Grackle makes horse unhappy WWYD ?

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shmoo

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I have been advised to use a grackle on my TB mare. She is very excitable, a head shaker (up and down on the way home sometimes) and a voracious chomper.

I've always had her in a snaffle and caveson, and rode her in the grackle for the first time today. She's been out half a dozen times with someone else.

She doesn't like it at all. At no point during our 30 mins in the school did she have her ears forward, it does stop her chomping but makes her depressed. She's never been like this before, it upset me.

Have I been too soft for the last 18 months alowing her to carry on chomping - she doesn't evade the bit, bolt, rear or buck - she's prone to being sideways and doing some nifty footwork but I can't see how the noseband will help.

I don't like bitting and tacking up beyone what they absolutely need. I would prefer her with no noseband at all and no martingale but she twigs quickly and shakes her head too much without her martingale so sadly that has to stay.

WWYD ???
 
Instead of changing the noseband from what she's happy in, why not look at her bit? Could you try one made of a different material to see if it stops the chomping? Presuming your current bit is a metal one, how about a happy mouth or a salox / copper type? Might be worth a try. Depending on why she is headshaking the less pressure she has around her face the better she may be - a grackle could just be a step too far. Back to the loose caveson, then look at the bit. Good luck, hope you get her settled.
 
I would be more inclined to use a drop as its only in play if they really open their mouths. Grackles are for crossing jaws ONLY.


I would also look at changing the bit from a snaffle, these tend to nut cracker and hit the top of the horses mouth being 'snaffled mouthed' is always touted as being the best possible, but thats only if the horse is soft and settled in it, yours isnt! So trial some other bits and find what suits her individual mouth conformation :)
 
I took on a share ( ex racer) a few months ago and he had a grackle on. He seemed very unhappy about the arrangement and I was told it was because he crossed his jaws and was recommended by a person who'd been schooling him. Closer examination showed that his bit was far too big for him. So new snaffle of correct width was bought but he still started head shaking, although not as bad as before, after a short time into each ride. He has now been changed to a straight bar happy mouth and the head shaking has stopped. I'm not sure it's the best solution but for now he's more comfortable in his mouth.

PS. Grackle no longer used btw :)
 
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My daughter used a grackle for her Tb gelding for hacking and jumping/xc, he was happy enough but she put him out on full loan for 6 months. The loaner hacked him in a snaffle with no noseband, he was allowed to bomb around as he wanted to so of course he was loving that. When they went to part loan he was ok with the grackle again until recently so now daughter rides him in the same kit as sharer. However, we have had everything checked and it turned out he did need some dental work and also has a bad back (is currently off work pending a vet check tomorrow, could be sacroiliac (in his case). Always worth getting stuff checked out.
 
I assuming the horse has had a recent dental check.
If she hates a grackle don't use it.
Try a micklem bridle as it does releve pressure on the senestive parts of the face one of mine loves them.
 
Take the grackle off. Have her teeth checked by a dentist. If all is ok try a nosenet in case its pollen related and if that makes no difference try experimenting with different bits. If shes currently in a loose ring try a fixed ring/eggbutt and vice versa. If that makes no difference experiment with a single joint, french link or lozenge, mullen mouth, different materials, copper, rubber etc.

Actually a much quicker test might be to try riding in a headcollar, if you trust her?
 
Micklem bridle :)

Much reduced pressure around the face, and has a drop noseband designed to be fitted quite loosely(2 fingers) but my horse, previously a gob open head shaker, doesn't even try to open his mouth in the micklem, and he has stopped head shaking too.

You can always try before you buy- there is a site called 'hire a micklem'

btw agree with changing the bit too- avoid nutcrakers. Mine doesn't even like French link or lozenges - he likes an unjointed bit with tongue relief port.

We changed the bit first, that made him happier to a certain degree, but the micklem made the biggest improvement :)
 
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As you may have guessed she's had her teeth done around 8-9 or was it 12 weeks ago. Her back is regulary massaged as i'm totaly paranoid after a recent incident and her saddle was flocked to fit her a year ago, however I don't like it anymore and have just bought a saddle company one and i'm waiting to have it fitted. I haven't really been paying attention to whats been happening, the death of a close relative has got me spinning but i'm not happy about whats been done with her really.

I have tried a happy mouth in the past, but it was jointed and made no difference. I'll see if I can find a straight bar something, but i've been readng up on bitless and that might be a way forward? She is very strong though, and when she's got one on her she's ridiculous but oddly still never does the things I listed earlier.

I haven't seen a micklem in the flesh, i'll check out that site. On the other side i'm glad you're all saying what I more or less suspected, and its good to have confirmation of what you feel. Lose the nasty noseband and look for another solution.

Thanks.x.
 
I had much the same problem and have found a Myler bit and no noseband to be the solution. I use a Micklem bitless sometimes too but she doesn't like the crossover strong bitless action and can tank with the sidepull but it's a nice treat for her to hack bitless once in a while.
 
Goldenstar said:
I assuming the horse has had a recent dental check.
If she hates a grackle don't use it.
Try a micklem bridle as it does releve pressure on the senestive parts of the face one of mine loves them.
Click to expand...

Agree but also try different sorts of bits. Its taken nearly a year to stop my mare chomping (to the point she was bridle lame) and loads of bits to find the right one as well as a micklem, was the key.
 
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