Horses jaw clunking!

[awelshandawarmblood]

Bit of a funny one & maybe normal, but new to me even after 30 years of riding!

My horse is away for schooling & I've noticed that when I've gone for lessons on him, I hear his jaw intermittently clunking, mainly in trot - like his low jaw is loose or teeth clunking if that makes any sense at all?

Is this normal? He's not in pain or reacting to it at all, but I cant say I ever heard him doing it prior to going away.

He's just learning to seek a contact & tends to be when he's starting to soften so not sure if that's it?

He's ridden in a cavesson & snaffle.

Am I going mad?!

 

[ycbm]

Some of them do clack their teeth together. I've always felt it was a sign of tension due to stress or pain. Had he seen a dentist recently?
.

 

[awelshandawarmblood]

Some of them do clack their teeth together. I've always felt it was a sign of tension due to stress or pain. Had he seen a dentist recently?
.

He had them done in February & everything was fine & physio before he went mid way through last month.

I was worrying it maybe something like stress from being away from home & a different routine etc

It's something I've never heard before & I've looked everywhere for an answer or someone mentioning similar but couldn't find anything.

 

[ycbm]

I've had a couple of ex racers who ground their teeth and although I've never owned a tooth clacker I have seen one or two. It always looked stress related to me and since it's new behaviour in yours then like you I'd suspect stress from being away from home.

 

[awelshandawarmblood]

I've had a couple of ex racers who ground their teeth and although I've never owned a tooth clacker I have seen one or two. It always looked stress related to me and since it's new behaviour in yours then like you I'd suspect stress from being away from home.

Thats really good to know thank you & pretty much confirmed what vague thoughts I had. So based on that I've decided I'll bring him home the next few days & hopefully he'll get back out of it once he's back to his normal surroundings etc. Thank you so much