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Gaits of Gold Gaited Horse Community Messageboard > Tack Discussion > Imus Comfort Gait Bit™ Discussions > Chewing on the bit |
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Gaits of Gold Gaited Horse Community Messageboard > Tack Discussion > Imus Comfort Gait Bit™ Discussions > Chewing on the bit |
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| Chewing on the bit | Rate Topic |
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| Posted: Sun Apr 25th, 2010 07:30 am |
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1st Post |
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ladysrider G.O.G Community Member 
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I transitioned my horse to the ICB a couple years ago and she loves it, reaches for the bit when I put the bridle on. She has always chewed on whatever bit she had in but I've noticed that it seems to be getting worse lately. When I first got her, I had a caveson on her to try to stop the chewing. It worked to some extent. I later took it off but I'm thinking I need to put it back on. Is there anything else I can do to keep her from chewing so much? She doesn't have wolf teeth so that's not it.
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| Posted: Sun Apr 25th, 2010 01:52 pm |
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2nd Post |
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whattarack Pasture Boss 
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My horse was a bit chewer, too. Bit chewers appear anxious and aggravated. They actually tend to bring concern from other people than from their owners. Others often feel the need to point out that something is wrong with the bit or with the horse. All good intenders. We already know that our house will chew anything put in their mouths. It comforts them to chew. If you are like me, the chewing is easily overlooked if they give it up for work. Mine only chewed when she was standing still or having to lag behind a slow horse. Didn't matter how I held my hands, either. She just chewed. There was one occasion when she was terribly aggravated by the bit and I failed to recognize her pain until she almost unseated me with a real fit. It turned out that she had abcesses on her tongue and some real sharp hooks cutting into the side of her mouth and NO - my vet didn't advise me that she needed floating during her regular exam. Bummer. She also had some canine teeth coming in but the dentist was not concerned with those. Although I believe cutting teeth does promote chewing. I decided to take her to an equine dentist who found the problems and took the time to show them to me. She also had bridle more bridle teeth coming inAfter her mouth was fixed, she was back to her old self - chewing but willing to work. If you are sure her mouth is healthy, you can go back to a caveson if it makes things better, of course not too tight. Sometimes it will help them to stop chewing and start kinda sucking on the bit. Did you ever notice that? Tho' you'll probably still have the person who is as offended by a caveson just as you'll have the person concerned by the chewing. Do you find that sometimes the advise that makes you crazier than the chewing itself? Oh well. I have now babbled on and maybe none of this has to do with your horse at all? I'm betting you've got an awesome intellengent animal who just needs something to do all the time. If she's healthy and responding appropriately to the signals sent through the bit and the bit appears to remain in good shape, I wouldn't worry about it too much. In fact, if it stems from anxiety, the less you are concerned with it, the less she might be, too. With my horse, I never fixed it. But I enjoyed our riding much more when I stopped trying to fix it. Best wishes for happy trails. Whatta
____________________ Being Offended is Optional. |
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| Posted: Sun Apr 25th, 2010 05:38 pm |
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3rd Post |
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TN Trailrider G.O.G Community Member 
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I wouldn't worry that much about the bit chewing. Doesn't it show a relaxed mouth? Mine puts his tongue over the bit I think he likes to play with the roller on the ICB. I used to get off and push his tongue over the bit and get back on, which for me is no easy feat. Then he's just put his tongue over it again. I tried bringing it up higher in the mouth, but he still managed to do it. When I drop it lower, it seems to touch the canine teeth and he flings his head. So I just have taken the attitude that "if you got your tongue over the bit, you can darn well put it back under the bit." He does, too. I have to put up with fussing and head tossing, but I ignore him and eventually he gets his tongue back under. I'm hoping that one day he'll figure it out and quit doing it. If the bit chewing doesn't bother you and it doesn't bother the horse, just ignore it.
____________________ Lynne |
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| Posted: Sun Apr 25th, 2010 11:00 pm |
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4th Post |
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Amy G.O.G Community Member
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I alternate between bitless and the ICB depending if I'm alone, on trails, doing arena work, my level of energy..... When I first got my horse she chewed like wild and tossed her head. My immediate concern was to drop the bit and get the high strung horse to relax and step it down a notch. It took her weeks to figure out she could stop tossing her head the bit wasn't there anymore. Old habits really are hard to break! But 11 years later even when ridden in her bitless head gear she still will chew. She tends to be a nervous horse and I have come to realize that is her pacifier. One question on the caveson tho. I have never used one. Isn't that forcing the horse to accept a bit? If the horse isn't evading the bit and just chewing why would a caveson make a difference?
