 |
[RC] Mare not wanting to take the bit - Patsy DavisI'm hoping someone here can help me with a problem I'm having. I have owned a now 5 y/o Arab mare for about 6 months. When I bought her she was being ridden with an O ring snaffle bit. About the third time I went to put the bit in her mouth she refused. I tried again to put the bit in her mouth, she pulled back hard enough to break the cotton lead rope tying her to the trailer. I know how to carefully bit up a horse and I believe I was very gentle the times I did get her to accept the bit. Handling this on my own and being a little bit leary of her (she is the first Arab I have owned), I thought, OK, we'll just go with the bitless bridle, which is what I have done. The vet checked her mouth and didn't find
anything she thought was a problem.
Cissie is doing very well with the bitless bridle but I want to use a snaffle bit on her. I'm trying to expose her to a lot of different experiences and have been going to some cowhorse classes and need to use a bit, according to their rules. What is the best way for me to begin working at getting her to accept the bit? I think in the beginning she thought she'd try refusing the bit, got away with it and figured she was the boss where that was concerned. I have tried putting molasses on it to see if that made any difference but she still wouldn't let me put it into her mouth. I didn't force the issue.
I have been using natural horsemanship methods to work with her.
Any help would be appreciated.
Patsy
|