horse grinding its teeth

Question
hello ma'am, i am sorry to say that this might be a bit out of your expertise. but can you please give a try in answering?

i always put on the halter with lead rope before i start grooming any horse. the trainer is buying only metal curry comb to groom horses not the rubber as it is unavailable. when i was grooming a 6 year old seal brown thoroughbred gelding on its neck, he was shaking his head. i made a kissing sound and sensed that he's getting frustrated as the bristles are sharp, so i started groom with less pressure in circular fashion. when i reached the body to groom, he started grinding his teeth, turning his head to me, his eyes were not soft, again started shaking his head.

i really got fired but as it is an animal, i neither shouted or slapped the animal. when i was grooming his hind quarters, he started hitting me with its tail.

ma'am, whats the problem with the horse, why he's grinding his teeth? is it a vice or health problem? i also observed the horse when he was holding the bit. he has a rubber D ring bit. he makes a different sound as if chewing off the rubber. may i know why?

Answer
You addressed one of my "pet peeves". Horse live in the moment.....they are not capable of consciously trying to anger someone.........this horse is telling you in the only way that he can that you are hurting him.

Throughbred horses have a tendency to have "thin skin" YOU(or better yet, the owner of the horse) take a metal curry comb and rub it up and down your face and see how it feels. Now realize that horses have MORE nerve endings in their skin that we do. (You know they can feel a fly anywhere on their bodies).

It will only make it worse to yell at him...he cannot help it. If you were uncomfortable because someone was scraping your skin, would it make you feel better if they yelled at you?

I had a horse once that I groomed only with a sheepskin mitt for a time, until he got used to the idea that I was not going to hurt him. Then he finally allowed a rubber curry comb.

If they do not have rubber curry combs maybe you can make it your mission to find some. The only thing metal ones are used for is to CLEAN the other brushes by scraping them against each other. It is a RULE in horse management NEVER to put metal to the horse's skin.

This is clearly NOT the horse's fault. (nor is it yours, by the way.) Thank you for not accepting things that obviously hurt horses.

Mitzi
www.Mitzisummers.com