Which bit - horse gets split mouth..

K

kit279

Well-Known Member
Joined
31 January 2008
Messages
3,612
Visit site
My grey horse keeps splitting the corners of his mouth and I'd like to change his bit and see if that makes it any better. He's currently in a Myler low ported comfort snaffle with full cheeks plus flash noseband and he goes nicely in it - he can be strong but the flash really helps with that. He was in a Neue Schule universal lozenge bit but that split his lips too. I've tried Vaseline and I try to be as quiet with my hands as possible but he just keeps doing it so I wondered if maybe a fatter bit would help.

Can anyone recommend something that might be suitable? Ideally I'd try him in a big fat hollow eggbutt but I find he's not so keen on single jointed snaffles. Advice please!
 
i also have a gelding that used to do that when i first got him and we used a quite fat french link with vetwrap around it which helped but we had to change it quite often as he just chewed it off lol but it defo helped and he now just goes in a wilkie snaffle and it has completley healed and never opens up so would have a try at with that
 
I had this problem with my previous horse as a youngster.
I think although it seems like a good idea vaseline is a mistake as it will keep his mouth soft and it will continue to split.
My vet advised Alum solution. I got some chamois leather stitched it around the edges of an eggbut snaffle and soaked it in alum. I didnt ride like this he wore it on a headcollar for I think 20 minutes a time. While we were doing this treatment I rode in a hackamore.

Later on when the problem recurred I would put lavender oil on the split part of his mouth before I rode. I tried this as it is a well known treatment for strengthening skin whilst having anaesthetic and anticeptic properties. I tried it in my mouth first to make sure it would not burn or taste horrendous.

One day the splitting just stopped.
 
I used to have the same problem with my old horse I found the Sprenger Dynamic snaffle helped. As the mouth peice is curved it puts less pressure on the corners of the mouth.

Also hemeroid (sp?) cream is great for healing a split mouth!!
 
my pony had this, and we used a tape similar to vet wrap around the bit. think it was called bit-wrap or something, but worked really well. sorry i can't be more specific, was quite a long time ago! can't give any advice re bit change, as my girl would only go in a copper dutch gag, and went from nutty to dangerous when we messed with her bitting.
hope you find something that works.
smile.gif
 
My Horse has the same problem. It's quite common. I've also heard that alum solution is great, but can't find the crystals anywhere.

No bit is going to help. What can help though is wrapping the bit in latex, it's called sealtex
http://www.kmeliteproducts.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=band007

Some people suggest using happy mouth bits but personally I don't think they are any better. If anything they cause more friction...plus, have you tried making a dent in one?? Still pretty hard.

Never heard of glymol.....I'm off to have a look!

Interestingly, it was a Sprenger dynamic that mine was wearing when the split first happened. I think it's because he used to get his tongue over it which he doesn't in a french link.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top