Horse refuses to turn, doesnt like bit.. help!!

Whenever I ride my horse he always try's to open his mouth when I try to turn him or even put contact on the bit. I am pretty sure that it is a behavioral issue and he is just being sassy (he is an Arab) because he just got his teeth done this summer. I just broke him last spring so he is still green but I would like to get him out of this nasty habit. I would also like to get him into barrel racing but I can't start his training until I fix the problem :(

Right now I am riding him in a full cheek snaffle... I have tried him in a D ring and a loose ring but he still acts like this

What do I do?? Please help!!

I would assume something is wrong first rather than the fact that he's just being sassy. It could be your hands, if you're too harsh on the bit he will tell you so! But since you say he's still green it seems like he needs more training on learning how to give into the bit rather than fight it.

+ maybe a good idea would be to try a refresher course on responding to the bit, starting on the ground. :)

Can you put up any photos/video of you riding him? A horse generally isn't going to brace and open the mouth on simple contact, 'just because it's being sassy'. If his teeth are fine, make sure your bit fit well, make sure it's not hitting him in the roof of the mouth, pinching his lips/tongue etc. Make sure your saddle fits perfectly, that you are not gripping with your knees and upper legs, not yanking or giving inconsistent contact on the reins.... so many variables here before blaming horse behaviour.

A lot of arabs have very low palates and cannot tolerate a fat bit. (diameter of the mouth piece) Or, he may not like a single jointed snaffle. You may try (if you haven't already) a double jointed snaffle, like a French line, and get a thinner one.

The way you pick up the reins will also affect his reaction, so a video would be good. But look into a double jointed thinner bit.

I agree with the double jointed snaffle.but,have you tried tying this horses head around to one side and then the other side,just gradually,to see if he will give to that?

Ok thank you for the responses... his saddle fits him fine and I have tried to pay attention to the way I ride because of this problem. I am thinking that its probably because he is still green. I have been thinking about the french link bit. I will have to try it out. I will try to get a video of me riding him soon but it has been snowing every day that I go to ride grrrr! Here is a picture of him and his name is Buddy by the way :)

Aww he's adorable. I agree with rob, try flexing him and see if he responds to the bit!

That bit doesn't look thick from what I can see on the edges of his mouth. It does look a bit high in his mouth, and is so very large in comparison to his head, but that's the bit rings I am talking about. An eggbut snaffle is usually a perfectly good bit. If it's too high, it could be hitting his teeth behind the bars, but you will be much better able to see if that is so or not.

Maybe he is just green and hasn't learned to follow the rein and give to the bit.

This isnt the bit I use on him... it was used on him for a while but he wouldnt listen to it so I changed it to the full cheek which works better on him