What do you do if your horse has nerve damage to his mouth and only responds to curb pressure?

Question

If a horse had nerve damage to his mouth and doesn't feel the bit but responds to curb pressure, how do you get him going softly in the bridle and 'on the bit'? Can you?

Many of you have been offering me a invaluable help lately as I work through this. Your experience as well as thoughtful and informative replies are exactly why I love my horse-loving/addicted community!

So, building on my last question, how would you proceed to train or rehab in this situation?

I am not sure how I feel about a bitless solution...I don't want to mess with his precious facial nerves, too. His head is also really big and it's been impossible for me to find a bosal that will fit him. I also still believe there is a way to get him going softly, but this specific situation is beyond my personal experience.

Answer 1

Nerve damage!  Hadn't even thought of that before, but I can believe it.  Has the vet confirmed anything?  Poor guy...!

(Sorry, this isn't an answer).  ;)

Answer 2

You can have a bosal made special for horses with large heads

Answer 3

If you are leaning away from a bitless solution, there are some other things you can try.  I personally would try to ride in a snaffle, and use your other aids to control the horse.  This will take a lot of work, but really might be the best solution for you.  I would do a lot of ground work establishing yourself as the "herd leader".  That way you can use your legs and seat to control the horse.  (Where exactly is the nerve damage?  You could use a gag bit for safety if you're worried about not being able to stop your horse).  Look at Stacey Westfall for inspiration.

Also, there are several types of bitless bridles and hackamore, some of which aren't that severe at all.  I saw an interesting one the other day called "The Micklem Multibridle".  I have no idea if it works, but it looked cool, you should check it out.

Finally, can you teach your horse neck reining or something?

Answer 4

I would switch to a whole different bridle. Like the bitless or the natrual bitless bridle.

It works just the same way, but with out the bit. I think you will get better results.

Answer 5

If it was my horse I would stop using his mouth. The only way for them to repair themselves is to stop using them. Here are a few things I would try. & They do make large Bosals,too. I hope this helps!

These are from Jeffers. They have a loping hackamore that is all soft rope that I can't find on line, but it is in the catalog. But here are 2 on there I can find.

http://www.jeffersequine.com/ssc/product...

http://www.jeffersequine.com/ssc/product...

Here is a Vosal(not a Bosal). It works off the chin bones. It works great!! I have 29 horses & it works on all but a few of them. I love it! I get great  responses with this one.

http://www.smithbrothers.com/vosal/p/X3-...

*******EDIT*******

Dallas 28~~~~ Your a IDIOT !!!!!!!!!!!! How is  running into walls  going to help him with nerve damage or no feeling in the mouth!!!!???????!!!!!! I know my horses are smart enough to know the difference

between the round pen & out on the trail!!!!!! So that would do NOOO good!!!!!

Answer 6

Just a question for you...how do you know this horse has nerve damage in his mouth?  Was his tongue damaged? (split or cut?) This would be a redo of the "bitting up process"...Any of the braiders would be happy to do a bosal for you....his facial nerves will be fine as a bosal works with subtle movements; the lighter your hand, the better their response.  

This gentleman does beautiful work.....Have seen it first hand at the Snaffle Bit Futurity,  Reno.   (His brother, Benny, is a trainer of working cow horses and an exhibitor at the Snaffle Bit).

  

http://www.customrawhide.com/

Good luck to you...there's an answer out there that will work for you......

Edit:  For those running a horse into a wall to stop them....if you quit riding them, relax into your saddle, quit providing impulsion, that horse will stop, a wall isn't necessary.  Been there, done it, seen it happen, Bob Avila clinics and Les Vogt clinics.....masters of the vaquero tradition and the working cow horse...

Answer 7

Go for a bitless bridle. it's less damaging than a hackmore, and basically just like a halter. it turns the horse using pressure on the opposite side. read the feedback on the site, i'm ordering mine soon, it sounds wonderful for the horses, they also have a guarantee  if you're not totally satisfied. what do you have to lose?

http://www.bitlessbridle.com/

Answer 8

When you say nerve damage to his mouth, are you meaning the inside, like the pallet or roof of your horses mouth? Or the sides, where the bit exits and lays? Or is his tongue damaged? What kind of damage are you trying to work through? Because that could lead to a more specific answer-

Concerning everyone else's responses- I think they're on the right track with the bosal, extra large sized- or some sort of hackamore. And someone mentioned to further use and training of leg and voice commands- try that route!

