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Advice please

749 views 6 replies 6 participants last post by  BreakableRider 
#1 ·
I've just recently got a new horse, finished racing last year and spelled/done light work since. In medium work with me

When I ask him to soften and go forward into a contact at a trot he opens his mouth and I mean like wide open, it's really unattractive. When he does this he will not be leaning on my hands at all and I can have a loose rein and he will still do it. I've looked past it as I had the dentist coming out and was hoping that would solve it but it has not :( I put a flash noseband on him and he didn't want to go forward at all to a point where he actually tried to go up (reins were completely slack at this point and was just asking for forward) we got through it an by the end of the ride he was going forward and was soft. Tried a loose ring snaffle, eggbuts, frenchlink snaffles and is currently in a full mouth

I'm completely baffled by why he is doing this and was wandering if anyone had some advice for me. Up to date with everything, had Chiro out and saddle fitted so is not sore and on prevention stuff for ulcers. NOTE: only happens at trot
 
#3 ·
most likely he is telling you that he is uncomfortable. Not from bit or saddle, but because his body is not used to the posture. Try to bring him in for only a step or two then release for a lap around the arena then ask for a step or two...build up his body. It is no different than any other athlete learning a new work out, I can be uncomfortable or painful at first until muscles strengthen and stretch.

good luck
 
#5 ·
I don't think his tongue moves at all but am thinking next pay day I might invest in a myler or something similar, might go to the bit bank and ask their advice

I've kept in mind that he is using new muscles but it's as soon as I pick up a contact regardless of wether I'm asking him to soften or not, this is why my first thought was his teeth :/

He doesn't suck back at all.if anything he leans but is quickly corrected with more inside leg.

I'm hoping that he is just green and with a bit more work will realize that life is better with his mouth closed haha. I've got our first lesson next weekend so fingers crossed she might have an idea
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#6 ·
Trying to force their mouths closed is never the way to go. With many it might disguise the problem but some it will make worse, as you have found out!

Racehorses learn to go with a pull against their forward momentum so as to hold them up (keeping a steady pace) in a race and working at home. When they don't get this pull they are often lost. Some will ram their heads down looking for the pull, others resist in many ways. Personally I would just ignore it for the moment.

I have found that most horses like the Myler bits, something with a low port might help him. If you can hire one to try so much the better.

 
#7 ·
You've tried lots of cheekpieces but what mouthpieces have you tried?

Do you have a video of you riding? Many times horses gape at the trot because it's a difficult gait for lots of riders to maintain steady contact, this in turn creates a gaping horse. Many people will also try and pull back to bring the nose in, don't do that. Is your contact too light? Too light of contact is another big reason I see horses with contact problems, if your contact is too light, the reins flutter around and it is not a good feeling for the horse.

When I get on in that gapes, I bend them, a lot. Ask for a trot on a loose rein, then with only your inside rein ask him for a circle ( I'm horrible with sizes. You want it large enough to maintain a nice trot but not much bigger than that) Then go ahead and pick up contact with your other hand. As he comes back to you and softens, cluck and use leg to push him up into the bridle. As soon as he softens, slowly drop the contact. Then circle the other way and try again. Horses are a lot more inclined to be soft through their face when their body already is soft and has a bend to it. You only want to ask for a stride as that's your starting point. As he gets better, then you can ask for multiple strides.

Set up a camera or have a person on the ground to watch you, so you know exactly what is going on.
 
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