# Mouth gaping with bit



## beverleyy (Oct 26, 2011)

Just a general question, which I would like to preface by saying I see one too many horses (around me at least) that go around with their mouths gaping. I know that a bit sitting to high, riders hands, but not fitting the mouth, teeth needing done, etc etc., can all cause this. 

I'm really not looking how to fix this. While it would be nice to fix the issue, it is unnecessary in this case because it only happened the once (so no pictures) during a very short walk only ride. No chance for it happening again as mare was retired last summer due to injuries and is being bred. Vet checks fine and is pasture sound, and sound for riding at walk/trot. The decision to retire to breeding is for a few reasons, so please do not suggest that she is still perhaps in pain, she is not. 

*Mk, onto what happened/the question.
*Mare works fine tacked up or untacked, lunge line or not. Acts willing and tracks up, etc etc. Issue started once bridled. This bridle and bit combo has been the only one I've ever used on her for nearly 7 years (loose ring french link with bit keepers). Bridle/bit has only ever been used on this horse, and no prior issue. Before this, she always goes around with her mouth closed and relaxed. However, this day as soon as bit was in her mouth she was holding her lips open, and gaping her mouth. If you picture a rider having hands far too tight, a bit that is adjusted too high in the mouth ...that is to a T what her mouth looked like. This was before rider hopped on (had my friend pop on her as I am expecting). As soon as rider hopped on, things stayed about the same, but mare also started tossing her face a few times. She was acting as if the bit was adjusted far too high, and is if my friend was hanging on her mouth (she was riding on the buckle, not touching mare's face at all). 

Mare is UTD on everything (teeth, vet, chiro). I cannot stress enough that the issue only started once the bit was in her mouth, and that it is 100% adjusted correctly and that this is the only bit/bridle she has ever been in. I understand horses grow and change shape, but this mare is coming 11 and up until this ride, there have been zero issues. 

So, out of pure curiosity as she is being retired as a broodmare, and likely not ridden again at all, if she is it will be at least 2-3 years as she will have 2018 and 2019 foals. If/when she is ridden again it will only be plunk around the hacking trail type rides, no "real" riding going on, and likely just hop on bareback in a halter type deal. So, I'm not too concerned about the issue as she is UTD on things, and has no other issues. _*I'm really only curious what could cause a horse to gape it's mouth if things are UTD, bit is adjusted correctly and is the right size, rider isn't hanging on the mouth.


*_


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

Without a video, and with you listing all the obvious that have been addressed, can't tell


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## beverleyy (Oct 26, 2011)

I realize this. And since it really won't matter in the long run, and only wanting to know for curiosity, I didn't think it important to take a video or pictures. Just wondering if anyone else can offer some insight/has experienced this before. It's really not a big deal in the long run at all.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Could be anything really :/

I will say I've seen a few bridles with bits upside down accidentally by people who know better but I know you have the experience to catch any obvious errors and those SUPER subtle "one sided bits" (like a snaffle) really don't matter if they're upside down at all even if missed. So doubt that was the issue.

I wonder if there was something on the bridle that poked her or maybe something in her mouth that didn't bother her until she had the bridle on as well?


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## beverleyy (Oct 26, 2011)

Yogiwick said:


> Could be anything really :/
> 
> I will say I've seen a few bridles with bits upside down accidentally by people who know better but I know you have the experience to catch any obvious errors and those SUPER subtle "one sided bits" (like a snaffle) really don't matter if they're upside down at all even if missed. So doubt that was the issue.
> 
> I wonder if there was something on the bridle that poked her or maybe something in her mouth that didn't bother her until she had the bridle on as well?


Same bit has been on the same bridle for years, I don't take it off to clean or anything (I'm bad haha). She has shown in this same bit/bridle as well. It's not upside down. But good point, I have seen this happen! 

My only guess as well is that something had to have gotten on the bit or bridle that we just couldn't see for whatever reason. Wanted to see what others thought, but that really is the only thing I could logically come up with.


