Mouth like a plank of wood

0ldmare

0ldmare

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Hi, my new little horsey and I are now getting on really well (no more bucking in the new saddle). I went for a long hack yesterday and she was a star - couldnt care less about traffic, totally non spooky considering she had never been on that hack before etc etc.

But she has no mouth, its like a plank of wood! Its not as though she tries to run away with you, its just that there is no give at all. I dont like using so much hand, but nothing else works. I am usually quite good at getting them to mouth and soften, but not in this case! (My other horse stops when you think stop so I am a bit spoilt) So far I have tried a eggbutt snaffle and a french link, but neither have any effect at all. I dont want to go too far the other way, but any suggestions would be really welcome!
 
Not really sure what you mean tbh. Just keep hacking her out and getting used to each other. Little half halts will help with the contact issue. But I would be inclined to put a nice little french link or KK in her mouth and leave at that for a month or so.

I'm sure she does have a mouth - you just need to find her buttons.
 
I know what you mean about getting used to her, but to be fair her old owner said she had 'hard' mouth. I just need something that gives me some feeling of control! I wouldnt be happy in the higher gears out hacking without some sort of brakes. I wondered about a Kimblewick as they used to show her in a pelham?
 
I would try a kimblewick or a pelham or a 3 ring. Not every horse has to go in a snaffle and its a lot nicer for a horse not to have someone hanging on the whole time. At home in the school you can work on her schooling but out hacking have some fun!
 
Do you mean that you have no breaks? Or is she not schooled enough for you to get a reaction with subtle movements? I agree with AmyMay, lots of half halting, before you ask her for any transition/new movement and as you're going along to get her to listen.
Iwould also be inclined to try long reining, as this is a great way to get the horse mouthing the bit and I would always start riding/driving horses off this way - no better way to get a lovely mouth than hours of long reining! Good luck!
 
The Myler comfort snaffle is worth trying, designed to sit comfortably in the mouth, wide centre barrel with independent sides, and if you get the one with hooks it exerts a small degree of control over the poll and mouthpiece (you can get them on trial for a small amount)
 
Thanks for your help. Its not that she is running away with you but for example when you are trotting and want to walk she just carries on trotting despite you sitting, using your seat and asking with the reins - until such time as you are taking a real hold. Its almost like she doesnt notice you. (Other than that she is a little darling!)
 
Mine was like that when I got her back from the people who had 'backed' her - which meant they'd turned her into a wooden giraffe...

we re-mouthed her wtih lots of long-reining and I worked her in the school bitless for a month or 3 until she got the idea of seat/weight aids and basic rein aids and then when we went back to the bit (I use a Neue-Schule verbindend because it's narrow and she has a small mouth and hated everything else I tried, including a Myler comfort) then she's far softer.
 
No not all horses will go in a snaffle.

However, as Oldmare does not sound like a particularly experienced horsewoman, I would hate to see this little horse bitted up for no good reason, and in the wrong hands.

Better to take a stronger contact, and a little pull, than to over bit something that really may not need it.
 
From what Oldmare has written it does need it. What if the horse decided it wasn't going to stop at a road junction?

You aren't going to ruin a horse by hacking it in a bit stronger than a snaffle, do you think she should just not enjoy her rides because someone has the notion that any bit apart from a snaffle is evil? Give the lady some credit as to her riding ability as well.

And the taking a stronger contact is what creates horses with dead mouths.
 
I agree to a certain extent, but actually think that it is sometimes preferable to have a stronger bit and not haul on their mouths than a so called gentle bit that requires lots of effort. In my experience (sorry AmyMay and I am sure you didnt mean to offend, but have actually have owned horses for uninterrupted 40 years!) Very often you can then go back to a gentler bit once they have got the idea. Its just that I havent had a horse that requires more than a snaffle (or kimblewick/pelham out hunting) and there seems to be bewildering variety now!
 
Not prepared to get in to an ongoing debate on this one, because I don't wan't to cause any offence to OP.

However, I will say that I am the first to slap in a stronger bit if required - so am definately not part of the the 'you must only use a snaffle' brigade.
 
hello there
Please see my post Re;Myler Combination bit, its fantastic for this kind of problem. She sounds exactly how my mare came to me three months ago witha snaffle bit in. Snaffle bits are not kind to a horse if his/her education under this bit has not been a pleasant one. You should cut your horses tie with this bit altogether, that way she will forget the nasty experiences, subject to kind hands. The myler Combo bit works on the nose, mouth and poll and has a gentle curb action also. It is a very kind and clever bit. If your horse is working in the way you describe then she will be muscled up incorrectly and probably has not been using her back properly. You can even hire this bit, but I would definately say try it. My mare was sixteen years old and had been ridden badly by an incompetant rider for some time. The bit is not something that simply stops and turns the horse, it is an aid of fair and reasonable communicatiom. The kinder and more subtle you can be about this the more the horse will come to trust and respect your hands.
 
Yes, my dead-mouthed cob does prefer the sweet iron bit and froths up nicely in it
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Still quite dead-mouthed though
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