Odd bruising in mouth? Ideas?

EquestrianFairy

Well-Known Member
Joined
28 October 2006
Messages
6,502
Visit site
I rode my new girl today and she (for the first time) started to rear when any pressure was applied to her mouth- after some careful inspection i noticed brusing along her gums.
Theres no marks where her bit lies although i have arranged for her teeth to be done next week anyway as they are a little sharp. This still doesnt explain the bruising though, anyone have any ideas?

Tried to get the best photos i can..

photo6.jpg


photo7.jpg


Thanks
 

noblesteed

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 August 2009
Messages
1,872
Location
Up North
Visit site
Ooo ow!!!
Do you have electric fencing in her field? I know it sounds daft but a couple of months ago my dozy horse picked up a bit of electric fencing with his lips and it pinged against his mouth and burnt his gums above his teeth!!!! Whilst my friend was riding him! He didn't half jump... My OH (physics man) thinks the water and acidic saliva in his mouth must have caused the current to intensify (? not sure if that's right) and be strong enough to burn him.

Could it be possible she has taken a piece in her mouth and so burnt her gums?

Otherwise could she have chewed something (wood, stable etc)?
 

EquestrianFairy

Well-Known Member
Joined
28 October 2006
Messages
6,502
Visit site
It's too low down in her mouth to be her bit marydoll, it's hard to show on the photo but it's along the very bottom part of her jaw.

She's ridden in a myler comfort snaffle but hasn't been ridden for around a week due to the weather, it's only me that rides her.

I've never seen her chew wood etc, she has been known to windsuck on the fence posts but she does this with her top teeth- she grabs on and sucks rather than physically chews anything?

Hope that helps.
 

ruth83

Well-Known Member
Joined
16 November 2007
Messages
1,437
Location
South Yorkshire
Visit site
Has someone been handling her with a chifney or similar? If they haven't put it on well it could cause lower down bruising.

How old is she? (Teeth that I can see don't look that big). Could she be teething tushes? Not common in mares but possible.
 

EquestrianFairy

Well-Known Member
Joined
28 October 2006
Messages
6,502
Visit site
Noooo chiffney! She's a good girl, head collar as normal and nope, not a rug destroyer (or a destroyer of Anthing really)

Marydoll that's interesting, was it after prolonged use or a one off as she's not been ridden in over a week.

She's 4yo also everyone.

Thanks again.
 

JingleTingle

Well-Known Member
Joined
11 March 2011
Messages
633
Location
Other side of the Moon
Visit site
Wouldnt like to comment on the cause, but it looks very raw and painful. I am not at all surprised she started misbehaving. Regardless of where those marks are in relation to the bit that sort of injury would be painful just by the slightest movement or pressure put on her mouth IMO.

How long have you had her, do you trust any other people that may have handled or ridden her? Does anyone within her circle of contact have a penchant for using gum lines?:(

I would certainly be riding either bitless or in a head collar until her mouth is completely healed.
 

Marydoll

Well-Known Member
Joined
22 March 2011
Messages
7,140
Location
Central scotland
Visit site
It was noticed over a couple of days use, the horse didnt really like it from the get go tbh, the redness and bruising looks in exactly the same area.
The rider doesnt have heavy hands and was quite upset when she saw it, i dont know of its just the style of bit in relation to the horses mouth conformation as i know they are popular bits, horse " felt heavy in the hand" when riding and didnt usually.The horse in question has quite a big tongue and fleshy mouth.
Horse goes really well now in a neue shule team up bit.
 

EquestrianFairy

Well-Known Member
Joined
28 October 2006
Messages
6,502
Visit site
I am looking Into the NS bits now actually :)

No one else handles her apart from me, I've had her 3 weeks and she's not been ridden much due to the weather/waiting for a new saddle/bridle to all arrive etc.
 

Ranyhyn

Well-Known Member
Joined
21 November 2008
Messages
21,276
Location
Funny farm
Visit site
Oww, god bless her that looks awful :(

I'm surprised how small her teeth are!!!! Could that be because of the cribbing/windsucking??

NB// Also, what made you choose a MCS? Gail@horsebithire.com is excellent for PROPER bitting advice, she trained with Heather (of NS) so is excellent and spent plenty of time with me chatting about mouth conformation, work done etc.
 

neddymad

Well-Known Member
Joined
14 May 2010
Messages
241
Location
kent
Visit site
Is it possible she has got her lead rope in her mouth whilst she has been tied up? I had a horse do this and pull back and that badly bruised her mouth.
 

