Bit Advice - mouth rubbing after riding

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kirstenmca

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Hello,

I am hoping someone can give me some advice. I am having a few problems with my American Paint 5 years chestnut gelding.

He is a very kind calm gentle sort on the ground with good manners.

He has been broken in with a french link with full cheek pieces. He has always thrown his head up and down a bit and tries to open his mouth and so now is in a grackle.

I noticed every time when I finished riding he really rubbed his mouth on his legs as soon as he could. Quite vigorously for quite a while, like he's trying to get his bit out. Its not his face but specifically his mouth he rubs.
We swapped his bit to a loose ring happy mouth snaffle which he initially seemed happier in, but he's begun throwing his head up again and rubbing his mouth as soon as I give him a chance.

He is very forward going and very sensitive to your leg. I have however managed to control his trotting off/running with my seat and circling rather than using my reins or pulling but even the tinniest bit of pressure on his mouth can send his head in the air. Up and down up and down. On downward transitions he pokes his nose even with very little or no rein contact. I don't use a martingale and would prefer to solve the problem.

However in walk you can have more of a contact and he seems to accept it and even goes round and works from behind. But any half halts or playing can send it up in the air. Even in trot he can settle and allow a contact sometimes.

I have had his teeth checked a few weeks ago and they are fine. He has had his back checked and his saddle checked previously but as this is not a new problems I haven't had it re checked.

Any advice on what bits I could try him in? Or what I should try to do? Although he does this, its not constantly while I ride but its difficult to get him consistent as he just does it especially when I start riding him.


Thanks :)
 
I have no idea, not even thought about that? How do I tell?

His current bit is plastic though but obviously there is some metal in the middle and on the cheek pieces.
 
You could try different metals and look for a reaction. He doesn't sound happy in his mouth. Have you tried no noseband at all? My boy always fussed and crossed his jaw so I put him in a flash. My classical instructor ditched it immediately and made my ride with the noseband really loose. My boy goes wonderfully now especially with no noseband at all.

Might also be worth trying him bitless.

Who did his teeth? EDT or vet?
 
My horse bobs his head up and down I've found that riding him into a contact (no force) and he happily works I did play around with bits, my dentist noticed that he had wide bars and fleshy lips I was using a kk loose ring snaffle French link at the time and he said as the French link was quite big it could actually be pinching his lips I swapped bits and he is so much happier so it might be worth having a good look at how his mouth is 'set out'
 
I cant use any happy mouth on my arab they make his mouth bleed, yet my other horse is fine in them, go back to his metal bit and take the grackle off if he has a small mouth with a large tongue he will find it hard to swallow, I would try a straight bar off some kind so many horses dislike jointed bits, I am really not a fan of grackles either if a horse is opening its mouth when the bit is in its uncomfortable why clamp his mouth shut your making it worse.
 
Thanks everyone for you advice. Rode with no noseband today. ALOT better...much more relaxed.
still rubbed a little after riding but no where near as much and much less head throwing...possibly more of a habit head throw!
 
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