split on inside corners of horses mouth

[Birker2020]

I suggested to my friend last night that I could put a post on here to try and resolve the problem she has with her horses mouth and she thought it might be useful if anyone has had a similiar thing occur with their horse.

The horse in question is approx ten years of age, I think he's a IrishxTB approx 16.2hh gelding who she has owned for approx 8 months. Since owning him my friends had a lot of fun and success with him, she had done one day events and a little team chasing on him. However he has a recurrent problem which is limiting the amount she can ride him and therefore her enjoyment of him.

He keeps getting splits in the corner of his mouth occassionally they can be quite deep and obviously very sore. Someone suggested to her using a human haemorrhoid ointment and this has encouraged fairly fast healing of the area as the ointment contains an anaesthetic as well as an antibacterial/antifungal properties. But everytime she rides him again his mouth starts splitting after a couple of days, so she has to avoid riding him for a week or so until its healed up. She describes the horse as strong at times, but he doesn't lean on her hands, and he isn't unduly strong, only when eventing when he will pull her a little on the XC phase. She has been told numerous times by various instructors that she has 'good hands' and this is evident from the times when I've watched her ride. Can anyone suggest why his mouth keeps splitting and any solutions as obviously being unable to ride all the time in order for his mouth to heal is totally impracticable.

She uses a gag for XC and SJ but she has used my pelham which is the Neue Schule Tranz Angled Lozenge pelham which has a thinner mouthpiece (22mm) and is a 5 3/4 although she usually rides in 5 1/2" bits and she would like to purchase one but is a bit reluctant to do this at the moment if the same thing will happen in that bit. She also rides him in a snaffle bit for the majority of the time and always ensures the bit is clean. He has a fairly thick tongue so my bit is ideal for his type of mouth piece (it also suits my horse as being Dutch has a very big tongue also).

 

[Ladybird]

I have no idea how to help but could she try a bit-less for certain riding?

I don't know a great deal about them but there is tonnes of advice on here about them and it may help to keep her in the saddle more regularly!

 

[WellyBaggins]

We have a horse that had the very same problem, he had dental problems which are all sorted but still he would split the left side of his mouth, he would pull the bit through so that there was spare bit on the right but the bit was tight on the left, he opened his mouth when jumping/xc we tried lots of bits, in the end he was in a tranz angled fulmer for flat work, he could not jump in this as the above happened and jumped in a really thick vulcanite pelham, he has a large tongue and on paper this would be the last bit you would try on this horse BUT he really likes it and his mouth is fine now

 

[claire_p2001]

I also have the same problem, at first i was really worried but after talking to lots of different people it seems to be very common. It initially put him in to a hackamore and just put the bit in for competitions but now i am back riding in the bit everyday. I put loads of vasaline on the corners of his mouth as well as the bit he is only ridden in a NS fulmer so not very strong. It seems to be working ok although they re-open slightly after a competition he does not seem in any pain. Unfortunately i think once it has happened the area will always be sensitive and even if your friend didnt put the bit in for a month it would re-open when she put the bit back in. As emmyc said the next bit i was going to try is a vulcanite pelham i think the width of it may prevent the cutting even through it is a stronger bit. Good Luck with finding a solution if you do let me know!!

 

[Zuzzie]

Hi: I had a similar problem with my horse when I stupidly used a cherry roller bit on him - never again! both corners of his mouth were split so I rode him in a hackamore which worked brilliantly (I even had my lessons with Richard Davison with it). Eventually, he went back to his old french link snaffle with bit guards and later dispensed with the guards and didnt look back. It will take time to heal but should come right with care.

 

[MrsMozartletoe]

Had this with Grey Mare, no matter what bit (she's just too damn keen and argues with herself at times).

I put latex bandage on her bit, making sure it was smooth, went round the ends of the bit, and that the edges were away from the corners of her mouth.

No problems since then

 

[QUICKFIRE]

Used to have this problem with a pony I had many years ago, I used to vary between a Hackamore and a vulcanite pelham. would also go with the vasealine.