Faline and the Snaffle Bit

This week Faline has started wearing a snaffle bit in addition to the saddle.  She stood nicely at the trailer for grooming, and we've been working on fly spray as well which is going nicely.  She's realized if she stands still the fly spray session ends quickly, if she moves around too much it takes a long time.  She's also gotten used to having her feet handled, farrier style, with the hoof held between my legs and then placed on a hoof stand for rasping.  All good things a baby horse should know, especially when the baby horse is nearly 17h as a two year old.

 

After grooming and tacking up in the saddle, I took Faline to the round pen.  When I introduce the bit I give the horse a treat (in this case, a piece of black licorice), and then she's eagerly looking for more with her lips and mouth.  That makes it simple to slip the bit into her mouth and bridle over her ears.  Once the bit is in I give her another piece of candy and let her think on it.  These first sessions I put the bridle on over the halter so that I still am handling her from a lead rope on a halter, and the only new thing is the bit in her mouth and getting used to that sensation.  We go for a little walk in-hand around the round pen each direction as she figures out how to walk with a bit in her mouth (it's like chewing gum and walking - very challenging for some of us!)  

When the short walk goes well, then I set up the lunge line on the halter, so she can move around more with the bit in her mouth.  Some horses move around a lot on the longer line, some stay at the walk and ponder the bit, like Faline.  Her second time wearing the bit we were in the arena and did some traveling circles, where she is on the lunge line going around me but we are also going around the perimeter of the arena and looking at all the stuff down there.  

Faline is thoughtful, and while she can be quite reactive she also figures things out quickly.  I won't be actually sitting on her or riding this summer as she's only two years old, but I want to introduce to her as much as I can while I have her here, so that when she goes on to her new home and barn she knows how to do much of what will be expected of her.

Soon I'll introduce ground driving for Faline, which will give her a set of gas, brakes, and steering which will be helpful in the future when she is old enough and mature enough physically to begin riding.