Bits and sensitive mouth

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Iestyn

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Need some advice on bitting my new horse, a 5 yr old warmblood. He has got a very sensitive mouth but needs a firm contact to work into. However my bits seem to be causing sores in the corners of his mouth (and I haven't been rough at all just in case you wonder!). I've tried a kk with lozenge and a full cheek french link. The kk is my TB's who needs very thin bits as he has a large tounge and the full cheek rubbed on his face. I've borrowed a straight nathe bit and someone is lending me a jointed rubber bit. Haven't tried them yet as waiting for mouth to heal properly first. Any other suggestions? He's very, very green and a bit sharp but not at all nasty - he will respond to a good half halt if he rushes off. He just needs to settle and trust me and obiously he's been a little uncomfortable. Also any suggestions on helping his mouth not to become sore in future - heard you can put something on it.
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vaslene is good for sore mouths....what about a straight bar happy mouth? my boy loves loads of contact and this is sometimes spot on for him (but hes clever and figures bits out on a regular basis! so i have to swap and change all the time!!)
 
Been using vaseline loads on him. Is the nathe straight bar the same as the happy mouth? I think it may be - will try that come the weekend when he should be right. My TB was like yr horse - but settled on the kk with lozenge and has been happy in it for about 3 years now! Still experimenting with jumping bits 5 years on!!!
 
my mare keeps getting a cut mouth as well..i started off with vaseline but it ddint heal, it, im relaly really careful not to pull as well...it makes u think you are being really rough!
i now salt water it morning and night which is helping it heal and harden up...and then maybe put some vaslein on the bit when riding?
 
I used to hunt my dads big warmblood in a fat french link - had no control but he would get the most terribly cut mouth - silly boy!! shouldn't have pulled so much!

We used vasaline and then sudocream afterwards.
 
yes it prob is ... sorry didnt notice that bit. my horse seems to have a slightly sore mouth - maybe its the time of year too. the corners of his mouth seem to be quite dry, almost flakey. and i wouldnt like to be putting salt water on because it might go hard and brittle...id prefer it to be soft and stretchy! i dont have particularly hard hands and have never been told i have, but because he needs so much contact - it seems to be a problem thats unavoidable. theres a cream we used to put on - i'll go and look for it. worked a treat. it was a hand cream. i'll post back in a bit!
 
have you tried the KK on your new one..they're wonderfully soft bits i think, and horses esp. young ones, tend to accept them. well...mine certainly did - for a while!!!!
 
Nathe bits are lovely, but can encourage a dry m,outh, so Vaseline is a must on the corners before bitting up. NAthes are far superior to the Happy mouths imo.
 
Calendula cream. works a treat. like i said - i would be more inclined to make the mouth softer and make it more moisturised rather than hard, and more likely to crack!! and i agree totally with KatB about nathe bits. much nicer!
ETS do you use bit rings? somethimes they can make the mouth sore...
 
I have tried the kk as I love it on my TB but it's one of the thinner mouthpieces as my TB has very little room in his mouth. I think this is what has contributed to the cut mouth and I need a much thicker mouthpiece. Will try the nathe when I have and also been told to put loads of vaseline on it. Will also get hold of some calendula cream and that Gold Label stuff HJ has mentioned. I just want his introduction to schooling to be as kind as possible and don't want to upset him. He has the most loving temperament but has been quite nervous and sharp under saddle. I think he's been yanked around a lot before I got him and was jumped professionally earlier this year (by a very tall male) - produced to sell really with no real schooling. It's going to take a while for him to trust me which is why I want to get it right and not upset him by causing a sore mouth! Thanks guys - this is why I posted in Comp riders! People know what they're talking about in here!
 
My warmblood is sensitve and I had her in a nathe straight bar, tehn a myler comfort snaffle and now a NS Verdibend and she loves it
 
Preparation H (Hemmarhoid cream) is supposed to be good for toughening up the skin on their lips.

Lexi has trouble with loose-ring bits, she has very sensitive skin. Much better with egg-butt rings.
 
May is very sensitive and allergic to normal metal bits, and I found the happy mouth bits chafed her. To heal I used the Gold Label - Glymol and have since used the KK bits, 21mm ones, and have NEVER had a problem since, as you know I've even been hunting and done no damage. I would definitely try one. I got mine off ebay (£18 for the loose ring one with lozenge and £20 for the normal snaffle one)
 
I have a horse with a very sensitive mouth. I have had great success with a bendy rubber snaffle - he really got a good contact and this year has moved to a fulmer with peanut as he is much more confident. If you would like to borrow it feel free to PM me and I will pop it in the post as mine has no need for it now as has moved on. I also have a vulcanite straightbar snaffle and happy mouth french link as I went through ebay in the search to find something he went well in.
 
It my well be the thinness of the bit that is the problem, my TB mare cut her mouth when I used a thinnner lozenge bit (trying to stop her leaning), but this has never recurred since I went back to the fatter one.
Don't like happy mouth bits, think the mouthpiece isn't really that soft, in fact can have sharp edges on the plastic. Agree with KatB that nathe (or ordinary rubber) much kinder.

Good luck.

FIona
 
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