12/08/2026
The more i learn the more i understand that less is more and knowledge is power
🐴 WHY DO WE NEED TO KEEP THE HORSE’S MOUTH CLOSED?
It’s a question I think we need to ask more often.
One of the primary reasons many riders use a flash or Hanoverian-style noseband is to restrict a horse from opening the can open its mouth.
But before we try to stop a behaviour, perhaps we should be asking:
Why is the horse opening its mouth in the first place?
Opening the mouth, crossing or moving the jaw, putting the tongue over the bit, excessive chewing, head tossing, resisting the contact…
These can easily be interpreted as the horse avoiding the bit or evading the contact.
So we tighten the noseband or We add a flash - We close the mouth.
There are many things worth considering when a horse is repeatedly opening its mouth under saddle, including:
🔸 Bit fit, position and pressure
🔸 Dental discomfort
🔸 Noseband fit and pressure
🔸 Rein tension and rider contact
🔸 Jaw and temporomandibular joint function
🔸 Tongue and hyoid function
🔸 Head and neck position
🔸 Postural stability and balance
🔸 Pain or discomfort elsewhere in the body
🔸 Training, understanding and emotional state
And, of course, horses naturally move their mouths and jaws - so not every open mouth means something is wrong.
The important part is context. When does the horse open its mouth?
When rein pressure increases?
During transitions?
When you ask for flexion?
Only with a particular bit or bridle?
Does it change when the horse is more balanced and posturally supported?
A noseband can change what we see. It doesn’t necessarily change what the horse is feeling.
And sometimes the behaviours we are trying to prevent are the very behaviours we need to pay more attention to.
💥Observe first. Ask why. Then decide what needs to change.
If you would like to learn more about creating an Equine Functional Posture -Join my WAITLIST - https://www.integratedvettherapeutics.com
