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June 26th, 2010 by Jim Milton

Bridle lameness, (Zgellahmheit or ‘rein lameness’ in German) can be a strange and dissociative phenomenon until it is correctly identified.

It is important that you watch your mount carefully during your horseback riding instruction for signs of discomfort which need to be cared for as soon as possible.

What is Bridle Lameness?

A horse that appears perfectly fine while in the paddock or lunged in a halter may go lame when being ridden or lunged in the bridle. When this happens, the horse is said to be “bridle lame” and may manifest in uneven head nodding, the horse appearing to be lame in one foreleg, or appearing to have spinal pain or stiffness.

His walk and trot strides are uneven because he’s leaning on one rein and avoiding the other. The result of such unbalanced contact is that the horse is constantly crooked and one of his hind legs moves in shorter strides than the other, leading to apparent lameness.

Both sluggish and more energetic horses can show bridle lameness. Even riders who are advanced in their horseback riding instruction can cause it by pushing their horses too far without having ridden correctly in the early stages of the animals’ training. Their horses alternate between rushing ahead and hesitating. They aren’t lame in extended trot but refuse to step forwards in collected trot and attempt to go above the bit, with nodding head and uneven steps.

What Causes Bridle Lameness & How Can It Be Cured?

A rider who lacks balance and is stiff in one arm can cause bridle lameness in his mount. Rider stiffness results in a mount that is not able to relax in the back. As a result, the horse’s legs are forced to work harder to compensate for the imbalance. This can result in an injury to the horse’s leg due to the uneven stress.

If you suspect your horse is bridle lame, pay special attention in your horseback riding instruction to developing a balanced seat, while maintaining equal but light contact on both reins. Ride your horse forwards without rushing him, and allow him to find his natural rhythm.

A horse which has been bridle lame for a long time will require your patience. He’ll probably take a while to get used to no longer being ridden crookedly. Once he’s allowed to move straight and freely into an even, elastic contact, he’ll no longer behave as though lame under saddle.

Jim is a professional horse rider and instructor. Check his horseback lessons website for an easy to follow horseback riding ebook and more horseback riding instruction tips.