27th October, 2012 A Bit of a Problem

Years ago, when I had only just started as an RA, I went out to see a bay Arab x New Forest that had started to have a problem having her bridle on. She had been good before and this was a sudden change in her behaviour. It took a bit of courage, because I knew it would involve the owner in some expense which could turn out to be unnecessary, to say that I thought she ought to have the vet out to quite literally to have the horse's head examined. In that case the reaction was as the bridle went over her ears and yet she was fine about having her ears handled otherwise. The owner trusted me and the vet diagnosed a neurological problem which was fortunately treatable and ultimately covered by her insurance policy.

Yesterday I went out to a horse I have worked with before and although I knew that she has not been educated as to how she should respond to the bit, she has always accepted it into her mouth readily enough. Over the past couple of weeks with the owner, and then the owner and a helper, she has become progressively worse about having the bit in her mouth. The owner has had a vet out twice to look at her teeth before this happened and apart from routine treatment at the beginning has been told that all is well. The bit itself had not changed although she is now trying another one and the only changes in the horse's life are that she is being ridden more and she has moved to new fields. The only other vaguely significant thing is that the horse in now tacked up in a stable rather than outside and this gives her the opportunity to shove her head over the door to keep her head away from the owner and the bridle. However, when this fails she is quite determined to barge through the owner or to shake her head so violently that she dislodges the owner's hands and the bridle once she has the bridle anywhere near her nose.

Faced with such behaviour, it was clear to me that this wasn't going to be a simple matter of desensitising her and showing her that we could be really gentle with the bridle. I felt that the only inroad we might make would be if we were to introduce a clickered treat for even the smallest sign of stillness. This worked well for asking her to tolerate hands and the bridle on her face and gave her a good reason for staying with me, however, the bit was clearly so abhorrent to her that she continued to shake her head violently when the bit was in her mouth and she was too busy doing that to be able to really hear the click or to take a treat. If this was my horse I think I would be getting a second opinion from another vet or dental technician to make sure there wasn't anything sinister going on in her mouth and this is what the owner will do. Once more it may be an unnecessary expense but unless we rule it out, how will we know? The owner is going to give the clicker a go for a few more sessions but unless there is a marked improvement then the vet will be the next step.

1st November: "After your visit the following day we rode and I decided to put the bridle on with the jointed bit first before I did any thing and she stood fine and accepted it with no problem." PP