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## ThoroughbredBug (Jan 18, 2017)

My first few guesses would include all the things you ruled out.... that being said: My best guess would be either something in her teeth or under her tongue (wad of hay/grass, some grain granules, etc) that she would normally push away with her tongue, but couldn't lift her tongue due to the bit. OR something on the bit that didn't taste very pleasant. Maybe something dusty or dirty (saddlepad, blanket, etc) was shaken out near where the bridle was hung and it ended up on the bit. I know I don't wipe off my bit before each ride; I usually rinse it afterwards, but wiping it beforehand isn't common practice (from what I understand, at least) for most. Obviously if you went to put something in your mouth and it had a funny taste you can imagine why the mare might make some faces.


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

I know you said there is no pain issue, but you also said 'pasture sound', and sound at 'walk and trot', so that does leave a little grey area, and if this is the first time she has been worked and ridden since the injury


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

rinse the bit before putting it in . Also check to see if the bit is cold, no one would like a cold chunk of metal stuck into their mouth.


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## beverleyy (Oct 26, 2011)

Smilie said:


> I know you said there is no pain issue, but you also said 'pasture sound', and sound at 'walk and trot', so that does leave a little grey area, and if this is the first time she has been worked and ridden since the injury


This is not the first time being worked since the injury.  Vet has been overly involved with her recovery, including multiple ultrasounds and check ups to insure healing. She is not in pain. The reason she is not sound beyond walk/trot for under saddle, is that I personally (along with my vet) feel that work beyond that under saddle specifically would, over time, wind up putting too much pressure on her. She gallops just fine in the field, but I feel that is completely different than being ridden regularly at W/T/C. She has been in regular lunging work. The bit issue was a one time deal only. The decision to retire her 100% as a broodmare is for a few reasons, mostly because I personally don't want her in regular work, I am expecting my first baby (finally) and don't have time/don't want her leased out again, and the plan always was to breed her after show career. Everything is happening about a year sooner than we had planned for, just due to the injury last year. She is coming 11 in a couple weeks, and I was initially planning to breed her this spring for myself, but then found out I was expecting. I still want her bred this year as I won't personally be ready for a foal for 2-3 years, so the decision was made to lease her out to a breeder and they can either keep or sell the foal. When mare comes back, I would ideally like to breed her for myself at that point, and at some point use her for myself/child to just plunk around on occasionally (meaning likely just halter and bareback type of deal, lol).


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## beverleyy (Oct 26, 2011)

stevenson said:


> rinse the bit before putting it in . Also check to see if the bit is cold, no one would like a cold chunk of metal stuck into their mouth.


Bit is cleaned after every ride, and always warmed up. Like I said, this was a one time issue, never been an issue before.


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## beverleyy (Oct 26, 2011)

ThoroughbredBug said:


> My first few guesses would include all the things you ruled out.... that being said: My best guess would be either something in her teeth or under her tongue (wad of hay/grass, some grain granules, etc) that she would normally push away with her tongue, but couldn't lift her tongue due to the bit. OR something on the bit that didn't taste very pleasant. Maybe something dusty or dirty (saddlepad, blanket, etc) was shaken out near where the bridle was hung and it ended up on the bit. I know I don't wipe off my bit before each ride; I usually rinse it afterwards, but wiping it beforehand isn't common practice (from what I understand, at least) for most. Obviously if you went to put something in your mouth and it had a funny taste you can imagine why the mare might make some faces.


This was sort of along the lines of what I was thinking, and good points, stuff I didn't specifically think of at the time. I clean the bit after every ride, always have, so it's always clean as far as I can tell, but there is a chance something got stuck that I couldn't see before we bridled her. We were in our (dusty) indoor and lunged her prior, I had the bridle sitting on a barrel so something could have easily been blown onto it that was small enough or in a place I didn't see. 

This mare is notorious for making weird faces if she doesn't like something lol. So, you are probably right in that something tasted "off" to her:lol:


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