have you done with your youngster, is it handled at all, seen any tack............?
Ideally you will have been doing lots of in-hand work with your horse; getting him used to you being his leader and he will be comfortable in second place in your herd of two, and looking to you for guidance if he feels lost or nervous of new things/situations. If not, then you really need to do this before introducing him to tack.
I start all youngsters with a Fulmer (full cheek) French link snaffle with play keys. There are several makes on the market. They must be fitted with Fulmer loops to keep them in the correct position in the horse's mouth.
If your horse has not done anything at all, I would recommend starting him in a lunge cavesson and doing some very short spells (five to ten minutes) of in-hand work, and light (walking only) lungeing so that you can assess his willingness to work away from you, and teach him that he must respond if you ask him to work. Have the lunge rope attached to the middle ring on the cavesson for best control. Work him like this for ten minutes a couple of times a day until you are both happy with it.
Only when he is doing as you ask should you ask for more.
Next I would introduce him to the bit, either fitted to the lunge cavesson, or by fitting him with a bridle. Once the bit is placed correctly in his mouth, you should send him away again quietly on the lunge, so that he can get used to the bit in his mouth.
It helps, when introducing something strange to a young horse, if you ask him to do something he is familiar with as a means of taking his mind off the strange thing, and helping him come to terms with it.
You should not do too much lungeing with a horse of his age/stage of learning. Rather do a bit of leading about in hand as a way of allowing him to safely get used to bits of tack, and only send him away on the lunge if he gets upset and you are concerned for your safety. Wear safety gear (hat and gloves at least; toe and body protectors too, if you have them).
If you let him see everything as you introduce him to it, and be quietly confident in your handling of him, you should progress together without problems.
If you have a horse who is confident in you and your handling, you should be able to introduce a saddle by first letting him see and inspect it, initially on the ground, then while you hold it. When he has had a look of it and begins to lose interest, you can then, whilst holding him on a slack rope, ask him to accept it against his chest and neck, before laying it over his back for a few seconds, then taking it off and holding it for a few seconds, before asking him to accept it again. If he is not able to allow it on his back, be prepared to settle for a compromise, such as going back to touching his chest/shoulder with it before trying his back again. Using that method (advance and retreat) throughout his training, you should be able to progress to asking him to accept the saddle.
If he will not allow something, ask him to do something he is already familiar with and then stop there, give him lots of praise, a bite to eat, and put him away to give him a break from any tension he is feeling.
Keep these sessions to a maximum of twenty minutes for the first couple of weeks, assessing him each time to see how he is progressing, so that you have an idea where to go from there. As he becomes more confident so will you and so will he...............
It's a bit of a minefield trying to advise anyone on these matters on a forum.
It's not so much what to do as what not to do, and how the handler deals with things when they go wrong. For some people/horses introducing a bit/saddle may be a very simple exercise, whereas for others............
As Cheeky has said, you could do with some help from someone with the experience you may lack, even now and then, to keep you right.
Good luck, and never be afraid to ask for advice and help, for your horse's sake as well as your own.
Where to start? I'm assuming that you have limited experience with horses; or are you going to be one of those people who ask for advice (appearing to be totally novice) then, when it is given, turn out to be multi-talented and leave us all wondering why you asked in the first place?
How much have you done with your youngster, is it handled at all, seen any tack............?
Ideally you will have been doing lots of in-hand work with your horse; getting him used to you being his leader and he will be comfortable in second place in your herd of two, and looking to you for guidance if he feels lost or nervous of new things/situations. If not, then you really need to do this before introducing him to tack.
I start all youngsters with a Fulmer (full cheek) French link snaffle with play keys. There are several makes on the market. They must be fitted with Fulmer loops to keep them in the correct position in the horse's mouth.
If your horse has not done anything at all, I would recommend starting him in a lunge cavesson and doing some very short spells (five to ten minutes) of in-hand work, and light (walking only) lungeing so that you can assess his willingness to work away from you, and teach him that he must respond if you ask him to work. Have the lunge rope attached to the middle ring on the cavesson for best control. Work him like this for ten minutes a couple of times a day until you are both happy with it.
Only when he is doing as you ask should you ask for more.
Next I would introduce him to the bit, either fitted to the lunge cavesson, or by fitting him with a bridle. Once the bit is placed correctly in his mouth, you should send him away again quietly on the lunge, so that he can get used to the bit in his mouth.
It helps, when introducing something strange to a young horse, if you ask him to do something he is familiar with as a means of taking his mind off the strange thing, and helping him come to terms with it.
You should not do too much lungeing with a horse of his age/stage of learning. Rather do a bit of leading about in hand as a way of allowing him to safely get used to bits of tack, and only send him away on the lunge if he gets upset and you are concerned for your safety. Wear safety gear (hat and gloves at least; toe and body protectors too, if you have them).
If you let him see everything as you introduce him to it, and be quietly confident in your handling of him, you should progress together without problems.