Answer 9

i suggest that for now you use a hackamore - http://www.crossedsabers.com/images/Hack...

It shouldnt mess with his facial nerves if you are gentle with it and they are often very comfortable for the horse.

im not sure you will ever be able to go back to using a bitted bridle but if you are insistant, i suggest that you use the

hackamore for now, until the mouth problem clears up completely (if it will) and gradully "wean" him onto a soft snaffle (preferably an eggbutt). hope this helped - sorry i couldnt be more helpful.

x

If he responds well to curb pressure, you may also want to consider a german hackamore as a more long term solution. http://www.akcreations1.com/lg_HACKGD.jp...

Answer 10

Okay well first to be able to ride him right now I would suggest a hackmore, when you are grooming him start to massage his lips, mouth ect to try to rehab those nerves and build his sensitivity back up (It will probably take several months for this to happen). Then I would suggest a D-Ring Snaffle or a D-Ring twisted wire Snaffle - also start cueing him with leg and voice cues to help you so that you won't have to depend on the bit for control

Answer 11

I have purchased Dr. Cook's Bitless bridle. It works!  Please consider using it...they have made a superior product.  The quality is second to none and the actual mechanics of the thing works!  Go to this website and read the testimonials and there are also some interesting articles posted.  I've since met several people who use the bitless bridle and love it!  Their horses are happier and so are they.

http://www.bitlessbridle.com/

Answer 12

well, if he only responds to curb pressure, then hes responding to a pull on poll... so although i don't know any solutions for that, could you try and find a lighter bit/solution that worked solely off poll pressure? (hackamore comes to mind, though i don't know enough about them to suggest anything, and you can't really get a horse "on the bit" when there isn't one!)

and.. maybe try a THICK rubber snaffle with D rings or full cheek (better steering) like this:

http://www.wychanger.com/shop/images/141...

with the wider "ends" (i dunno what to call them!) it might work off a different part of his mouth (the lips vs. the palate or tongue..) , that isn't damaged..

though i still say that you have to get him working off leg and seat aids, and just forget about his face for a moment.. you can ride with no reins at all, so you could get him collected solely off leg pressure if you had steady hands to hold him (even if he doesn't feel it, it would work)   but of course this won't give you the same level of collection as a horse that you can use ALL the aids on.

I'm interested to see what others say!

and good luck!

Answer 13

Instead of attempting an answer, I am referring you to an article that I think you would benefit from reading.  It is written by Dr. Robert Cook, and includes info on studies done on bits and bitless bridles...I don't know how to post the link, but you can probably find it by googling "nerve damage from horse bit".  Look for:

THE HORSE BIT:

A Bronze Age Anachronism and Cause of Many an Idiopathic Problem.

Robert Cook FRCVS, PhD.

or

I'm not sure if this is the current link or not, but you may also try it:www.bitlessbridle.com/AAEP_UM_THE_BIT...

ADD....I should add that I use a Dr. Cook bitless bridle and find it superior to the many other types of bitless apparatus I have used over many years.

EDIT:  I haven't ever had a problem with it releasing....I can't really picture how you are thinking it wouldn't, although I don't have it in front of me now.  I can only guess you refer to the rings where the reins attach? They don't fit through the other rings, if that's what you mean.

Answer 14

I stand by what I said from the last question. With time and patience and consistency your horse will come around. Even with possible nerve damage. I've dealt with a few abused (visibly scarred mouths) and my methods worked. But you do need to work on this in an enclosed arena so if he fights you can let him run into a wall. I have actually given a halt aid, not let them turn but kept asking for a halt until they hit the wall. Not hard, and then backed him up. After doing this for one session, when I said halt verbally and lightly with my hands and body, he would halt. Most horses will have that strong sense of self and not want to continue to run into walls.

The smacking into wall session took 6 hours and I never yelled or showed him anger. It was me saying, "listen to me" or get a bonk on the head. He heard me after that 6 hours and only got softer in the mouth and over all more responsive.

Oh and for everyone who will think I ran him into the wall at top speed, he was slow trotting or walking, he just wouldn't STOP. And there wasn't a mark on him. And he got super praised and hugs once he listened, and I ended the session as his reward for listening only once in that 6 hours.

I'm big on the extreme praise as a motivator as I hate using treats. Just preference.

:)