Biting advise needed

[mollywestern]

I have a 17hh irish sports horse mare. She is currently being ridden in jointed copper mouth piece hanging snaffle. When riding she grinds her teeth and one minute she's lovely and soft and then she leans. I have had her back done and teeth checked and everything was fine. She's been ridden in a two ring gag and a normal snaffle and was exactly the same. She can get strong at times and has managed to get her tounge over the bit a few times. Does anyone have any advise?

 

[old hand]

from my own experience with a very mouthy horse I would say it is pain somewhere but not necessarily the mouth. My horse had a fractured pedal bone and pedal bones rotated back to 0%. Once that was corrected he has neither put his tongue over the bit or ground his teeth. I had a thermal image done and this confirmed the only area of pain was his foot. bit wise I would try a cherry roller snaffle, often that is a good step up from a basic snaffle, strong horses often grab the bit and they can't do this, also they like playing with the rollers. I always try a thicker type first, if she is still strong perhaps try a D ring copper roller snaffle.

 

[Annagain]

My IDx is similar and he hates a jointed mouthpice he has a HUGE tongue so the joint is just too much for him. He's now in a mullen mouth hanging cheek snaffle and is much better. Even though, technically, he can lean more on the fixed mouth piece he doesn't as he's happier in it. It's just trial and error though, it took me 18 months to find the right bit.

The other thing it could be is that she's leaning to keep her balance (and would explain why it's intermittent) so it might be worth getting some lessons to help you help her find her balance. When mine starts leaning I just throw away the contact so he has to find his own balance and then use my seat and core to control the speed - hard when they're being strong but it's much better than a fight - it took quite a lot of lessons to give me the confidence to do that with mine and realise he wasn't going to go anywhere though.