Comments on: Hard-Mouthed Horse

By: Widdikins

Widdikins — Thu, 09 Jun 2016 17:58:54 +0000

Definitely good advice. My horse can be a big, lazy baby, and doesn’t always listen to my cues. As a result, there was a lot of pulling, which, of course, resulted in a hard mouth.
Then I tried retraining. I had to retrain my mare to listen to a snaffle, and believe me, she now has a very soft mouth and is very responsive!
Also, in regards to snaffles, if your horse doesn’t usually do well in a snaffle, it might be because they don’t like jointed bits. My girl hates a jointed bit, but she is very, very compliant to the slightest squeeze of her mullen mouth snaffle!

By: Francoise

Francoise — Wed, 11 May 2016 23:57:17 +0000

I agree with Elaine about teaching the horse to yield to pressure with a halter.
Please don’t use strong bits and all that aversive tack.
I have a Fjord and a draught cross mare myself and I got the best results teaching them to yield to pressure by using a rope halter + clicker-training (reward EACH AND EVERY TRY and don’t use a clicker if you don’t feel like it but REWARD!!!).
Why should horses be punished for being what they have been bred for???

By: Briana

Briana — Tue, 04 Feb 2014 07:51:54 +0000

Thanks for the advice

By: kerry

kerry — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 20:04:26 +0000

Yes, you must teach your horse to “give” to the snaffle bit again. Using harsher bits won’t solve the problem.

By: Galadriel

Galadriel — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 00:29:24 +0000

Thanks for the great advice. I ride a draught horse and he’s got the same problem.

By: Elaine

Elaine — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 22:06:45 +0000

Another method is doing neck bending exsurcises on the ground in a halter.Then do the same in the saddle with a halter.Once she becomes soft and supple move up to a snaffle bit.

By: ,,

,, — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 21:25:01 +0000

this is great. I am having similar problems with my horse. thanks for the help!

By: Lorie

Lorie — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 14:28:40 +0000

Thanks for the suggestions. I’m having the same problem with my mare so these should come in handy.

By: Connie

Connie — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 09:31:49 +0000

Thanks for the help. I also have trouble getting my horse to ‘soften’ so these tips will come in handy.