Bridling a horse can be pretty painless, but there are a few things you should always keep in mind:
- Prepare and figure out your bridle before you approach your horse. It’s like homework. Get it done before you go to hand it in.
- Never bridle a horse while he’s tied to something. If something unexpected happens and the horse pulls back, a whole lotta trouble can happen. And you don’t want to be in between a scared horse and something scary when he’s tied.
- Always have something on the horse while bridling. If you want to remove the halter, fine. But bridle with the halter tied around the horse’s neck so you won’t lose a horse who’s not interested.
- Once you start, don’t stop until the horse is bridled. If you do, he’s teaching you to give up and put your hands down.
- Try not to clank his teeth with the bit. Would you want that? Play a game with yourself to see if you can get it past his teeth with little or no touch.
- Always push the ears forward at the base; don’t bend them in the middle of the ear to get them past the headstall. Your horse will thank you for it.
- Take your time.