soft mouth

English translation: sensitive to direction

23:05 Mar 10, 2009

English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Art/Literary - Livestock / Animal Husbandry

English term or phrase: soft mouth

about a horse:

"Will he have a soft mouth, then? He's a big, strong brute, but he's got a kind eye."
"Oh, he's a bonny wee fellow. And a nice soft mouth, aye. Miss Jo had her stableman pick him from the market; said he must find a horse could be managed well wi' one hand."

Does it mean: easy to ride?

allp KudoZ activity Questions: 909 (1 open) (19 closed without grading) Answers: 1695 Poland
Local time: 14:52

Selected answer:sensitive to direction

Explanation:
this means that the horse does not require much guidance from rider (through the handling of the reins). With a soft mouth, the rider can use the reins lightly to get the horse to perform. Interestingly, a dog/horse trainer I talked to a few days ago exclaimed: There is NO SUCH THING as a horse with a hard mouth. All there are BAD RIDERS!

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 mins (2009-03-10 23:10:42 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

oops All there are are bad riders ...

Selected response from:

Patricia Rosas
United States
Local time: 05:52

Grading comment

Thanks a lot, Patricia!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED

4 +7

sensitive to direction

Patricia Rosas

Answers

4 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +7

sensitive to direction

Patricia Rosas
United States
Local time: 05:52
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4

Grading comment

Thanks a lot, Patricia!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)

agree

Marie Scarano

18 mins

-> thank you!

agree

Gary D: A horse with a soft mouth is usually fitted with a special brible, which has a good nose strap. When the mouth is soft it will become sore easily in the hands of the wrong rider making the horse unrideable

43 mins

-> good point! Thanks for the "agree"...

agree

tazdog (X)

6 hrs

-> thank you, Cindy!

agree

Bashiqa: Your Spaniel type dog would have a soft mouth. An alsation not so. Our Arab mare, very soft.

8 hrs

-> thanks! (The one in the picture shreds things, but his brother could hold an egg in his mouth without puncturing it!)

agree

Chris Ellison: Hunting and retrieving dogs are also said to have soft mouths as they hold animals loosely in the mouth without clamping their jaws shut.

9 hrs

-> thank you!

agree

Sheila Wilson: once damaged by a bad rider, a horse's mouth becomes hard (due to scar tissue, callouses etc) and the horse can't feel the pull of the reins

9 hrs

-> oh, interesting! thanks!

agree

Suzan Hamer

10 hrs

-> thanks!

Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

Return to KudoZ list

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.

See also:

ProZ.com term search

Search millions of term translations

soft mouth

English translation: sensitive to direction

Answers

KudoZ™ translation help

Your current localization setting

Select a language

soft mouth

English translation: sensitive to direction

Answers

KudoZ™ translation help

You have native languages that can be verified

Your current localization setting

Select a language