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| Posted: Sun Apr 25th, 2010 11:57 pm |
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5th Post |
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TN Trailrider G.O.G Community Member
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A caveson fits down further then a noseband and sits more or less above the nostrils and is fastened tight. It keeps the horse's mouth closed. I imagine it would be frustrating to a horse (just my opinion). A dropped noseband should not be used with any leverage bit, though, only a TRUE snaffle, the bit that the headstall fastens to and then the reins directly to it with no shank of any kind.
____________________ Lynne |
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| Posted: Mon Apr 26th, 2010 03:08 am |
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6th Post |
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whattarack Pasture Boss
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Please look at the pic here. The horse on the left is Little Girl. Before this day, she had always been fussing with the bit. Would get her tongue over all the time like it was a nervous habit to do it. Her owners would rider her not only with a caveson but also with a high port bit and one of those rubber pacifiers attached to the bit to keep her tongue down. I rode her in that get up for a couple of hours and decided very quickly that she hated it! She would drive her head to the ground then bring it back up shaking it side to side. It reminded me of a bass on a hook jumping out of the water. You get the picture? The habit was so bad, I'm sure it would have ruined any chance of selling her for the money she was worth. This is when I believe something has to be done to help calm and soothe the horse. I really felt to continue riding her with this situation was dangerous. In this pic, I changed her bit to mine, one that offered an incredible amount of tongue relief, and kept the caveson. It took about an hour for her to give up trying to get her tongue over and she dropped her head and licked her lips all the rest of the weekend ride. IMO, the caveson closes the door that is a negative option - over the bit; but allows a positive option, lick, swallow, chew a little, calmer mouth. It works for me. I'll always make this choice first. I do not consider it tying the mouth shut. To me, it is the answer to the problem. I feel that in time, the horse will go politely without the caveson and if not, I'll return to giving the open door to the choice I think would make the horse most comfortable. In this pic, these horses are tired. They've been ridden at a good click for many miles but they are not uncomfortable. At least I know the horse on the left was not uncomfortable. w2
____________________ Being Offended is Optional. |
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| Posted: Mon Apr 26th, 2010 04:58 am |
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7th Post |
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TN Trailrider G.O.G Community Member
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Whatta, I wouldn't call the caveson's on those horses a dropped noseband. My own bridle (the RNT) has a caveson that fits where those do and I've always ridden in a bridle with a caveson. The true "dropped noseband" goes much lower, in fact, I think it goes under the snaffle ring and does essentially tie the mouth shut. That's why it shouldn't be used with a shanked bit as it makes it too severe. Nothing wrong with what ya got on those horses!
____________________ Lynne |
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| Posted: Mon Apr 26th, 2010 06:32 am |
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8th Post |
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ladysrider G.O.G Community Member
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The cavesons I've used are not that low and I don't buckle them all that tight. I use them more as a reminder. I might try dropping the bit a little though she only has 1 little wrinkle at the corner. I shouldn't probably worry too much about it. She is an extremely intelligent horse who gets bored and impatient easily. It's probably just a bad habit like her pawing when she wants things done now.
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| Posted: Mon Apr 26th, 2010 11:09 am |
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9th Post |
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Amy G.O.G Community Member
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TN Trailrider, I have seen the cavesons your talking about on eventers. I've seen alot of the figure 8 kind on many of them. I'm guessing if we watch closely, if you can bare too, we will see them on horses in the Derby next weekend.
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| Posted: Mon Apr 26th, 2010 11:14 am |
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10th Post |
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Amy G.O.G Community Member
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Does this link make sense? http://iceryder.net/noseband.html
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| Posted: Mon Apr 26th, 2010 12:10 pm |
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11th Post |
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whattarack Pasture Boss
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The ICB offers tongue relief and does not pinch. If you've got a chewer that is the type of horse to fiddle around with everything and chews on every bit, then I wouldn't worry about it. I don't believe in trapping the tongue AND I don't believe that a dropped noseband alone will trap the tongue. In my mind, it would have to be extremely too tight and worn with a broken bit or one with little tongue relief. To believe it, I'd have to be shown in person how it is possible. I don't believe that all cases of noseband use is more for the rider than for the horse. I do believe that we tend to ride the horse too much off from his face. I believe this because unfortunately, most of the time gaited horses in early training are taught to gait not to give to the bit, the rider's legs, or the seat. So, I guess if the horse fusses alot with the bit, the rider could try depending more on leg ques and using the bit less. When we purchased the 5yr old QH for hubby last year, she knew how to give to every pressure. She was already wonderful that way. She did come to us in a snaffle but unfortunately, again, it was a twisted wire one.  -
____________________ Being Offended is Optional. |
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| Posted: Mon Apr 26th, 2010 01:19 pm |
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12th Post |
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Amy G.O.G Community Member
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I do believe that we tend to ride the horse too much off from his face. Bravo!! Read the last couple paragraghs of the link I posted. I don't have Icey's but the info is the same for any breed.
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