If you have a horse who is confident in you and your handling, you should be able to introduce a saddle by first letting him see and inspect it, initially on the ground, then while you hold it. When he has had a look of it and begins to lose interest, you can then, whilst holding him on a slack rope, ask him to accept it against his chest and neck, before laying it over his back for a few seconds, then taking it off and holding it for a few seconds, before asking him to accept it again. If he is not able to allow it on his back, be prepared to settle for a compromise, such as going back to touching his chest/shoulder with it before trying his back again. Using that method (advance and retreat) throughout his training, you should be able to progress to asking him to accept the saddle.
If he will not allow something, ask him to do something he is already familiar with and then stop there, give him lots of praise, a bite to eat, and put him away to give him a break from any tension he is feeling.
Keep these sessions to a maximum of twenty minutes for the first couple of weeks, assessing him each time to see how he is progressing, so that you have an idea where to go from there. As he becomes more confident so will you and so will he...............
It's a bit of a minefield trying to advise anyone on these matters on a forum.
It's not so much what to do as what not to do, and how the handler deals with things when they go wrong. For some people/horses introducing a bit/saddle may be a very simple exercise, whereas for others............
As Cheeky has said, you could do with some help from someone with the experience you may lack, even now and then, to keep you right.
Good luck, and never be afraid to ask for advice and help, for your horse's sake as well as your own.
Last edited by a moderator:
M
Mareish
Guest
I start mine in a loose ring training snaffle, the loose ring gives them lots of play and the lozenge makes it a nice kind bit.
I will be popping a bridle on Travis very soon and will just let him stand in his stable (and eat his hage if he wants to) with it on so there is no fuss, he will have this done for a couple of days before we progress so he gets used to it.
Good luck
I will be popping a bridle on Travis very soon and will just let him stand in his stable (and eat his hage if he wants to) with it on so there is no fuss, he will have this done for a couple of days before we progress so he gets used to it.
Good luck
Thanks for your info!
I am truly novice when it comes to training horses. Any horse I've had in the past has already been trained and I worked through a few problems with riding them. But, I've never trained one. I think I will take your advice and call someone I know who does do this, to get me going. I am going to try your ideas as well to get me going.
Can anyone recommend any good reading on training horses?
Thanks again for advice, I really appreciate it!
I am truly novice when it comes to training horses. Any horse I've had in the past has already been trained and I worked through a few problems with riding them. But, I've never trained one. I think I will take your advice and call someone I know who does do this, to get me going. I am going to try your ideas as well to get me going.
Can anyone recommend any good reading on training horses?
Thanks again for advice, I really appreciate it!
G
Guest 2
Guest
There is this book:
http://www.play.com/Books/Books/4-/...roogle_books&keyword=Training+the+Young+Horse
You may be able to get it cheaper on ebay though!
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Pippa-Funnell...yZ109127QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
I have had another book by this person and found it very helpful.
http://www.play.com/Books/Books/4-/...roogle_books&keyword=Training+the+Young+Horse
You may be able to get it cheaper on ebay though!
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Pippa-Funnell...yZ109127QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
I have had another book by this person and found it very helpful.
I recommend a simple snaffle - double-jointed or french link are preferable to a single-jointed bit for their mildness - that is sweet iron/copper/plastic. The milder the better, and you want to make sure that your horse's first experience of a bit is as pleasurable as it can be.
Good luck!
xx
Good luck!
xx
once you have broken the mouth with a breaking bit
use copper ones with keys
it helps soften there mouth
i used a stearing bit for 7 month to help with stearing
then i used a sweet iron snaffle
it works fantastic
use copper ones with keys
it helps soften there mouth
i used a stearing bit for 7 month to help with stearing
then i used a sweet iron snaffle
it works fantastic
Since 7 months old i have put a bit in my youngsters mouth - purely so that when he's ready for breaking it will be second nature to him. I use a rubber in hand snaffle. He has also had an extremely lightweight saddle put on him which he is completely fine with (hes 18 months now)
Be aware that egbutt snaffles can often lie low in the mouth and dont have much of a fixed feel unless they have some pressure (ie rein contact) put on them.
Be aware that egbutt snaffles can often lie low in the mouth and dont have much of a fixed feel unless they have some pressure (ie rein contact) put on them.
Will by buying a different bit
I'm glad you have all told me these things because I am going to get a different bit to start off with. This mare really has a great temperament and personality and I would hate to do anything to change that. I am going to start off gently and do things right!
I'm glad you have all told me these things because I am going to get a different bit to start off with. This mare really has a great temperament and personality and I would hate to do anything to change that. I am going to start off gently and do things right!
H
helenhorse
Guest
Try him in copper SNAFFLE! BEcause this is a warmer , gentler feeling to the mouth and get him to salyvate more and mouth more! making his mouth supple and light! hope i have helped! xxx
My 4yr old is in a loose ring, jointed egg butt snaffle with full cheeks (for steering) She started in a Happy mouth but is now using a metal one
Will be moving onto a normal loose ring jointed snaffle soon as her turning etc is pretty good now
x
Will be moving onto a normal loose ring jointed snaffle soon as her turning etc is pretty good now
x
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