Jessica Jahiel's HORSE-SENSE Newsletter Archives

Mouthy young horse

From: Joan Mulder

Hi Jessica.

I have a long two year old (will be 3 on May 5) that is half quarter horse and half saddlebred. He is an extremely sweet horse and is always willing to please. I have had him since he was weaned and have worked with him daily. I am a firm believer of waiting to ride until he is 3 years and I'm getting tired of all the grief from "know-it-alls" who tell me I should be riding.

Anyway, Chante has had a saddle on him, wears a bit, longes (walk & trot only), and has very good ground manners. I believe I have truly established our pecking order. I have gotten on him twice since January and have had a friend lead him around at the walk for about 5 minutes. This doesn't bother him either (I have never met another horse that is so accepting of new things) The only thing he does that drives me absolutely nuts is that he is constantly trying to chew/put things in his mouth. This is making me concerned that when I start to get serious about riding him this summer that I'll have a hard time trying to keep the reins out of his mouth (he is quite comical-if I turn him out in the indoor arena and someone left a whip on one of the benches, next thing I know he is walking around holding the whip in his mouth!even funnier seeing him carry a hard hat around) He really doesn't chew what he puts in his mouth, he just likes to hold it in his mouth.

We have a fabulous & wonderful equine dentist (Max)come up from down state Michigan twice a year to work on all the horses and he will be pulling Chante's wolf teeth this spring and has been floating his teeth since Chante was weaned. I guess I'm wondering if when I start to ride should I use a figure eight or flash noseband to keep him from destroying my reins or should I just buy some cheap reins until he outgrows this chewing stage? I am a little concerned for my safety should he have the reins in his mouth and decide to act like a baby and I won't have any control (I am starting him with a side-pull).

Any suggestions?:)

Joan and Chante

Hi Joan -- first, let me congratulate you on your wise decision to let Chante grow up a little before you begin his riding career. Ignore the know-it-alls -- you obviously know much more than they do. When they tell you that your horse won't be able to learn anything because you didn't get on him when he was a yearling, just smile, say "Thank you for sharing," and keep on doing exactly what you're doing. You are right, and they are wrong -- it's as simple as that. ;-)

Human babies are mouthy. Puppies are mouthy. Horse babies are mouthy too. Colts and geldings are especially mouthy. You have a young gelding -- and you're putting new and interesting things in and near his mouth. He's going to try to chew them -- that's inevitable.

Starting him in a sidepull is a good idea, since he can learn to steer in a way that he will recognize from its similarity to the feeling he gets from a halter or longeing cavesson. If you want to be very careful with him, ride him in the sidepull for a few weeks, then add a bit (just put it on over the sidepull, attached to a bradoon hanger) and let him carry that in his mouth while you ride him with the sidepull. When he's quite used to that, add a second pair of reins to the bit, and begin using them -- lightly -- WITH the sidepull, so that he associates the signals. Gradually, over the next few weeks, shift the ratio so that you eventually use the bit reins for signals, and the sidepull only to reinforce those signals. Then you'll be able to discard the sidepull.

Waiting until he's had his teeth floated and his wolf teeth removed (does he have them yet? they often come in later than this) before you ride him from the bit is another excellent idea. There's no reason to add pain to something that always provides a little confusion. ;-)

I suggest that you do NOT use a figure-8, a flash, a drop, or any other noseband designed to tie a horse's mouth shut around the bit. Horses find it very uncomfortable and frightening to have their mouths tied shut, and they become stiff in the jaw and then stiff through the neck and body. It's a bad idea. Instead, keep soft, steady contact with the bit -- if you do this, there won't be any loose, hanging rein for him to play with, and if you expect him to keep his mind on his business, and ride him accordingly, he will. Enforce the "don't chew when you're wearing a bridle" rule, and then take the bridle OFF as soon as you have finished your ride. He can certainly learn that a bit in his mouth means NO PICKING UP THINGS AND CHEWING THEM.

You can teach him not to grab at the reins when he is wearing a bridle and bit, if you simply say "NO" or "Drop it" (a useful command for a young horse or a puppy!) and then reinforce it. Don't pull the object away from him, he'll just close his mouth and pull back. Instead, rub his muzzle, rub his gums, and don't stop until he drops the object. This is also a good cure for nipping, by the way! If you need a little help, you can put soap on the first eight or ten inches of the reins and let it dry. That way, a mouthful of rein will be infinitely less attractive, and spitting it out will seem like a good idea, even to a very mouthy young horse. ;-)

Jessica

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