Head Harness Training

The Facts

• Head harnesses fit over a horse's head for leading, tying, controlling and steering. Learning to wear a harness is an important part of any horse's training. It should be started early, when a horse is still easy to train. If you're training a horse to wear a harness, approach the project armed with plenty of treats, consistency and a lot of patience.
  
  

Head Harness--Halter

• The halter goes over a horse's head to give you control from the ground. It has a stable nose band with a detachable strap that goes behind the horse's ears. Allow the horse to sniff at the halter when you bring it in, and give him a treat or two to reassure him that the halter isn't scary. When the horse is comfortable with the equipment, ease it up over the horse's nose. Pause and let the horse settle. Then bring the detachable strap up over the horse's head and behind his ears, and attach it at the buckle.
  
  

Head Harness--Bridle

• The bridle helps to control and steer the horse during riding. It is an important part of tack training, which also includes the saddle and girth. The bridle has pieces that loop over the horse's head behind her ears, with detachable pieces that go under a horse's chin and around her nose.
  
  

Bit and Bridle

• Because the bridle incorporates the bit, which sits in a horse's mouth, it requires additional training. Put the reins over the horse's head and let them rest on the neck. Hold the bridle up in your right hand by the top of the piece, and face the horse. Draw the bridle up so that your hand is at the front of the horse's forehead, and hold the bit against the horse's teeth. A trained horse will accept the bit automatically from this position, but some horses require help. Slide one or two fingers of your left hand into the horse's mouth at the corner, and tickle his tongue. This will encourage the horse to open his mouth. Slide the bit in and pull the top of the bridle over his ears into place.
  
  

Fit

• One of the most important aspects of any head gear for horses is proper fit. A halter or bridle that's too small will rub and cause sores, while a piece that's too big will either fall off or be ineffective. All halters and bridles come in sizes from cob to horse, or small to large.