CMC Mustang Training: Bits, Bridles, and Blocks

Bits, Bridles, and Blocks

Basic bridle and snaffle.

Day 21:

I've been trying on several extra bridles on Opal the last few days, none were fitting her big noggin. I pulled out an one of my English bridles, took off the nose band and tried it on her to make sure it would fit before adding the bit. It fit! I added a egg butt snaffle bit to it. I usually start the first few fittings by coating the bit in syrup, it makes the bit sweet like a treat and they look forward to licking it. Opal didn't like the stickyness on her face at all!

No syrup for Opal!

Once I got the bit, bridle, and her face cleaned off, she took the bridle with no problems. She needed no assistance opening her mouth to take the bit. She allowed me to put the bridle on and take it off several times with no resistance.

Opal plays with the bit on her mouth.

We finished up the day lounging with the bridle in the round pen with the water going.

Day 22:

I picked up where I left off the previous day with Opal, putting the bridle on. Her mind amazes me, once we've worked on something, the next day she picked right back up as if she has done it a million times. She's not overly fond of the bridle being put on with my right hand between her ears yet, but that will come in time. I had a lot of willing helpers today, thank you Greg and Yvette. Greg volunteered to hold Opal for me while I worked with her and Yvette took several pictures and all the video today....settle in to your seat, there's several.

I walked Opal into the arena and over to the mounting block. Today I was going to get her use to the idea of something (me) being above her and touching her sides/back. This is something predators normally would do, so it can be a bit challenging. I started just holding her and climbing the block.

Checking out the mounting block.

Then Greg joined me in the arena to hold Opal while I leaned over her back, touched her, and put some weight on her. She would turn back to me to see what I was doing, sometimes she would move away from the pressure of me stroking her right and left side at the same time, but we just stayed calm and quiet, giving her lots of phrase (and treats) the longer she stood for me. She was not tense about the process at all, more curious as to what I was doing.

Mounting block practice.

We also worked on her picking her feet up. She let me hold each leg up for 2-3 seconds. Not a long time in the day to day of picking out hooves or for a trim, but its a good start.