An article about bits:
http://tinyurl.com/2xbmcl
From Annalee:
Indeed, as the author points out, bits do not control horses, but may I add
that sometimes the bit is ADDING volumes to the horse's communications.
That head-tossing and refusing to take the bit may not only be due to heavy
hands and heavy bits but also soreness...
As an example, my horse had always foamed at her mouth when being ridden
(whether in a jaquima or a bridle) but only one side. I asked lots of folks
about this one-sided foaming. Everyone said it was nothing to be concerned
about. Then I noticed a kind of thicker, ropey saliva coming from her
mouth. Called the vet, who said she might have a slight injury, to rinse
her mouth with Epsom salts. I did. Ropiness got better. But then one day
she avoided the bit, something she hadn't done before. Finally I got the
bit in her mouth...To make a longish story a little shorter, the vet was in
the neighborhood so he stopped by to take a look, after giving her a light
doese of sedative. WOW! was he shocked! She had a 4 gash on the side of
her tongue and along her inner jawbone, so deep it was near the bone. He
was shocked that she had allowed any kind of a bit at all in her sore mouth,
and told me that I really had a keeper; a super gentle horse.
He advised riding her bitless for a while (10 days) so we worked on better
communication through the sidepull and achieved it. Now that we're back in
a bit again, she is more responsive than before. Most surprising to me
however is the lack of foam in her mouth when we ride. Her previous owner
said she'd always noticed the foam. I wondering if she had an old injury?
and that's why she was mouthing the water pipe (to kind of soothe the inside
of her mouth) when she got startled and jammed the pipe in her mouth?
Guess we'll never know, but the foaming was a signal I think, as was some of
her head tossing. She still lifts up her head when she wants a better look
at something (kind of a quick lift up) and I'm thinking some of that head
lift is a remenant of her old tossing to avoid discomfort--not from the
hands holding the reins but from the mouth with the bit inside!
Annalee
Judy
http://icehorses.net
http://clickryder.com
