[Jess!]

Tank has a very hard mouth. Her last owners have been using a wonder bit, and not neck reining, direct reining. And I've been on this horse - her mouth is sooo hard now.

Okay, backing up, I specifically started her in a smooth mouthed snaffle. When she left California to go to Arizona, she was working in a snaffle.

But now? I think I have my work cut out for me.

How would I even start? With a horse with an extremely hard mouth such as hers?

Should I start lunging her in side reins with a snaffle? Perhaps tie her around with a snaffle? What?

And she throws her head BADLY. I'm thinking it was from the bit, and being plow-reined in it, she was trying to avoid getting her mouth hurt. So she was being ridden in a tie-down, as well.

I have a nice, smooth cooper mouthed egg butt that almost ALL my horses loved working in. I plan on trying to get her down to that.

Any ideas? This is going to be a challenge for me. I've never had to down-grade to a softer bit, only upgrade when the horse was ready for a curb.

[JBandRio]

Start with a rope halter

Teach her to give to pressure that way first. THEN move to a very mild snaffle and just be persistent. She'll get it

[Jess!]

Originally Posted by JBandRio

Start with a rope halter

Teach her to give to pressure that way first. THEN move to a very mild snaffle and just be persistent. She'll get it

Thank you Jordanna!

Would a sidepull work better? Or a rope halter would probably work just as well, huh?

[JBandRio]

You could use a sidepull, yes. I prefer a rope halter for this, but either will work.

[Jess!]

Originally Posted by JBandRio

You could use a sidepull, yes. I prefer a rope halter for this, but either will work.

Good! LOL I don't own a sidepull, didn't want to buy one. hehe

thanks again!

[EquineJessie]

Starting with a rope halter is a good idea. Some people might not like this but, if I had to work with this horse, I'd use the real mild snaffle and tie her head to the saddle. Ok, that's not how it sounds. Just, one rein totally slack, the other rein tied to the saddle with the slack taken out (with her standing relaxed). So, there's a little pressure on the side of her mouth -- she can feel it -- and she learns she can get releif.

It sounds like the people that rode her before never gave her any releif from the bit. So, she became 'hard mouthed'. In other words, when you pick up the rein, she doesn't know what you want as it's the release that tells the horse 'you did the right thing'. She's 'dead' to the bit. The bit doesn't mean a thing to her and she's gotta re-learn that there is a meaning attatched to pressure from that bit.

So, I'd just start over from the ground by bitting her up (you can do this in a rope halter too). When she's giving good laterally again, I'd start tying both reins up and getting her to flex vertically. I like doing it from the ground because it's harder for me to time the release and, while she may not be getting a big release with the reins tied, it is consistant.

Anyway, this method is a bit controversial with some of the members here but I thought I'd throw it out there as it works for me.

[Jess!]

Originally Posted by EquineJessie

Starting with a rope halter is a good idea. Some people might not like this but, if I had to work with this horse, I'd use the real mild snaffle and tie her head to the saddle. Ok, that's not how it sounds. Just, one rein totally slack, the other rein tied to the saddle with the slack taken out (with her standing relaxed). So, there's a little pressure on the side of her mouth -- she can feel it -- and she learns she can get releif.

It sounds like the people that rode her before never gave her any releif from the bit. So, she became 'hard mouthed'. In other words, when you pick up the rein, she doesn't know what you want as it's the release that tells the horse 'you did the right thing'. She's 'dead' to the bit. The bit doesn't mean a thing to her and she's gotta re-learn that there is a meaning attatched to pressure from that bit.

So, I'd just start over from the ground by bitting her up (you can do this in a rope halter too). When she's giving good laterally again, I'd start tying both reins up and getting her to flex vertically. I like doing it from the ground because it's harder for me to time the release and, while she may not be getting a big release with the reins tied, it is consistant.

Anyway, this method is a bit controversial with some of the members here but I thought I'd throw it out there as it works for me.

Thank you.

I plan on putting a rope halter on, and having her flex her head towards her side, and as soon as I feel the "release" on the rope halter [her not fighting it], letting her release her head and bring it back straight. Of course work on both side, and work on her bringing her head down when I put pressure on the halter.

And for the tying around with the snaffle bit, I do this as well. I will do it at first with me just pulling her around slightly until she stops fighting and gives to it, then let her straighten out.

Is this kind of what you mean?

[JBandRio]

The reason *I* don't like tying them around is that they never get a full release. *I* like the fact that when I have the other end of the line, that when they give, I can TOTALLY let go and they have the option of staying over (some decide it feels good for a minute or two!) or of straightening back up. It really doesn't take long, as long as you are quick to TOTALLY release the line, for them to get it

[EquineJessie]

Originally Posted by Jess!

Thank you.

I plan on putting a rope halter on, and having her flex her head towards her side, and as soon as I feel the "release" on the rope halter [her not fighting it], letting her release her head and bring it back straight. Of course work on both side, and work on her bringing her head down when I put pressure on the halter.

And for the tying around with the snaffle bit, I do this as well. I will do it at first with me just pulling her around slightly until she stops fighting and gives to it, then let her straighten out.

Is this kind of what you mean?

Yeah. Until she gets really light. After the horse knows to give to the bit, I'll tie it up a few inches shorter so the horse learns to give its jaw better. But then, when the rein's not tied to the saddle, I'd keep working at it until you barely squeeze/lift the reins and she's giving her jaw either vertically or laterally or both.

I don't know about you. Maybe I'm just paranoid. But I can't stand riding a horse unless I know I've got control over that jaw.

With my horse, unless he's fighting you (seems to be doing a lot of this lately), you don't even have to make contact with his mouth to get that jaw. Start lifting the rein and he'll bring his nose around or in. Lift both reins and his nose will start coming in.

[Jess!]

Originally Posted by JBandRio

The reason *I* don't like tying them around is that they never get a full release. *I* like the fact that when I have the other end of the line, that when they give, I can TOTALLY let go and they have the option of staying over (some decide it feels good for a minute or two!) or of straightening back up. It really doesn't take long, as long as you are quick to TOTALLY release the line, for them to get it

That's what I planned on doing, just myself pulling her around, not tying.

I've tied a few times with my horses, but I'd rather do it by hand.