Chomping at the bit and pulling at the reigns.

domsmith

domsmith

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My horse of 7 weeks is generally all i hoped he would be, but! He has a terrible thing of biting the bit, i think its biting hes messing with it in his mouth, then dropping his head pulling the reigns out of my hand if he can. He only does this when we have ridden for 45 mins or so, i suppose when he gets hot and tired.

The bridle i use came with him. i think it fits. it has a flash and i use a gag, cause that what he came with. the gag is always on the big ring so as i understand it is no different from a snaffle. the 2 bars on the bit are quite thick, sorry for lack of technical terminoligy. I have asked several people if i should keep the flash as i feel it is some of the problem, i may be wrong. they all say i should keep it until i know him better.

any advice or ideas appreciated, as i know nothing

dominic
 
My horse does this who hates jointed bits- stick him in a mullen mouth gag or kimberwick and he is so much happier. He just hates bits collapsing on his tongue and moving in his mouth. When riding, if you have a constant contact on his mouth, every 15 minutes or more often if possible, let him have a long stretch down as his muscles are probably aching! It's hard work for them to carry their heads on a contact when they spend most of the day with them down grazing :) Sorry if I've missed anything! In a bit of a rush so just replying quickly.
 
Hi, is he up to date with his teeth? Some horses get fussy in the mouth when they have sharp edges appearing? Always worth eliminating it anyway..
 
Thanks Hoof-prints, i have learnt already to be loose in the reigns to him until needed. it does seem to help. i also let him drop his head to stretch to see if that helps.

his teeth were done by the vet 3 weeks ago, they did need doing. so i hope they are ok now.

dominic
 
You could be describing Shy here. About 30 minutes into a ride, he would be chowing down onto the bit and pulling his head down. He was really unhappy - with every bit I tried from Happy Mouth upwards. He mostly hated jointed/french link bits, but would never settle even in a mullen bit.

This is why we went bitless, and we haven't looked back.
 
Interesting tessy does the exact same thing teeth are fine but it drives me crackers and anyone else I Hack with because she's snapping her jaws on the bit
 
Shy? i really dont understand the term bitless bridle. that may be a really dumb statement, a bridle without a bit! but how does it work .......frantically googles bitless bridle.

d
 
Horses mess with their mouths when they are uncomfortable, for whatever reason, maybe teeth need doing, bit in wrong place (too low/too high), wrong noseband, or noseband fitted incorrectly or of course the wrong bit.
OP, if I were you, I'd experiment in an enclosed area, first take the flash off and do a short schooling session to see how the horse reacts. If still the same borrow different bits to try, making sure that each bit is fitted correctly. If you find a bit that your horse is more comfortable with, great, if not you can hire a wide range of bits from a bit bank. Don't just try different styles but also try different materials to find what your horse likes best.


By the way, they are reins.
 
My cob was like that in a jointed snaffle shes now in a myler hanging cheek with a curved jointless mouth piece. Much bettet
 
I would suspect since it happens after 45 minutes that he is telling you his muscles are aching and he is struggling - back, neck, whatever. I would ride him on a very light contact and concentrate on getting him to work from behind - he will learn to offer an outline as soon as he is effectively working through.
 
JillA said:
I would suspect since it happens after 45 minutes that he is telling you his muscles are aching and he is struggling - back, neck, whatever. I would ride him on a very light contact and concentrate on getting him to work from behind - he will learn to offer an outline as soon as he is effectively working through.
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Although i understand the back neck thing, the rest of the quote is a mystery to what you mean, sorry


d
 
who would i get to help with back and neck problems? vet?

my riding teachers and my livery who stays here, although i have said i really believe there is a problem kind of just ignore what i am telling them and say its just how is or, hes tired. i have had, really since i got him this feeling, somthings not right.

i will try some different bits, dont really know where to start.
 
Hi Domsmith , this is where a forum isn't as helpful as a real life instructor, who can watch you on your horse and give some guidance on how to improve both horse and rider : )
Do you know of someone in your area who could help?
 
