How to get your horse on the bit softly.

How to get your horse on the bit softly. This video demonstrates two simple techniques to get your horse to understand that when he is off the bit he will encounter pressure on the rein and when he yields to that pressure, the rein will become soft and elastic. Getting your horse on the bit can be difficult due to bad schooling, confirmation that doesn't make it easy for him to round his neck and back such as a ewe neck and bad riding. This is why I like to start at the halt to eliminate bad riding and schooling. Take the horse back to basics so he has time to understand what is required.
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[@cm3455]

thank you so much for making a realistic video on getting the horse on the bit. Many videos show perfectly bred, well trained horses that don't need much encouragement to go on the bit, but this one really helped :)

[@KirstinKellyEquestrian]

Claudia Moate thanks for your lovely positive feedback

[@hannaehrnbring1015]

Totally agree!!

[@monique0808]

Oh my goodness! Finally a video showing a "normal" horse and the "normal" struggles us "normal" riders have! Thank you so much! ❤

[@KirstinKellyEquestrian]

Ah Monique, your timing is perfect. I just had to reply to someone "Bagging" one of my riders on another video so it is lovely that your comment is exactly what I had just written in response. There are no professional riders here, only real people with real problems to encourage riders everywhere that you can improve and make progress on a "normal" horse. Thank You !

[@monique0808]

@Kirstin Kelly Equestrian looking forward to more videos ❤️

[@sofiad3821]

This was probably the best video of how to get a horse round that I’ve seen. Thank you for showing this with a horse that isn’t perfect yet. This was really helpful!

[@KirstinKellyEquestrian]

Sofia D thanks for your awesome feedback 😘

[@kelseyfleet3760]

I have gone through so many videos on how to get my horse on the bit nicely without yanking and pulling on his mouth and I am so happy to have found this video! Great demonstration and excellent descriptions! It also great that you used a horse that gave some resistance rather than a thoroughly trained dressage horse since most people looking for this information don't have a well trained dressage horse! Thank you so much!

[@KirstinKellyEquestrian]

Thanks for the lovely comment 🥰 the sound was pretty awful so I have just released a new video on the same lesson

[@maddiesjourney3632]

So glad I’ve finally found a video which isn’t about yanking in the horses face! This will be really helpful on my head tossy mare hopefully! Thanks for this:)

[@KirstinKellyEquestrian]

Hi Maddie, stoked you enjoyed the video. Yes getting the horse round is always about riding the back end up to your hand and this exercise is perfect for reminding the horse that we will take the pressue off and ride with a beautiful contact when they soften. Check out my website where I have over 60 videos to help you train the horse correctly. www.kirstinkellyequestrian.com Happy riding, Kirstin

[@yogawithkassandra]

This was so helpful! This horse looks so much like mine, I'm excited to try this with him.

[@kristenapple1291]

So wonderful to see a horse green on the issue used to help the rider understand!

[@KirstinKellyEquestrian]

Thanks, Kristen, So often people use beautifully schooled horses but for most people that isn't their reality so I thought it's great to use real horses and riders.

[@The99smileyface99]

I think this is the first time I've found a good explanation on how not to TAKE the bit, and what it means to ride them to it. It explains a lot! Thank you!

[@KirstinKellyEquestrian]

Yay that’s awesome, when the horse understands pressure/release and the rider keeps riding the horse up to the contact, you really enjoy self carriage 🥰

[@user-kz3rk1sq8v]

this is probably the best explanation I’ve seen cant wait to try it

[@KirstinKellyEquestrian]

Aw that’s the coolest comment to read first thing this morning 🥰thank you

[@bwill3337]

Omg squeeze him into the contact makes so much since. I've been squeezing my hands and legs to get my house for years but the way you explained it just changed the way I think about it. I can't wait to get back home to work this with my boy. The biggest difference in my horsemanship have always come with changing the way I think about a thing. Thanks so much!

[@KirstinKellyEquestrian]

My Pleasure Bryan. Your totally right, someone can tell you something a million times then someone will word it differently and it just clicks in your brain and makes sense. I use a lot of visualization as I find it really helps.

