Bits and the Young Horse

Bits and bridles are for communication. They are not handles to stabilize the rider in the saddle or instruments for punishing the horse. The accomplished rider uses his seat and legs before he uses his bit to communicate his wishes to his mount. Indeed, the most important factor in achieving soft, sensitive hands on the reins is to develop a good seat. As with most methods of training and communicating with the horse, the key to the proper use of bits and bridles is the principle of pressure and release. A horse learns to seek a position of comfort to relieve the pressure applied by the bit in its mouth. Consequently, the rein pressure must be released the instant that the horse complies (or even tries to comply) with the request sent to it via the bit. If the pressure is not released, the horse has no way of knowing that its response was correct, and it becomes confused. Bits, bridles, and accessories can exert pressure on a horse’s bars (the horseman’s term for the mandibular interdental space), lips, tongue, hard palate, chin, nose, and poll. Of these, the tongue and the hard palate are the most sensitive and the most responsive to subtle rein pressure. Depending on the type of headgear used, however, commands sent to the horse via the bars, lips, chin, or nose can be more important than those transmitted via the tongue and palate. An important concept in bitting is signal, which is the time between when the rider begins to pull on the reins and the time the bit begins to exert pressure in the horse’s mouth. As a horse becomes schooled, it learns to recognize the initial increase in rein pressure and to respond before significant pressure is applied.

Any tissue trapped by a bit may bunch between the bit and the first lower cheek teeth, where it is pinched or cut. The damaged area may then be irritated each time the bit moves. All types of headgear can press the lips and cheeks against points or premolar caps on the upper cheek teeth. Between the ages of 2 and 5 of a horses' life he is in the process of losing his baby cap teeth. When shedding his premolar caps and gaining additional sets of adult molars the horse can be uncomfortable in the mouth, exhibiting teething behavior. The young horse may be seen chewing on sticks or other objects to help the teeth cut through. This becomes an issue when you introduce a metal bit during this time. Many times this is a non-issue and the horse progresses through training with no problems. But there are times where there can be real damage to the baby caps which can jeopardize the growth angles and health of the adult teeth. This damage can happen by either misuse of rein pressure or by the horse himself. If the horse is wanting to chew on anything in his mouth, he will chew on the bit the trainer puts into it. Since the common bit is metal or rubber lined metal, it doesn't give to pressure from the teeth bearing down. This can cause the caps to break. This type of occurrence is painful for the horse and expensive for the owner. 
The better course of action, in my opinion, is to avoid bitting until at least 5 years old or older. Instead opting for something loose around the head and gives direct nose pressure such as a rope halter or bosal; keeping the young horse comfortable during early training is key.

Colic Prevention and Awareness

"Colic in horses is defined as abdominal pain, but it is a clinical symptom rather than a diagnosis. The term colic can encompass all forms of gastrointestinal conditions which cause pain as well as other causes of abdominal pain not involving the gastrointestinal tract."
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Colic is a very real danger to the equine community. It can be deadly to equines (Horse, Donkey, Mule, Zebra etc). Horses are food vacuums, they eat almost constantly to keep their hindgut moving. When they suddenly stop, look listless or in pain and start to look sick; there's a problem.  Anywhere from lowering stress during travel to daily feeding activities colic prevention should be on the mind of everyone involved in horse care.

Colic Prevention While Trailering:
Preparing a horse for travel is a process in behavior training, not an event. ​Getting the horse comfortable with loading and trailering is the biggest step. The horse must understand that trailering is not a big deal. Two to three days prior to trailering feeding electrolytes and calcium (Tums) to hydrate and settle the acidity of the stomach and help with ulcer prevention due to stress of travel. In extreme cases such as loading onto a plane sedation can also be used. 
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​Post Training Colic Prevention:
When a horse isn't cooled properly after work and prior to rehydration water that is colder than the horses' resting core body temperature can cause shock and put the horse into colic. Before turning the horse back out or offering him water make sure the core body temp has lowered to almost normal and breathing has come down to normal as well. 
Sand Colic Prevention:
Sand colic is caused by the accumulation of sand in the horses' hindgut. Horses eat off of the ground and sometimes eat dirt in order to acquire necessary minerals within it. But sand ultimately gets swallowed. If the sand never gets pushed out it will cause the gut to stop and the horse colics. There are so many products out there that state they take care of sand in the horses' gut but clinical studies putting these products to the test show they ultimately don't work. The best thing you can do to clear sand from the hindgut is to feed clean hay. Free choice hay will push all that out; clinically proven. 

Colic Prevention While Feeding:
Gradual feed changes and feed soaking is huge in preventing colic. Horses gut enzymes need to be familiar with what they are digesting in order to do it. If your horse is fed a new feed (not talking hay or forage) you must introduce it gradually in order for the body to become familiar with it. 
Soaking feed is beneficial since water is essential in digestion. If a horse is fed dry pelleted feed or cubes it cannot digest properly until they are rehydrated and broken down in the stomach. This requires the horse to drink a large amount of water right after eating which may or may not happen depending on if he feels thirsty. If dry feed sits in the stomach too long trying to rehydrate and expand it can also contribute toward the development of ulcers. Soaking prior to feeding will greatly minimize these dangers. Soaking also gives you the ability to add things like supplements and electrolytes to the feed and more evenly distribute them within the meal increasing palatability. I like to dissolve any powders in warm water first and pour that over my horses' pellets (pictured below). I usually start soaking when I arrive at the barn and it's ready by the time I am done catching, grooming and training. The feed ends up being the consistency of oatmeal.  ​

I listed the most common causes of colic. Of course there are many other ways things can go wrong but having the basics in mind is best. ​