Mouth bleeding

[bgray1981]

Hi, my horses mouth keeps becoming sore in the corners and bleeds at the moment whenever I ride. I smother it in Vaseline. Can anyone answer why this is happening?

 

[paulineh]

If you can use a hackamore and allow the mouth to heal , then look at the bit you are using to make sure it fits the horse properly

 

[be positive]

If you can use a hackamore and allow the mouth to heal , then look at the bit you are using to make sure it fits the horse properly

It needs time to heal, probably a change of bit and use a cream such as sudocreme rather than vaseline which just rubs away and does little to help heal, a couple of days should be enough if you keep putting the cream on before and after you ride.

 

[Marydoll]

Best thing i did was kept ticking over on the lunge and using a hackamore to ride then when healed used elizabeth arden 8 hour cream on the area

 

[nikkimariet]

Why is the mouth bleeding? That sounds like a pretty major bit rub?

Horse needs some time off, a better fitting bit and riding bitless if possible until healed.

Fig split the corner of his mouth when I took him stubble bashing, waterford snaffle just pinched him slightly (bit rings have solved this). I found the best thing to put on the sore spot was cracked nipple cream!!!! Really thick, and won't heat up with friction like vaseline would. Repairs the skin rather than just covering it. Used 8 hour cream too, but found this was better.

Personally would not use sudocrem on the inside of the mouth.

 

[putasocinit]

Apply salty water to the cut before vaseline it will make the skin on the corners a bit tougher, we do this with the racehorses and no it doesnt hurt.

 

[simplyhunting]

Bad hands split mouths. We'd get one hell of a mouthful if any of ours came back with mouth bleeding. Sometimes the bit itself can rub/pinch the cheeks esp if a loose-ring so check that,making sure its got enough room either side of the mouth, or adding bit rings as nm says. A few days bitless/lunging will help give it time to heal.

 

[putasocinit]

sawing at the mouth and bit to high in the mouth also causes cracked corners, check your riding and where bit sits.

 

[Wagtail]

Why are you still riding if the mouth bleeds every time? Give the horse time off. It must hurt like hell. As others have said you need to identify the cause. In the meantime if you must ride then use a bitless bridle.

Causes include:

'Bad hands'
Bit too small or too big
Rings pinching where they join the mouthpiece
Bit too severe (twisted snaffle, Waterford, gag etc)

Find out what is causing it before putting the bit back in the horse's mouth.

 

[Louby]

Want to 'like' the above post. There must be a reason why its bleeding. I see lots of horses at my yard with bits Id consider to be too small, all loose ring types. What bit are you using?

 

[TigerTail]

And how the chuff does putasocinit know salty water in a cut doesnt hurt?! I beg to blinking differ.

My mares mouth rubbed the first time I ever rode her in the bit she came with and split - I used rescue remedy cream on it and it healed beautifully - changed her bit and not had the issue again.

 

[touchstone]

Checking hands and bit fit is the way to go, also some nylon/happy mouth type bits can be very drying and cause sores, so I'd look at the material the bit is made of too. Fwiw we also used to use salt water or hydrogen peroxide on mouth sores years ago and it does tend to toughen the skin and didn't hurt the horses going by their reaction. Nowadays I'd be inclined to use something like Aloe Vera gel.