Bridle problem

I have had the same problems with my Haflingers in the past. First I lengthend the strap across the forehead so the bridle would sit back further behind the ears. I tightened up the throat latch real tight. Maybe one finger. Also my harness didn’t have a crouper. So I added one of those and tightened up the overcheck, leaving just enough so they could get their head down for a heavy pull. This makes it harder for them to fart around when they are standing. Also, replace the snaps on the lines with buckles. After you get the line strap hooked in the neck yoke ring a couple times and the other horses bridle you learn to use buckles instead. One is a head thrower at times (out on the road if she has to follow other horses) and so I hooked up an “under check” from the britching ring under her belly up through to her halter.

Thick maned horses are definitely more comfortable with a bridle patch clipped to put their crown behind the ears and fitting their head. In the process of all this fitting and clipping scratch them to see if they have an itchy spot, if so put some mineral oil on it to help with the itch. Of course this will make the bridle even harder to keep on but fitted properly it will still take some effort to get it off.

I wouldn’t consider putting the halter on the outside, just like I wouldn’t wear my underwear outside my pants. This would seem to interfere with sensitive contact with the bit. Fit the halter properly with the noseband two fingers below the bone in their face.

We have experienced that allot of head tossing and rubbing is more about sore necks or uncomfortable collar pressure from tongue weight than the bridles. Although some bridles simply don’t fit right on all horses and the nylon ones will definitely rub hair and eventually hide off the side of their head just behind and above the eye. So once you have the bridles fitting properly and have checked to be sure they are smooth on the surface that touches the horses be sure their necks are sore from any tongue weight. Even if you don’t have excessive tongue weight or have transferred it to the back by a properly adjusted D-Ring harness – some horse develop habits that even when the cause of the habit is removed will continue the habitual behavior. This may be a time to scold them for the behavior. Be sure they are not fighting bugs off their ears or that they don’t have some itchy ears from insects.

We have not been able to find nylon or biothane bridles that are comfortable on the horses. So we use all leather bridles that have a memory of fitting what they are adjusted to and don’t use the nylon ones any more. Leather has a memory and nylon has strength, durability and low maintenance….

Good luck with it, same of deal, keep working them to where any movement that is unnecessary will lessen or stop.

Off to the hay fields in the central Appalachians, finally stopped raining after about a month and a half…. It still seems like a gamble to put the years most important crop on the ground, but it is time.

It always makes it hard to participate in HPD because this is prime hay making weather for us in this part of the country at 3000 feet altitude.

You make it tight enough that they can’t rub it off. I think they would have a tougher time rubbing it off than a bridle. I have come back from having them tied and have the bridle rubbed off and hanging on the rope but they didn’t get the rope off. I use the rope mainly when we are going off farm on a drive where I want them to look a little “fancier”. On the farm I just leave the halter on.

Have a little customization on my halters. I have a buckle on the strap that goes over their nose. That way I can take the halter off with the bridle on. Also have a thin piece of leather sewn into the halter by the strap that goes behind the head. This is incase they get hung up on something in the pasture they can break away. Use another halter when tying them up otherwise.

The ring and snap usually hang from the throad, bottom. Yes, you have the idea. I will see if I can find a picture of mine.