[@bwill3337]

@@KirstinKellyEquestrian omg! It was like night and day! Now, after all this time he knows to give to rein and leg pressure, but I always applied both at the same time. When I followed your tips yesterday, he seemed so much more happy about the whole thing. Probably because I used much less rein pressure to start and added in the legs...he just said "ok, sure." It was a great feeling! Thanks! On the other point...I remember the first year working with my last trainer she would always say Bryan fold your body over the fence...I kept trying and she kept telling me... then one day exasperated, she said Bryan... stick your but out! The light bulb 💡moment! After that I was able to picture what she wanted me to do🤣🤣

[@tristanduffy9205]

BEST EXPLANATION AND TUTURIOL I HAVE EVER SEEN I HAVE BEEN LOOKING ALL OVER KZbin FOR THIS

[@KirstinKellyEquestrian]

Thanks so much Tristan. I really appreciate your awesome comments. Follow me on Facebook and never miss a video' "Kirstin Kelly Equestrian"

[@ellentraquair3974]

You are legit a lifesaver! I ha e never heard of anyone say about pushing into a wall but it made so much sense to me! Thank you so much! Xx

[@KirstinKellyEquestrian]

Glad I could help! This is why I do the videos, so stoked to have your awesome feedback.

[@amandamannyhorselife7968]

Like always super helpful clear easy instruction that actually makes sense awesome thank you and you always have the best tips love your videos

[@KirstinKellyEquestrian]

Thanks Amanda, I always appreciate your positive feedback.

[@GodsChild-128]

FANTASTIC break down of the steps of how to get better contact and love the idea of pushing them into a wall, rather than pulling them back! Thank you so much!

[@KirstinKellyEquestrian]

Thanks Erin , it is a super way to visualise the horse being pushed rounder rather than pulling

[@rebeccaxx8185]

wow you explained it in a way i can finally understand! im going to try this today

[@KirstinKellyEquestrian]

Did it work?

[@sharigeurtsen6553]

I tried it on my horse who has a hard mouth and whole new horse from trying this thank you for explaining it the way you did!

[@KirstinKellyEquestrian]

Yay, that’s fabulous, often teaching a horse you will release the pressure is all it takes to have a soft contact .

[@michellehovanek3441]

Excellent video thank you!

[@KirstinKellyEquestrian]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks so much for your lovely feedback

[@morgancress5628]

I feel that your Account is so underrated. Your videos have helped in a variety of ways!!! Thank you for making these amazing videos!!

[@KirstinKellyEquestrian]

Morgan Cress thanks for your awesome comments . It’s really cool to know I’m helping riders . If you follow me on Facebook and share my links that would be awesome 🥰

[@emilyvarnon6447]

So glad I found your videos. Your explanations allow me to understand off the horse what my excellent trainer is saying while I am on the horse. As a visual learner, these videos are a way I can visualize what she is saying.

[@KirstinKellyEquestrian]

As the sound quality was so bad I 've made a new version kzbin.info/www/bejne/oYLHnp2hfpKsobM

[@athena_the_welsh5231]

This is absolutely amazing really helped me help my youngster without me feeling like I’m beaning mean ❤

[@KirstinKellyEquestrian]

So pleased you found it helpful, the wind was terrible so I refilled another version too . If you Look on my channel you’ll see the latest one released a couple of months ago

[@iziz5691]

Really lovely explanation. Thank you so much, I subbed! :)

[@KirstinKellyEquestrian]

Hi Iz, thanks so much and glad your enjoying the videos. Check out my website too www.kirstinkellyequestrian.com Happy Riding, Kirstin

[@karinaself4856]

Thanks great vid Dale is going beautifully now with a more bouncer forward canter and rounder. 😀

[@KirstinKellyEquestrian]

Thats great to hear Karina

[@dulcietorrans]

This is amazing thank you so much

[@KirstinKellyEquestrian]

Hi Dulcie, thanks so much for your lovely comment, I really appreciate your feedback. Have you checked out my website to see all of my other videos ( over 60 ) www.kirstinkellyequestrian.com Happy Riding, Kirstin

[@miatreadwell1874]

This is very helpful thankyou

[@KirstinKellyEquestrian]

Hi Mia, so thrilled you enjoyed the video. Check out my website where I have over 60 videos www.kirstinkellyequestrian.com Happy Riding, Kirstin

[@lshea1949]

Lovely clear explanation - a big thank you - now off to practice. Xo

[@KirstinKellyEquestrian]

Thanks for the great feedback

[@darlenehayes2982]

I love the way you think!

[@KirstinKellyEquestrian]

Darlene Hayes thank you so much 😊

[@myequestriandreams3295]

WOW!!! I've watched alot of videos on how to get the horse on he bit, but this was by far the best! thank you SO much.

[@KirstinKellyEquestrian]

Thanks, as the sound was so bad I've made a new one kzbin.info/www/bejne/oYLHnp2hfpKsobM

[@ElyzaTheOne]

Very good explination on how to use your hands!

[@KirstinKellyEquestrian]

Glad it was helpful!

[@N12S10S]

My pony goes to the contact by the bend of his body but he dosen't like a steady contact in the reins sso i'm thinking about using this tecnique thank you for the video !

[@Youreout]

I can see how much your horse is enjoying this lesson by how much he is throwing his head around.

