bitting woes for 'sensitive skin'

georgiegirl

georgiegirl

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Thought I would pick peoples brains on this one again.....

Autumn is 6 and has always been a very 'dry' horse in her mouth. I have ridden her in a jp curved loose ring (single joint) and have recently changed her into a sweet iron loose ring with a copper lozenge in an attempt to make her mouth a bit wetter! Hasnt worked although she goes well in it. She goes quite sweetly on the flat if a little stronger in canter - although this is improving as she is only young. However she does get scabby lips in the corners of her mouth. I am not heavy handed with her & they never split or anything like that but do end up feeling scabby - they dont seem to affect her in her ridden work but its something I would like to get rid of if I can! I am using a moisturising butter recommended by gold label which is helping a bit.

I think its quite possibly a combination of being dry and the loose rings so I have borrowed a french link fulmer to try next week - was wondering if anyone had any thoughts or suggestions?

Thankyou!
 
The only thing in can think of is feeding her a sugar lump/polo once she has her bit it - this is what Carl Hester and Ruth Edge both do!
Or you could cover her bit in something sweet tasting to encourage mouthing!
 
Hi , your horse may not be moving the bit as she's not happy with a single joint in her mouth . If you have say toothache or a cut in your mouth you tend to hold your mouth as still as poss. Have you tried a french link or a bit with a port or cambridge mouth ? A single joint pushes the joint downwards onto the tongue and your horse cannot swallow and it can restrict breathing . If you rest your finger on your tongue and try to swallow , you carnt . So worth trying a different bit , with no joint ( Kimblewicks are brill ) or a french link and see if it helps . Get in touch with some bit banks and try some out . You'll find the right one for you and your horse , just takes a little bit of a search and try outs but well worth it !
 
doratheexplorer - have tried polos and didnt seem to make much difference to be honest :( might try a slice of apple or something a bit more slobbery! Could also try honey on her bit as wel I guess? - I can see this getting very messy!

She seemed to go better in the lozenge snaffle than the single joint so that is the avenue im going to go down for now - as I say I'm trying a french link full cheek next week just to eliminate the possibility its the loose rings chafing her.
 
Or maybe let her graze have a handfull of haylege once she has her bit in? also maybe experimant with metals, I know you have tried sweet iron, but maybe happy mouth, covering bits with latex, NS type bits, there are so many options, its just finding one that suits both of you!!
 
I had tried her in a happy mouth when we first got her and it ended up eaten!

She has a neue schule universal for xc and this works a treat (although still no foamy mouth!) however if the full cheek french link I borrow works well I may well investigate getting the neue schule version to match her other one. Again she does get slight rubs one the sides from the universal so I think the moving parts arent helping - but she goes so well in it xc that I realy dont want to have to change that!
 
I would look at Sprenger WH Ultra bits. They have a revolving wheel in the lozenge to increase mouthing and are brilliant - but not cheap! Cheapest is ebay horse heaven shop. With your universal, try rubber bit guards. My Horse is the same and I use them (different bit). If he's going through a 'scabby mouth' phase I smear the inside of the rubber with aloe vera gel. Works a treat.
 
I had read a few places that vaseline could in fact make it worse hence going on to the butter stuff from gold label - it really is working a treat and for how little you use actually probably costs the same as vaseline.

Have got bit guards so they will be going on to the universal before its next outing (only use it for xc)

the sprenger one sounds like a nice idea but unfortunately whatever we use has to be dressage legal which I think with the roller that one wouldnt be (although I stand to be corrected if Im wrong!)

Im pretty convinced now its the moving parts which are causing the bother so hopefully try the full cheek next week and see how we get on with that
 
The WH ultra is dressage legal. In fact I'm sure it was designed with input from dressage risers. They make a bradoon version as well. I used one on my last Horse was was very nervy and it made a massive difference. He also had a dry mouth but used to chew when nervous. The wheel seemed to pacify him.

Mine actually has real trouble as he used to split his mouth. I found he hates tongue pressure and I use a ported mullen dalehead bit from the Hilary Vernon range. It's never split with this, even after major pulling. That said he still opens his mouth with it but he's much better with this than anything else. I'd love to try a Rockin S raised bit but no-where trials them. Might just need to bite the bullet and buy one. The best jointed snaffle for him was a hippus.
 
I have this problem. Why is vaseline bad?? I but it on before I ride to act as a lubricant then udder cream every evening toughen the skin!??
 
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