Bone spurs in the mouth..

TuscanBunnyGirl

TuscanBunnyGirl

Well-Known Member
Joined
8 February 2011
Messages
1,689
Location
Nr. Boston, Lincs
Visit site
My 3 year old has started dribbling his feed a bit now so i had a look in his mouth (getting the dentist out asap too) and found a bony projection on his bottom jaw on the bars.
Is this a bone spur?
sorry if it's a numpty question im just a tad confused and to my (v. limited) knowledge bone spurs are caused from harsh bits/hands...but he has always been ridden in a very gentle hand..
any ideas? :/
 
The EDT (equine dental technician) said to me that my horse had got the start of bony calcification on the bars of his mouth due to the downwards pressure exerted my my mullen mouth straight bar pelham and due to its width as he needed a thinner mouthpiece. Fortunately it was very slight, almost invisible but he warned me of the problem so I stopped riding him in it straight away and a few days later I bought on his recommendation a Nue Schule tranz angled pelham bit and have never looked back. I was really upset and saddened that my bit had caused this injury and the EDT said that it was an common injury with that type of bit because of the way it beared down on the bars of the mouth due to its design as there was no link/lozenge to avoid the pressure. The bit wasn't cheap to buy but I am very happy to say that my horse is a lot happier with this bit and I am pleased that I followed his advice. I also ride him a little kinder. I don't feel I was ever 'heavy' with my hands but I did struggle from time to time with him maintaining a light contact so I have learnt to have a softer contact with more give and take and push my hands forward. Its been a hard learning curve but I am glad I listened and took his advice.

Sadly with horses we learn through experience and sometimes we have to learn the hard way. I will probably get shot down by everyone for being honest now.... :(

What kind of bit do you use?
 
My horse developed what I thought was a bone spur. However on further inspection by X-Ray it was an ectopic wolf tooth. It was removed under local anaesthetic but prior to that it caused no end of problems.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top