Back to the drawing board......big mare hates the happy mouth!

C

cobface

Well-Known Member
Joined
26 January 2010
Messages
956
Visit site
Teeth been done around 3 weeks ago, wolf teeth out. Big mare TB 4yr was ridden in a lozenge loose ring snaffle, when contact is asked she resists so i though about a happy mouth straight bar as recommended to me on here, well 5 mins into the hack she was awful, really straining her head to one side and literally throwing herself about on the way home when i asked her to slow down.......so no to the happy mouth! will stick to the losenge again for now as shes miles better in it but still not 100%......any suggestions??
 
Raff hated anything Happy Mouth... someone once pointed out to me how sharp they are at the corner of the mouth (and where the plastic is 'raised' with wording)... and i now don't use them.

sorry, can't be of help about what bit to use though. i'm still trying to find one for Raff... he's in a Myler one at the moment. going better in it, but still not 'right'...
 
ahhh that could have been the reason then, she has ever such a soft mouth.........what i have also noticed with the other bit aswell as this one is it always seems to be uneven in her mouth?? ie one side has inch gap between her lips and the ring the other side the ring will be pushed into her face.........its as if its too small?? when it first goes in it looks fine, half inch gap either side and i have a bit measurer which says shes 5.5??
 
I've tried numerous bits! Mine didn't like the Happy Mouth, and it certainly seemed very rough in the corners after only a little use. Almost all of the bits I've tried sit unevenly in his mouth. I've finally settled on a Sprenger Dynamic eggbut. At last I have something that stays level in his mouth, and he loves it. The unevenness is not necessarily a fault of the bit, mine has always leaned very hard on my right hand, which is the side the bit slipped towards, but now he is stronger and learning to take his weight behind it is becoming much easier, so as your horse is just 4 she is probably also finding work quite hard still.
 
Happy mouths are a great ides - but only for a horse who has a large mouth space. They are also quite dry and are I think uncomfortable.

I would maybe think about a Myler comfort snaffle - they don;t have a nutcracker action and they are quite a unique independant side action - but they are relatively thin - contrary to popular belief, the thicker bit is not always the mildest.
 
My mare goes happily in a sweet iron jointed D ring snaffle. I tried her in a happy mouth and kk ultra with the peanut and she hated both.
 
I wrap my horse's bit in latex. Might be worth a go, also what is her mouth conformation like? It may be that she has a large tonge and you need to look at a different design of bit?
 
[ QUOTE ]
I wrap my horse's bit in latex. Might be worth a go, also what is her mouth conformation like? It may be that she has a large tonge and you need to look at a different design of bit?

[/ QUOTE ]

I was thinking this esp since the happy mouth was so awful for her, it was too thick........may sound like silly question but how can i tell if she has a large tounge?
blush.gif
i know she has quite a short mouth if you get what i mean........the split in her mouth (lips) dont go up to far atall - if that makes sense??
 
I am just trying to sort out my mare and her mouth too! She has her teeth done regularly but has always been a bit resistant to the bit. We tried her in a variety of happy mouth bits but she always evaded work one way or another (leaning, taking hold of the bit to one side and locking her jaw). For the last two weeks we have been putting her in the myler comfort snaffle and at first she wasn't too impressed but for the last two days she has begun to settle so I'm hoping we're on the right track finally.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top