As far as genetics go, parrot mouth is NOT directly heritable. That is, we rarely see an individual sire or a mare throwing an abnormally high number of parrot mouthed foals. The most common cause of it is when a mare is bred to a stallion of very different head Read more…
It’s harder for your horse to properly chew with a bit. The bit rests on the tongue and therefore interferes with tongue/chewing action. I have seen a bit after a horse has snacked along the trail, often there are wads of grass mucked up on the bit. What is the Read more…
RELEASE – the horse begins to give larger signs that muscle tension has let go. These larger release responses can be one or a combination of the following: licking and chewing, snorting or sneezing, shaking its head or body, or repeated yawning. Where do horses hold their tension? Horses that Read more…
Distance and pleasure trail riders like bitless bridles because they allow the horse to eat and drink without removing the bridle. Can a horse eat and drink with a bit in its mouth? It won’t stop them from grazing, no. But a bit can get in the way, to some Read more…
Causes of Wood Chewing in Horses Forage is limited. Inadequate fiber in their diet. Insufficient feed. Over confinement. What to put on wood to stop horses chewing? Stop wood chewing habits in horses with the hot, cinnamon taste of Farnam® Chew Stop™ – Aerosol or Liquid. Spray, paint, roll or Read more…
A bridle also includes reins and a bit. The reins consist of a long, narrow strap that attaches to the bit. Reins are held in a rider’s hands and are used to guide a horse while riding. A bridle bit goes into the horse’s mouth and is used with the Read more…
The earliest records of metal bits date from roughly the 14th century BC and were originally made of bronze. These discoveries were made in the region of Luristan, in ancient Mesopotamia; present day Iran. When was horse bits invented? Around 1000 B.C., nomadic herders in the steppes north of the Read more…
If the fracture occurs through the body of the mandible on each side, signs are severe and the horse is often in pain and unable to eat. The mouth hangs open, the tongue hangs out and the horse drools. This kind of fracture can be fatal without surgical intervention and Read more…
Mandibular fractures may follow kicks to the head or significant fall whilst wearing a bitted bridle and usually involve the vertical or horizontal part of one side of the jaw. Fractures are often comminuted – where the bone is in multiple pieces. Can horses dislocate their jaw? Summary. Fracture of Read more…
1. Horses prefer to stand while they’re snoozing so they can protect themselves from predators. As a prey animal, a horse’s survival depends on their ability to avoid and outrun predators. Are horses comfortable standing? Horses can quite comfortably sleep standing up. They have two mechanisms in their bodies that Read more…