Riding Question.Horses?

Question

Okay well i know horses foam at the mouth a LITTLE wen the rider has soft supple hands but WHAT makes them foam...like WHY?

Answer 1

Most of the time they are foaming/drooling because the are not swallowing. The bits in there mouth sometimes produce more saliva, especially the ones with copper on them.  If the horse is working hard or concentrating on what it is doing they don't always swallow.  So you get the foamy drool.

Answer 2

when a horse starts foaming from the mouth that means they are on the bit, and you are using soft hand

Answer 3

I think that the foam is really just saliva mixed with food particles that the horse has in it's mouth and air. Actually, a horse's mouth shouldn't EVER foam, here is why: The drooling of frothy saliva at exercise is neither a virtue nor a vice; it is the physiological result of placing one or more foreign bodies (bits) in the mouth. Salivation is only one of a number of reflex responses that can be expected from such a step. The bit also breaks the otherwise airtight seal of the lips, admitting air into the oral cavity and, in the absence of food, allows the foamy saliva to escape. Apart from reflex salivation, other responses include movement of the lips, jaw, and tongue. Often the bit results in a mouth that is frankly open and a horse that makes occasional swallowing movements. All of these are normal digestive system responses. They are entirely appropriate in a horse that is feeding.

But if a horse is exercising, none of these responses are appropriate. For the deep breathing of exercise, an entirely opposite set of responses is required. The mouth should be shut and the lips sealed. There should be no air in the mouth and the mouth should be relatively dry, not wet. The jaw and tongue should be stationary in order that there is no interference with the airway from constant agitation of the soft palate and larynx. Finally, with regard to something that bit pressure is regrettably good at bringing about, the poll should not be strongly flexed, a position that further interferes with breathing" This is an excerpt of an article written by Dr Cook who created the bitless bridle.

For those who say frothing means the horse is "on the bit" .. I've been at shows where a horse is either WAY above the bit or is WAY over flexed and is still frothing because the rider is trying to have a connected hand, but the horse was too used to draw reins or side reins and didn't know how to put himself into frame. The only reason drool would ever escape a horse's mouth is if the horse's mouth was open.

Answer 4

Saliva mixed with air = foam.  We want salivation, which is why copper or sweet mouth bits are chosen.  A salivating horse is usually on the bit and the bit is functioning as it should...it is "active" in the mouth, and not producing dryness and resistance.

Answer 5

When a horse is correctly on the bit it means they have relaxed through the topline. When they relax they relax their jaw which in turn allows salivary glands in the back of the mouth to start over producing. When this happens you see foam coming out of the horses mouth.

and the more foam the better.

Answer 6

They're accepting and using the bit. They drool cuz they're playing with the bit in their mouth.

Answer 7

Horses do not "drool" just because their mouths are open like we do.  They only produce saliva when the jaw makes a chewing motion.  As dry food enters the mouth, the horse begins to chew, moving its lower jaw from side to side to grind the food.  As they chew, saliva is constantly secreted into the mouth.

In order to be "on the bit", the horse must first accept the bit (and the other aids).  A horse that accepts the bit will gently "chew" it, or keep their jaw relaxed and supple around the bit.

A lack of salivation while being ridden is a sign that the jaw is "locked" against the bit and that the horse is not relaxed and comfortable in the bridle.  This can be due to the rider's uneducated hands, an improperly fitting bit/bridle, pain in the mouth, or a lack of education about how to carry the bit comfortably.

Salivation is just one of many indications that the horse accepts the bit, although salivation by itself means nothing.  Horses champing at a too-harsh bit or fighting a rider's too-heavy hands will also salivate.  It's important to observe the whole horse to determine their overall sense of relaxation or happiness with their job.

Each horse salivates at their own personal rate.  Some are real foamers, while others just produce a little clear dribble.