Slobbering and frothing

[clipclop]

My horse slobbers when i ride her in the school so much so that she froths. Am I right in saying that this is a good thing?

[Katie_85]

It means that she is salivating enough to make her froth. As to whether that is good or bad, some saliva is good. There are bits that encourage it. But some people do not like horses to froth at the mouth. So I think it's kind of a preference thing. :)

[Aly]

My coach always insisted it was a good thing for the horse to be salivating because it means there is little or no tension in the horse. Unless of course the horse had rabies....Just a thought...

[K&K]

an instructor at the barn i volunteer at said that if a horse was frothing when being ridden it meant he was comfortable with the bit and that it was a good fit & style for him.

[Ikon]

I would class frothing as good! I was always taught that salivatation and frothing was a sign of acceptance. :cool:

[Lucy J]

Just as long as the horse's teeth have been checked, because problems with teeth can make them froth at the mouth, other than that, yes it is a good thing.

[Wally]

Now, this is just a theory I have heard...but, a vet once commented that the foam/frothing reflex in the mouth was a bad one, as it was a food/eating response and he wanted to promote a "work/ athletic" response and connection.

I have no idea whether his theory holds water, but just something to think about....mind you, he was in the process of selling his bitless bridle!;)

I have always been told that the foam response was one that indicated a relaxed horse as a nervy scared horse will not think about salavating.

[ros]

And of course, at the other end of the scale you've got the horse who goes along yawing at the bit, dry-mouthed, and that's DEFINITELY a bad thing. (A bit like waking up when you've been sleeping with your mouth open!) A closed, relaxed mouth is bound to be moist even if you don't have buckets of froth.

[floppy]

there is a nutter i ride that not long after you are riding is already got green lipstick on . She froths quite a bit and she is a very nervy horse and doesnt stay relaxed for long before a blade of grass moves and she scares the living daylights out of herself.
but yeh my instructor also says it a good thing and that it means th ehrose has accepted th ebit etc.

[EventPony]

I think frothing is a good thing, because when a horse accepts the bit they will softly chew, not chomp, on the bit, which makes the froth. Sometimes it isnt a good thing tho because when i take my mare on trails, she gets very excited and she is DEFINETLY not accepting the bit...she fights me the whole way so she can take off. Then she throws her head when i wont give her her head, and i get green slobber all over my arms and face!!!
But yeah, frothing is usually a good thing if they are calm.

[Hevz2001]

A good thing!
It normally means that they are on the bit, and that they find the bit comfortable!
If the horse was uncomfortable, most horses would soon let you know about it!
Heather

[LindaAd]

Some people think it's a bad thing - I think I read it in a book about bitting: the author thought that copper bits made horses froth because they tasted so nasty. It seems to me that excessive frothing is a sign of stress or excitement.... you never see a horse in a field frothing at the mouth, unless it's been stung by a bee or bitten on a thistle.

[ashesscott]

I would agree with LindaAd, my young mare froths a lot when she is keen rather than relaxed. I cant say when she is tense as she is the calmest horse in the world!