[@KirstinKellyEquestrian]

When you get Tb's out of racing they often have contact issues. This guy is a perfect example of a troubled contact that is learning that when he softens to the contact, that the pressure comes off and life becomes quiet and the contact is elastic and relaxed but he is just trying to figure it all out.

[@nohilee27]

As a very beginner rider, I found this video Super helpful! Thanks for the vid. Only suggestion is the audio is a little bit unclear and hard to hear what your saying. Hope you can improve that :)

[@KirstinKellyEquestrian]

Thanks for the great feedback. Yes I was so gutted when we played back the whole days recording. The wind was terrible and it sounds muffled as it was jammed down my top. I’m going to have to voice over all the others .

[@jennibowring7348]

Just put on the closed captioning! Works like a charm. :-)

[@KirstinKellyEquestrian]

Jenni Bowring awesome that’s a fabulous idea

[@nippleninja255]

This video is very clean and I think I finally understood how to get the horse on the bit, now I just need to try it out. How long sessions do you recommend for a horse that hasn't done anything like this before?

[@KirstinKellyEquestrian]

Every horse is different. If your horse has badly developed neck and back muscles this will be hard work. If horse is weak maybe ask for 5 mins then rest on a long rein then ask for another five then repeat till you feel he has had enough. Then build it up from there

[@fipofipo3298]

Hello , when the horse pulling the bit after jump , what we do ? He is putting his head down and he pull the bit

[@helenmarie6558]

Hi!! I watched this and absolutely loved the way you taught and went and tried it on my horse. As i was doing it at the halt he just kept fighting the bit more and more and throwing his head up and moving backwards. He does have a tendency to be dramatic, but i am wondering if i didnt quite understand right what to do with my hands and am doing it wrong?? I dont want to cause him discomfort, which based on his reaction i felt as though i was. Any advice?

[@KirstinKellyEquestrian]

Have you watched my video on Re-mouthing. It is the same principle but you aren't on the horse so there is less mental pressure and the horse has time to figure it out. Also might be worth watching the biting Q and A session I had with Dee Sterling as he might be trying to tell you, he doesn't like the action of the bit.

[@olgaskowronek4265]

Hi Kirstin! I have just started watching your videos to reintroduce my horse to some of the fundamentals after a long break. They are lovely and well explained! I did have a question if you have time to answer. My mare is a welsh pony and is very intelligent but almost to a fault. For example, I was taught to use this "push into a wall" method in the past, and it is certainly successful for her for a while, but it also seems to begin to annoy her and she deadens to the pressure and decides to slow down instead. (She is rather lazy by nature and I have watched your getting your horse forward video as well and am going to be working on that prior to trying to get her on the bit). Let's assume I get past her laziness as I had managed to do that in the past prior to her long break. When I had tried "pushing" her onto the bit I always felt as though by keeping my rein length short and only releasing a small amount (i.e. squeezing your pinkie and releasing the pinkie) the horse isn't released enough to actually feel like they had done something correctly? I know at least with my horse I will squeeze the pinkie, apply some soft even leg pressure and she would start doing the sort of do I walk do I stand dance and then soften and drop her head a bit. I would release the pinkie pressure and leg pressure immediately but she would still continue to sort of bob her head as though she hadn't found the release spot. So instead to get the point across I thought well I need to lengthen my reins or release more rein but then you get into that tricky constantly changing rein length and losing contact to reward the horse. With your experience, what do you think the issue might be? One other follow-on. If I do manage to get her to soften (when standing) and I release the pressure she obviously will just lift her head again. How persistent and quickly should you be about making them soften for longer periods of time? The horse in this video seemed to go from halt to walk to trot all in one session and progressively hold his head for longer and longer but I don't think my mare would do that. I think by the time I got to a trot she would want to keep her head up more rather than hold it in a soft spot. Is this an issue with conditioning or me not asking her frequently enough? Is there a timetable you generally see horses follow until they learn to hold their head softly with the contact? Thank you for any thoughts/answers you may have

[@KirstinKellyEquestrian]

If you ask for the squeeze of your pinkie but she bobs her head and can't seem to find the soft spot, try some different mouthpieces. So often if the mouthpiece isn't comfortable the horse will fiddle around the head or tongue. Have you watched my bit talk with Dee Sterling as that has lots of great information. If you have a lazy horse they drop behind the leg quicker than most so I would use a stronger leg, rather than more hand, possibly need to carry a dressage whip to lightly tap tap her to keep her up into your hand. If my students struggle I hop on and I find it is all about the timing of how quick you release when they soften and giving them a kick if they are a bit slobbish

[@naderafshari3456]

Thank you for the video. What is the correct way of backing up a horse?

