# Feel so guilty, horse has sore mouth.



## Firewell (13 October 2008)

My TB girlie is prone to chapped lips and recently they have been very dry at the corners. The bad mummy that I am I didnt do anything about it.

Last friday I went out with my friends for quite a long, fast ride and my horse got a bit excited at the beginning and was trying to snatch the reins from me. Anyway when I got home and rinsed her bit off there was dried blood on the corner 
	
	
		
		
	


	




 Her mouth looked like it had split and rubbed at the corner and was quite sore.

I gave her 2 days off over the weekend and put lots of cream and vasaline on her mouth. Today it looked much better and because Im going BSJA'ing at the weekend I decided to give her a jump. She always wears a happy mouth eggbut snaffle (so not exactly a harsh bit!) and I put loads of vasaline on her mouth before I put the bit in.

She felt a little fussy in her head so I didnt pick up a feel on her mouth at all warming up and jumping. I let the reins be really soft and baggy, kept my leg on and let her choose the pace and where she wanted to take off. I only jumped about 6 times(x pole, upright and finishing with an oxer). she was jumping like a stag, seeing her own stride and just taking me over them. she enjoys the freedom and I was really happy with her. I probably wasnt riding her for more than 20 mins.

Then I got off and she had fresh blood all around the corner of her bit 
	
	
		
		
	


	




. I took it off and it had opened up the split even worse on the corner of her mouth and it was really raw.

I am now absolutly mortified, my poor baby 
	
	
		
		
	


	




. Shes so brave jumping with such a sore mouth 
	
	
		
		
	


	





It looks like I wont be able to go to the comp on Saturday now and I think I may have to ride her in just a headcoller or lunge her for the rest of the week.

How long do these things take to heal? Will bathing it in salt water help? Im going to continue to put cream and vasaline on it although I didnt put any more on after riding this morning because I thought maybe it would need some air to dry up?

Like I said before her bit is a very gently happy mouth eggbut snaffle so I dont think its the bit that caused it. Poor pony, really am feeling like a terrible mummy now 
	
	
		
		
	


	




.


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## Vicki_Krystal (13 October 2008)

i had a horse like this - very sensitive mouth and would crack every now and then.

It used to take mine a good fortnight to completly heal - by which time he was a raging bull when i did ride him again so i put him in a hackamore all the time at home and mostly at shows too but would pop a bit in if he was just too damn strong.

Maybe you sould try a hackamore too?


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## MizElz (13 October 2008)

I had a pony with very pale skin, and his mouth used to tear very easily. Whenever he became sore, we used to put him in a little hackamore, which worked beautifully until his mouth had healed. Might be worth a try? At least then you can still ride your girl! But dont feel bad - it can happen to anyone - it isnt like you've been wrenching her head around or smacking her about (I've seen someone ruin their horse's mouth by behaving like this  
	
	
		
		
	


	




)

Meanwhile - put some Sudocrem on - works wonders!


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## nicnag (13 October 2008)

My mare has the same type of mouth, I use bonjela for her and it does help, some on the mouth and some on the bit before use and topped up afterwards. apparantly haemorrhoid cream is good too!
I'd gert rid of the happy mouth personally as I found it was a major culprit for rubbing and use a lightweight stainless steel snaffle instead.


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## lottiiee (13 October 2008)

Try Sudocrem, it's better then vasaline as it doesn't rub when it's get dried out with bits - Defo sudocrem.x


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## Damnation (13 October 2008)

My friends horse's mouth rubbed badly in a rubber snaffle, and my mare's mouth rubbed badly in a rubber snaffle. Personally I would hackamore your mare (I think you can BSJA in a hackamore, please do correct me if I am wrong) and then put her in a nice lightweight metal bit. 
	
	
		
		
	


	




Izzi xx


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## Vicki_Krystal (13 October 2008)

you can BSJA in a hackamore - the horse i was speaking about was a jumper.


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## mintaka04 (13 October 2008)

Don't feel too badly, some horses have very sensitive mouths.
I will agree that the happy mouth could well be the culpruit (sp?) as the material of the bit tends to "grab" it's a bit like the sticky bum seat of your jods. It grabs the flesh and holds it so it can rub, where a metal bit would slide.
Vaseline on the corners of the mouth will help, and you can definately ride in a hackamore, or try a Dr Cooks bitless for a bit more control.

See the Dr Cooks in my avatar pic.


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## Silverspring (13 October 2008)

[ QUOTE ]
 She always wears a happy mouth eggbut snaffle (so not exactly a harsh bit!) 

[/ QUOTE ]

I have had this problem before with happy mouths and would not touch them with a barge pole due to it.  I don't think the bit enourages the horse to salavate, when dry plastic touches sensitive skins it rubs.

I used to use an Aurigan bit which didn't rub at all (nice warm metal) and my horsey loved it.  I now use a stainless stell myler (different horse) but it still has copper in lays to help her mouth stay moist.

I owuld say try a hackamore til the mouth heals then consider a less abrasive bit, sweet iron is cheap and would probably do the job.


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## Firewell (13 October 2008)

Ok I will try a stainless steel one. She is prone to a dry mouth but its never been sore like this before.

Ive got a loose ring KK bit but she goes better in an eggbutt. I will try and find her a nice light steel eggbutt snaffle.
Thanks for your comments I didnt think it could have been the rubber bit.

I'll see about a hackamore but Im a bit worried as I have never ridden in one before and I thought they could be harsh in the wrong hands?!

P.s love the idea of using bonjela too


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## Vicki_Krystal (13 October 2008)

an english hackamore is fairly mild - they dont take too much getting used to either - just plan your turns a bit earlier!!


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## Firewell (13 October 2008)

OK, I'll give one a go. Thank you!


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## flyingfeet (13 October 2008)

Vaseline is not the best thing to use, my boy has his own nivea chapstick which works well just to stop rubbing from a loose ring 

However I agree with other comments, your happy mouth is probably not helping.


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## winnie1 (13 October 2008)

I had a horse whose mouth was cut open by a happy mouth bit.

It took several weeks to repair as it kept opening up if i but a bit in to soon.

I rode in a hackamore and she was absolutely fine.

Good luck!


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