Head tossing is one of many possible behavioural responses to pain in the mouth when being ridden or bitted. Other behavioural problems can include: tilting the head, chewing the bit, opening the mouth, drooling of froth from the mouth, pulling hard, working behind the bit, lugging on one rein, not collecting well, rearing and even bucking, not wanting to have the bit inserted into the mouth etc The pain could be coming from any part of the mouth, so a full oral examination by a skilled and qualified practitioner is indicated. The most important part of a performance float, in terms of bit comfort, is contouring of the first cheek teeth (often referred to as a "bit seat"). To do a good "bit seat" the wolf tooth needs to have been removed first. It must be stressed that the bit seat needs to be done so that it lasts long enough time span (at least 6-12 months), but not so severe that it creates new problems. So again, a qualified, insured, well known and respected, local practitioner is the best option when it comes to having safe, reliable and trustworthy work done on your horse's mouth.
top of page
Recent Posts
See AllWhat you are describing are very common clinical signs of an aged horse with dental problems. A complete physical and dental exam is recommended — in order to diagnose and demonstrate to you what the
50
Our 3 year-old quarter horse has what looks like a hard lump under her jaw. There are also some lump
A complete oral examination is definitely needed here as soon as possible. Possible causes are an impacted tooth, an abscessed tooth root, trauma to the jaw, cancer as well as some other less common c
50
Firstly, I must stress that any tool used on a horse's mouth is only as dangerous as the hands that drive it. The same can be said for a surgery scalpel, or a rifle. In the hands of experts, they can
140
bottom of page