why is he stretching his neck down and opening his mouth

[julie biggs]

i'm not very experienced with horses, so wanting to do things correctly i read heathers book, ( thought it was brill!) and i tried my not too experienced horse ( i know ...bad combination) with a hard rubber mullen mouth pellam after experiencing problems with a snaffle. and the problems still there. he keeps stretching his head down and opening his mouth, its really annoying when you are trying to ride him. he hasnt been rode much, so i'm not sure if he is just playing up or is somthing bothering him. i have had his teeth rasped and his wolf teeth taken out about six weeks ago. oh....and his mouth is dry, he's not salivering does this mean anything

[Dizzy]

Could he be having a problem swallowing?, he may have a thick tongue, or the bit sitting higher than he's comfortable with, and be unable to negotiate the swallow with the bit in his mouth. You could try dropping the bit by a hole. Do you use a flash? if you do try him without it.

Just a thought,

Lesley

[jed lewis]

hi julie i read yor post with interest,
there are many reasons for your horse leaning
from simply you are leaning forward and putting
him on his forehand to your horse not using
his back and swinging through under neath ,
you dont say hhow old this horse is or what he
has done in the past. with wolf teeth just
removed his can let the bit on to the back
molars if to high in his mouth .a mllen mouth
acts on the bars then tounge he may not be
happy with the bit action try a loosering that
moves a little and flex your fingers and move
the bit alittle ask him to soften his jaw
instead of setting it .if he leans do not try
to pull his hd up but push him forward and sit
tall yeild your hands when he softens . horses
lean into pressure so release to pressure and
let him carry himself using halfhalts instead
of just his mouth .before he stops leaning he
will need to bring his hocks under hm to
move his center of gravity back he will then
beable to bring his neck and head up to a more
comfortable way of going but if you are leaning
forward you have put his center of gravity
tofar forward and he will lean to keep his
balance . jed lewis

[Heather]

Hate to have to agree but inexperienced horse and inexperienced rider really are the worst possible combination, Julie- it is the blind leading the blind. How old is your horse and has he had any formal schooling at all? If not, I strongly advise that you have him professionally schooled for a few weeks. Schooling is a skilled job, even for a skilled rider, and is where so many horses start the downward path to behavioural problems.

Sorry to sound so negative, but I have seen so many horses inadvertently turned into problem horses by well meaning but novice owners.

Heather

[julie biggs]

oh dear........mmm......know what you are saying. no he has not been schooled at all he is a seven year old welsh cob.
you may be right about the leaning, my husband and i tacked both our horses up tonight (just got back) and we just walked them around the farm. he wasn't as bad tonight although he still did it. i let him have longer reins. i was wondering about his bridle, i noticed that inspite of the cheek piece being on the last hole, he still had a couple of wrinkles in his mouth.the bridle is cob size ( he's 14.2) he has a spare full size head collar and its too big for him, so i dont think buying a full size bridle is the answer. so could the bit be too far up as mentioned. i read somthing somwher dizzy, about not being able to swallow, it bothers me to think it maybe that...how do i know if thats the case ?. i think i will see about having him schooled, and i'm having lessons at the moment, it's just that i like to tack him up and just practise what i have learnt, at the mo it' mainly feeling the walk and some light trotting,practicing using my legs etc....by the way jed it me who e-mailed you about showing maverick

[Dizzy]

Julie, Your Horse mag, last issue, ran a small article on bitting, when I read it it reminded me of a horse at my old livery yard, who had a thick tongue, it was a long time ago ansd I had little to do with it, but I do remember the suggestion of dropping the bit slightly. The article said when your horses mouth is closed, gently pull back the lips at the side, (where his bars are) and if his tongue is bulging out the sides, he has a thick tongue.

I was thinking about your bridle, instead of buying a whole bridle, you could just buy longer cheek straps, better still, borrow some and try them.

If you're going to get him schooled, the trainer will make sure he's comfortable before he starts any work. Keep us posted on his and your progress.

Lesley

[jed lewis]

hello julie thanks for your answer i hope my help was ok i did not realise it was maverick
leaning on your hands .i hope i did not upse
you with my post .if i can help with schooling
in any way let me know .did he carry himself better to day ,cobs can be a bit front heavy,
ride long and low, and let him carry himself
whilst you remain up right and feel him move
underneath you ,changes of tranition walk
trot ,walk will ask hm to use his backend
to balance rather than his head and neck and
when trotting keep the rthym by slowing your
rising trot when he rushes off balance .changes
of rthym with in the pace helps to .check your
diaginal to .by sitting up right helps to
keep him in balance and when need a sqeeze of
your buttocks will ask him to step under and
so to balance to slow down ,inturn his neck and
head come up to a more comfortable way of going
and gravity moves back he wont lean on you .
best wishes jed

[jed lewis]

hi julie ,i am happy you feel better about
maverick,the small plait is to show he has a
good jowl and could flwx easily leave about
4 inches unplaited sucure with small band then
put small ribbon round band to hide it ,colour
to suit him .some showers do and some dont ,
i always do for my cobs .if maverick is a
bit course in the jowl then dont use it .
hows the schooling going you will have good
and bad days ,i do with my young cobs ,good luck in june ,i start to ,be thinking of you .
keep in touch
jed