The TMJ (temporomandibular joint) is one of the most innervated joints in the horse. If the horse is unable to move its jaw or is clenching its jaw, the nerves are unable to properly send messages to the brain. The nerves in this area are highly responsible for vestibular balance, proprioception, posture and sensory information. This means your horse’s balance may be impaired, range of motion in the neck and cervical vertebrae will be impacted, contraction of the muscles attaching to the hyoid apparatus can cause other muscles throughout the body to be tense. Often times the horse will want to go behind the bit to relieve some of this tension, which can lead to hollowing of the back, which puts tension on even more areas of the body and shortens the stride.
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