[@KirstinKellyEquestrian]

Nader Afshari thanks 😊. If you check out either my website or my channel Kirstin Kelly Equestrian , you will see I’ve made a video on teaching rein - back . Happy riding Kirstin

[@flipflopcat1754]

Hello, wonderful video! However, I take lessons and I need improvements I can make as a rider about get the horse on the bit on the place, basically I’m requesting a video of that 😄

[@KirstinKellyEquestrian]

How you watched my latest video which has much better sound than the old one kzbin.info/www/bejne/oYLHnp2hfpKsobM

[@equestriandreamer5250]

this helped a lot! thank you! do you squeeze both ring fingers or only the inside ring finger?

[@KirstinKellyEquestrian]

I squeeze both at the same time so it is the same feeling as when they were broken in with side reins.

[@equestriandreamer5250]

@@KirstinKellyEquestrian okay thank you so much I learn a lot from your videos!

[@jeremy.perlinski8902]

Whenever I’m riding I have my fingers and hands positioned right. But I’m trying not to pull the horse’s mouth too hard and the horse keeps throwing his head up (like earlier in the video) making me lose the reins a little bit and my grip. Would this help solve that?

[@KirstinKellyEquestrian]

Yes it would , also check that your horse likes the action of his bit. You could try a couple of different mouthpieces

[@elizabethal7399]

Good video! Wish the sound wasn't so muffled.

[@KirstinKellyEquestrian]

Hi Elizabeth, yes it was a nightmare, had to film on a really windy day. It's such an important message, I am ooking at doing another version. Check out my website as I have 60 videos to watch www.kirstinkellyequestrian.com Happy Riding, Kirstin

[@vanessalaratanner3275]

What can I do when my horse moves backwards in halt?

[@KirstinKellyEquestrian]

Hi Vanessa. each time he steps backwards, soften the rein slightly and cluck him forward, tell him he's ,good then try again. If he think you want rein back make sure you don't put your leg back at all so he works out there is a clear difference. Stay calm and patient and he will work it out. Let me know how he is coming along. Kirstin

[@telmabrogaard1546]

I don’t understand. Last year I could do this easy. The horse I was riding the most was sensitive and a bit stressful, but she would go in such nice frame and stay super calm even when I was jumping. Now, I really have lost it. All the horses I before could get on the bit I now can’t, and when I ride the same horse it feels and looks so much worse. She is going much faster and is being so stressed. I could do it in all the gaits with many horses. Now, I can’t do it with any horse or gait? It has made me lost interest in riding because I’m just being worse than before. I don’t now what I have started to do wrong?

[@KirstinKellyEquestrian]

Aw thats sad to hear. maybe you are trying to hard. Think of making the horse more active behind, supple and relaxed and maybe they will come round without you worrying about it so much .

[@telmabrogaard1546]

Yeah, you’re probably right. I think that when my teacher where commenting much on things I can do better, I took it like I was doing things really wrong. Maybe that has caused me to be more stiff and to focused on it.

[@junito1957]

WHAT SADDLE IS HE ON ? A TRAIL SADDLE?

[@bella-vg9dt]

Horses love bits this video is proof see how much hes shaking his head thats cause hes happy. This horse is in so much pain.

[@josie_ll]

Marry Richard He’s not at all in pain...

[@Ren-nm1nl]

he tosses it even when there isn’t tension...it’s not pain it’s a mouthy horse that hasn’t learned to accept contact, educate yourself❤️every horse is different

[@KirstinKellyEquestrian]

Great to see all your comments and concern that a horse is in pain. Ex racehorses are often ridden by rough riders that balance on their hands and re schooling them can be a challenge to build trust with the contact. When I get on to trot around after a couple of rounds he drops on the bit and relaxes but when you have less experienced rider trying to develop a nice contact, it does take longer. It's often not the bit but the way the rider uses their hands but there are also so many different types of mouthpieces now, so most horse can find a bit to suit. Love your comments , keep them coming Kirstin

[@rickpaschall1580]

Can’t hear a word, just mumb,es. Sorry.

[@KirstinKellyEquestrian]

Thanks for the feedback Rick, we had a terrible day filming in the wind . It is such a good lesson I need to re- film it .

[@swanmichel]

this video is hard to watch! you are trying to teach on the bit but the horse at the stand still is so unhappy its not funny!

[@KirstinKellyEquestrian]

I choose real horses and riders with issues to help other riders. The problem with training horses is that often a horse has put up with incorrect bits, bad riding, pain, all sorts of issues and it's our job to re-educate them to trust the contact.

[@foronceinyourlife9391]

@@KirstinKellyEquestrian god bless your diplomacy