EquestrianFairy

Well-Known Member
Joined
28 October 2006
Messages
6,502
Visit site
I think the photo doesn't help, her teeth aren't that small (no different to an average 4yo's mouth anyway) but I was taking the photo and trying to open her mouth all on my own :) never easy.

Anyway, chose a myler as my other horse has gone well in his so had no reason to doubt it wouldn't work well for this one especially as they have a similar fleshy mouth.

Ive emailed thebitshop although I did email her previous and she never responded. I've seen the NS eggbutt losenge snaffle which it states are good for fleshy mouths. Poor girlie :(

I wish I knew what caused it.
 

Ranyhyn

Well-Known Member
Joined
21 November 2008
Messages
21,276
Location
Funny farm
Visit site
It must be the angle, I'm just thinking of looking at Clover's teeth, then again Clo is 6/7 :)
Good luck getting to the bottom of it, must be a real worry!
I'm hugely surprised Gail didn't reply, she's usually brilliant :)
 

amandap

Well-Known Member
Joined
23 June 2009
Messages
6,949
Visit site
It does look like I imagine bit bruising to look. Are her gums in good condition generally? Gingivitis is a possibility I suppose if her gums are generally reddened. Any smell?
Any possibility of her being yanked wearing a bridle when led or stood on her reins?
 
Last edited by a moderator:

EquestrianFairy

Well-Known Member
Joined
28 October 2006
Messages
6,502
Visit site
No smell that I noticed- however I am full of cold and can't smell or taste anything! I've arranged for my vet to come out hopefully tomorrow but otherwise it'll be Wednesday now.
 

LeneHorse

Well-Known Member
Joined
8 April 2007
Messages
3,465
Visit site
Could it possibly be tushes coming through? I know most mares don't get these but my girl has them in exactly the same place where your horse is bruised. Hers are very small, not like the big ones geldings get. They don't bother her at all but I would imagine when they first grew it might have been painfull, like a baby teething? (She had them when I got her, I don't know what age they usually get them at) You could try rubbing some bonjela on the sore bits.
 

Monkers

Well-Known Member
Joined
21 May 2005
Messages
417
Visit site
I don't think that's cause by a bit, as there is injury under the tongue. She would have had to get her tongue over the bit and the rider would have noticed this I'm sure.

Could she have got her lower jaw tangled in a hay net or even the string on a tie up ring?
 

Marydoll

Well-Known Member
Joined
22 March 2011
Messages
7,140
Location
Central scotland
Visit site
Shes possibly had her tongue over the bit to escape any soreness its caused, its not unusual for them to do this if theyre not happy with whats in their mouth.
Im still pretty convinced thats whats caused it
 

EquestrianFairy

Well-Known Member
Joined
28 October 2006
Messages
6,502
Visit site
I've never noticed her get her tongue over the bit, she's only been ridden a handful of times and that was well over a week ago (aside from today)

She's out 24/7 but does come in for the odd hour for hay, it's fed fr the floor though :/
 

Monkers

Well-Known Member
Joined
21 May 2005
Messages
417
Visit site
Shes possibly had her tongue over the bit to escape any soreness its caused, its not unusual for them to do this if theyre not happy with whats in their mouth.
Im still pretty convinced thats whats caused it

If that's a bit injury, it's a nasty one. I'm certain that the rider would have had to yank the horse about pretty hard many times to cause that, in which case they would be well aware what caused the injury and wouldn't be posting on here.

Personally I don't think it's from tushes either, it looks like trauma. There even looks like bruising on the inside of the cheek which can't come from a tush erupting.
 

Monkers

Well-Known Member
Joined
21 May 2005
Messages
417
Visit site
I've never noticed her get her tongue over the bit, she's only been ridden a handful of times and that was well over a week ago (aside from today)

She's out 24/7 but does come in for the odd hour for hay, it's fed fr the floor though :/

If it doesn't look significantly better tomorrow (mouths heal fast) I would get the vet to have a look.

Is the bit made of any unusual materials that she could have had a reaction to?
 

Marydoll

Well-Known Member
Joined
22 March 2011
Messages
7,140
Location
Central scotland
Visit site
If the horse has a very sensitive mouth,hasnt been ridden for a while, and the mouth conformation doesnt support the bit then bruising like this can be caused without any yanking about.
Some horses have got really sensitive mouths, and ime the happy mouth bits are really good for these guys
 
Top