tongue over bit

[oberchis]

We have just got a new addition to the herd, Reg a 16hh 5 year old tb gelding, he's great but keeps getting his tongue over the bit, he's currently in a thick loose ring snaffke with a flash noseband I've suggested a thinner mouthpiece or a bit with a port or myler/neule type bit which we're going to try over the next couple of weeks, just wondering if anyone had any tips, hints, ideas or suggestions? Sorry if I've rambled I'm tired x

[cayo]

Hi there are plenty of bits to stop this ,if in a snaffle a spoon bit may be ok for the problem or have you tried raising the bit in the mouth ,i have a tongue layer which is designed to stop this i think its a 5ins its put on attatched to bridle like a bridoon but no reins are attached it worked for one of mine if you want to try it i have no need of it anymore so happy to sell it .

[solitaire sr]

my mare did this when i first bought her we tried lots of diffrent bits, but the only thing that worked was putting the cheek pieces up a couple of holes, after a while she forgot about doing it, and we gradually brought the holes down a notch

[snowflake]

Our SP put her tounge over. We tried a bit with the keys in the middle - can't for the life of me remember it's name! That helped for a while, but we found it was more getting used to who was riding her. She was newly broken & confused - someone quite heavy handed got on her, pulled her head in, stuck her in a Waterford & tried to bring her head pinned onto her chest. She was petrified & we had to go back to stage 1 & just keep riding her. We used the bit with the keys for a while, but then just rode her in a snaffle but just kept riding her. She then got more responsive. Then we moved her onto the Pelham as we found she didn't like the double. Keep him in the snaffle & let him get used to you - try a Neue Schlue snaffle, the thinner the bit the better, & don't what ever you do stick him in a nasty bit to pull him down - you have to start all over. Have lots of lessons & try to be very soft in the hand. Good luck.

[oberchis]

Well I put his bit up a hole and removed his flash and he was apparently 90% better, he's my brother in laws horse and only been with us 2 weeks, he was putting his tongue over bit when he tried him out, hopefully this has sorted it going to see how he gets on, thanks for your suggestions

[sageandonion]

Before trying bits designed so the horse cannot manage to get the tongue over, I would check why the horse is doing it and make the presumption firstly that he is unhappy in his mouth. I would get the dentist up and discuss with him the conformation of the mouth and what bit might be most comfortable. It is very likely a slimmer more petite bit will be the choice and the horse is getting tongue over the bit as he does not have enough room for the thick bit and the tongue. What would be making the whole thing worse and uncomfortable in this instance would be the flash straping it shut. Remove the flash for the horse opening the mouth should be your first indication that things are not right.

I think we need to address the causes of the issues, not find bits or tack to mask the issue.

[rumble]

Had success with Neue Schule verbindend snaffle, gives the tongue more room while being dressage legal! Give Heather a ring at Neue Schule she is brill!!

[helle]

we have a pony who has stared doing this. Had teeth etc checked, not got a thick bit in to start with but tried a straight bar Neue schule bit, with no effect. Tried shortening the bridle, still no effect, have been recommneded to try a ported bit, but if that has no effect we have no choice but to try a spinner to hold his tounge in place. Unfortunately you will find that some ponies do it as a way of evading what they are being asked to do.

[solitaire sr]

my mare had the dentist and he said she was possibly trying it on as there was no issue with her teeth/mouth. I had only had her a week or when she started to do it. Think new arrivals like to test the boundaries, but on some occasions there could be another problem i.e teeth, mouth etc

It became obvious my mare was trying it on when after putting the cheek pieces up a couple of holes, she stopped doing it, then the cheek pieces were lowered to how they were originally and there was never an issue with this again.

Good luck xx

[oberchis]

We had dentist out and he had tidy up and had wolf tooth removed just after he arrived and is getting back checked next week, just going to try him in a slightly thinner snaffle if still not happy then we'll try french link or something with a lozenge, his tongue isn't massive and he's got plenty of room in his mouth think its probably more of a case of get him comfy and a lots of schooling to sort it as he is 90% better with what we've tried already.

[solitaire sr]

oberchis if he only had his wolf teeth out a week or so ago, he may still be sore so he is possibly trying to get his tongue away to evade the bit coming into cantact with him. Im sure he will be fine when healed fully xx

[oberchis]

Thanks I'm sure we'll get him happy and comfy, he does seem to like playing with his tongue, he stands in the field sucking his tongue

[pasadenastud]

may pay you to look at this, makes interesting reading.
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[Deleted]

Lots of horses put their tongue over the bit, to avoid working properly. Always get their backs checked. Everythone always thinks teeth - but more often its in their back. Hope you get sorted soon.

[Kaseyleigh]

Try a Juba Tongue Port the help a hell off a lot i found them kinder

[speedysally]

hey, mine used to do this in her loose ring, but swapped it for a light eggbutt snaffle and she's never opened her mouth since!

[tabbyx]

We had a breaker that could do it whatever he had on and he'd do it to the point where he made his mouth so sore he had to have a week off whilst it healed, eventually the only thing we found that worked was a mullen mouth hanging cheek with a tight flash. He was in a total grump for 10 minutes then relaxed and was much better.

[123lauren098]

mine does it, hes 11 this year and i bought him when he was 7. Hes always done it as a stress thing and now a habit. We tried everything but he has a Neue Schule Loose Ring snaffle in with the lozenge. I recently bought him a grackle which he is much happier in. he doesnt cross his jaw as much and very rarely gets his tounge out in it. Bit annoying when it comes to dressage and hes back in a cavesson but theres nothing i can do about it! We tried a really tight flash, a plain cavesson, drop, different types of bits etc but nothing has helped other than the grackle and he loves the Neue Schule because its thin (he has a huge tounge!) and has a lozenge

Mine also stands in the stable and feild playing with his tounge, sticking it out, sucking on it etc, unfortunately its turned into a habit for him.

[phibbles]

The only way that stopped our mare was by wrapping vetwrap round the bit in the mouth. Obviously will only work on a port or straight bar, but it works. We tried years ago for a whole season with a show pony who did this. Checked everything, tried spinner bits, put cheek pieces higher etc, but the mare always waited until after the go round and just got bored in the long line ups and played with her tongue. First time I used the vetwrap she stopped and has never done it again, although never tried again with out the wrap on. Always put fresh bit on after couple of shows.

[somersetgirl]

Have you tried a myler bit. This worked well for our 15hh who kept putting his tongue over the bit.