What Jill means is that horses will (unless in flight or play mode) carry most of their weight on their forehand, which will be exaggerated when you plonk a rider and a saddle on their back. The horse may also be hollowing his back and tightening his neck in order to compensate for the rather dramatic addition of extra weight he has to deal with. Jill is saying that you can train your horse to shift more weight to and push with the hindquarters, which are more powerful and better able to cope with that extra weight, and while more difficult initially for the horse, this helps them in the long run as they are better balanced when carrying the rider and using their bodies in a more effective way. You are also training them to use their abdominal muscles to lift their back. This also increases stability and, once the horse has developed the muscles to do it, decreases work and wear and tear because an arch is stronger and more stable than a banana. That's why bridges and Gothic cathedrals use the arch to hold up the structure.

As I read her post, Jill is suggesting that your horse might not be carrying himself as described above, so after 45 minutes, he is tired, stiff, and possibly uncomfortable, hence snatching at the bridle. He might be on the forehand, hollowing his back, stiff to one side or the other, something like that. It would be like wearing a heavy rucksack for a long time while walking and running, and carrying yourself slouched over or unevenly. It would suck.
 
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I gained a huge amount of sympathy for horses a couple years ago when I did a five mile walk-in to a bothy with a newly acquired rucksack. I hadn't adjusted rucksack properly yet and I also piled firewood on top of it, so it was ridiculously unstable and top heavy. If I'd been a horse and that thing had been a rider, I sure would have been acting out. I think every rider should try this.
 
Bit to high in the mouth, noseband or other tack too tight, you are riding him to short, are teeth okay when was an adt last there to see him. Good luck.
 
Instructor a must. Get them to hack out with you after checking your tack. Ideally they could bring a quiet horse you could ride, so that the instructor can swap with you when your horse does the behaviour.

I have a mare who will do this if the rider isn't giving with their hands and riding her forward. She never does it with me.
 
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Ive had him to 2 local riding schools, one really gave me little advice but seemed quite pleased with him, communication was very poor.
the other has been good and enthusiastic. but we have been working up to jumping, yet i dont feel we have mastered the basics. hes loving it though. and i keep drawing to their attention the head dipping and dont really get a response.
they have checked the kit.
maybe i should try and get some one to visit us.

d
 
You probably won't like this reply, but can I suggest that perhaps it isn't the bit which is to blame, but your hands and the way you are using them? You do sound quite inexperienced, so I would really suggest that you invest in some GOOD instruction (and that may well mean getting someone from outside your yard to teach you). There are two ends to the reins; one ends at the bit, the other end is your responsibility.
 
JillA said:
I would suspect since it happens after 45 minutes that he is telling you his muscles are aching and he is struggling - back, neck, whatever. I would ride him on a very light contact and concentrate on getting him to work from behind - he will learn to offer an outline as soon as he is effectively working through.
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^^^^^ This

It could be something sore like other people are suggesting but I doubt it.

After 45 mins he is tired, he probably doesnt have the muscles in his neck to hold an outline for that long just yet so is snatching at the reins to stretch.
My advise would be alternate between riding in an outline and allowing him to stretch
 
Cortez said:
You probably won't like this reply, but can I suggest that perhaps it isn't the bit which is to blame, but your hands and the way you are using them? You do sound quite inexperienced, so I would really suggest that you invest in some GOOD instruction (and that may well mean getting someone from outside your yard to teach you). There are two ends to the reins; one ends at the bit, the other end is your responsibility.
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Absolutely dont mind this, no doubt i know very little. i rode as a kid some 25 years ago. then i have done nothing apart from a few lessons 10 years ago, then nothing until 7 weeks ago, when i bought a 16.3 WB gelding whos too good for me and i love!
will see what i can find about getting an instructor to visit. we have no arena here just fields.

d
 
Yes, getting someone out there is the best idea. It is either an equipment issue or a riding issue with you or a training issue with the horse or some combination of all of the above. A good trainer can help you figure it out. The "he's just like that" answers you got from your riding school don't cut it!

So long as it's dry, you can school in a field.
 
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