Young horse head tossing and playing with the bit. Advise please

L

Lottiedots

Well-Known Member
Joined
30 April 2013
Messages
159
Location
Hampshire
Visit site
Just wondering if anyone can advise me with my youngster. He is 4 and I've had him 2 months. He has been throwing his head about, mostly when we are out hacking not so much in the school. This is more noticeable when we have been out for a while and on the way home. I took this to be him getting tired. However we are now getting progressively worse and also getting a lot of activity in his mouth chomping and messing about with the bit. I changed his bit from a loose ringed single jointed snaffle to one with a lozenge in the middle thinking this might be more comfortable for him. He seemed fine with it in the school but when I took him out for a hack today he was really throwing his head around and constantly messing with the bit lots of chomping and seemed to be trying to get his tongue over it.He was also not really wanting to move forward. I'm getting his teeth checked tomorrow in case it's a wolf teeth issue. But wondering is anyone has any suggestions, similar issues with young horse? He has been very straight forward in all other respects. I ride with soft hands and I'm not particular try trying to keep him in an out line whist hacking only if he offers it. I hack out with a running martingale and not been using a flash up to now as he seems to be more tense with it and up to now not particularly opening his mouth. Suggestions please?
 
You are right to check the teeth :) at 4 and a bit his corner incisors are possibly coming through.

My youngster doesn't like loose rings, throws his head and chomps. If the teeth aren't the issue then although you say you have light hands you maybe aren't using enough leg and riding him forward to the contact quite enough
 
Wheels said:
You are right to check the teeth :) at 4 and a bit his corner incisors are possibly coming through.

My youngster doesn't like loose rings, throws his head and chomps. If the teeth aren't the issue then although you say you have light hands you maybe aren't using enough leg and riding him forward to the contact quite enough
Click to expand...

Thanks yes. Im going to see what the vet thinks about his teeth. I was also thinking that maybe the loose rings are offering too much movement and might we be better suited to something more like an eggbut. Its the same thing chomping and head tossing. What bit have you gone for out of interest ?
 
I went for a neue schule tranz angled lozenge, D ring version and the thinner of the mouthpieces which showed almost immediate improvement
 
my horse was the same when he was 4 - had teeth done , everything . I finally just went bitless and did that for about 6 months , then I went back to a snaffle and he was soo much better I just put it down to him being young but now he has started to work in and out line
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top