Help! Sore (pink) mouth on a grey - need bitting advice

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Arkmiido

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My beautiful mare is just coming back into work having been on mummy duty (preggers and nursing..) since february, although she was only backed in the winter so is very green and done very little. Here she is.

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I am being very gentle with my hands - I'm not actually asking her for any kind of outline but she offers it all the time, now she isn't preggers!
Before I ask for help,, just want to say, I don't lean on the reins etc or pull on her, I promise! However, today she stumbled a couple of times, and also spooked at a pheasant, and when we got back from our gentle hack out she had a sore mouth :o:o:o:(:(:(:(
She has pink spotted skin around her mouth and nose, being part d'appaloosa, and it was 1cm above the corners of her mouth, rather than the actual corners that was a bit broken and sore looking, and more chapped than cut.. I ride her in a full cheek french link normally, but today rode her in a thicker french link, but it was loose ring (but it doesn't look like it caught her mouth and it is wide enough...)
Does anyone have anything they would recommend to put on sore mouths, ways to help harden her mouth/skin up, or any types of bit they would recommend? ie a happy mouth/rubber bit? She is incredibly sensitive to aids and has a very soft mouth in terms of stopping etc - I'm really not worried about "having brakes" with her! Think I may go back to riding in a dually for a while, while her poor lips heal! I already feel awful about this btw, and I promise I am really gentle with her - I think she is just really sensitive skinned! So any help gratefully received :)
 
yep, both bits I have used definitely wide enough and were bought for her, and my coach who backed her was happy with them (she tried various bit on her and we measured the ones that fitted her, then checked carefully the ones I bought..) She had a bit of a sore mouth at Suzanne's (the lady who backed her..) too, so it isn't just me!
My other youngster, a bay 3 year old, hasn't had this problem at all while I've been riding her. I think its the pink skin thing cos the side of her mouth that is pink by the corner is sore, but the darker bits aren't....
:( poor girlie
 
Hi fellow Kent person. Lovely horse! I'd get rid of the loose rings, I know it doesn't seem they are causing her a problem, but that was the answer when my horse had this problem. If she goes well in a Dually then at least you can keep her going while her mouth sorts itself out.
That must be Suzanne Marshall who backed her then...
 
We also have a appaloosa pony who has a pink muzzle and had the same problem. The bit fitted fine and she is ridden on a loose rein however the pink skin was so sensitive. We combated that by rubbing vaseline across the pink parts that were sensitive (obviously not near her mouth and not recommended on a hot day as it would burn) every time before we exercised her. We done this for a few weeks and now we dont need to do it anymore. I think the skin just needs a bit of protection until it becomes a bit less sensitive. I bet you are looking forward to a hot summer as much as I am with a very pink nosed pony! Hope this helps
 
Tinypony said:
Hi fellow Kent person. Lovely horse! I'd get rid of the loose rings, I know it doesn't seem they are causing her a problem, but that was the answer when my horse had this problem. If she goes well in a Dually then at least you can keep her going while her mouth sorts itself out.
That must be Suzanne Marshall who backed her then...
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Yep... I guess the clue is in "Dually" and "Suzanne"! Think I will go back to it from now on until she's sorted a bit, but steering in it isn't brilliant and she tends to meander a bit anyway :p:p
She did a fab job with her though, I went up all the time and rode her lots while she was working with her, and had a beautiful pony to take home after just 2 weeks! I'm trying to get my 3 year old up there when she has space too :)
The full cheek (fulmer?) french link doesn't have loose rings and seems to do the same thing, but I agree, think the loose rings could be a problem and worry with a baby that steering isn't ideal - all too easy to pull the bit through their mouth I guess.
Think I will try the rubber snaffle with bit rings and lots of vaseline....
 
Sanchanted said:
We also have a appaloosa pony who has a pink muzzle and had the same problem. The bit fitted fine and she is ridden on a loose rein however the pink skin was so sensitive. We combated that by rubbing vaseline across the pink parts that were sensitive (obviously not near her mouth and not recommended on a hot day as it would burn) every time before we exercised her. We done this for a few weeks and now we dont need to do it anymore. I think the skin just needs a bit of protection until it becomes a bit less sensitive. I bet you are looking forward to a hot summer as much as I am with a very pink nosed pony! Hope this helps
Click to expand...

Yes this definitely helps, and makes me feel much better to know that it happens to other pink ponies! :rolleyes: I was almost crying when I saw it today! (it wasn't that bad, I just felt so guilty at hurting her when she is such a sweet and kind soul).
Will def use the vaseline idea, thankyou!
In the summer, cos she hates having sun block on, I use a full face fly mask with a nose cover, in black, and smear factor 50 sun block all over the inside of the mask and gently rub it onto her face - she prefers this to normal application!
But yeah, summer is a nightmare and she gets so burnt if I'm not careful. Bless :)
 
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