Answer

By Your Horse

Instructor Jane Baker replies:

Your mare sounds as though she is trying toavoid the contact. This can be due to pain caused by the bit or its action on certain parts of the mouth. Her wolf teeth could be coming through, and the action of the bit over the area where they erupt through the gum (in front of the molars) can be very painful.
She may have sharp edges on her molars which cause pain when the action of the bit or a tightly fastened cavesson noseband pushes the insides of her cheeks onto sharp spikes on the edges of these teeth. The molars grow continually, and are ground down by regular chewing, but can wear unevenly, causing sharp points on the outer edges of the upper jaw.I strongly advise you to ask your vet to recommend a qualified and reputable equine dentist if they do not offer this service themselves. Once the dental work has been done, you should see a change in your horse’s behaviour very quickly, although it may take her a while to realise that her mouth no longer hurts.If there is no change, ask an instructor to watch you ride her. Subtle changes to your riding may solve the problem. You should also get her back checked for any misalignment as well as the fit of the saddle.