Tongue over the Bit!! grrrrr

[teamarcher]

Hi, I have a 5 yr old mare who has only really been ridden by myself. She has developed a nice little habit of putting her tongue over the bit. Shes working fantastically and shes not always had this annoying habit. She started it when she moved yards in November.

Shes had all her mouth checked. Ive had a snaffle with a tongue guard on it and shes not comfortable in her mouth with that. Works well and it does stop it, but I can tell shes not comfy.

I am currently trying a KK snaffle in her. With a flash. I have the bit slightly higher than normal and her noseband firm but the flash not over tight. She is so much more comfortable with this one but we have the issue of the tongue flying out about 5 times during work. Shes working fab on the flat and its not really causing a work problem but she obv cannot compete like that.

Any ideas people?? Shes a warmblood so probably has a fatter tongue than others.

Tried a sweet iron. Snaffle with tongue guard. Now onto the KK bits.

Help!

[GinaGeo]

In my experience horse's doing this are usually suffering discomfort in some way. I'd be having saddle and back checked first of all to make sure this isn't a pain response. Possibly ulcers too and definitely have a second opinion on her teeth.

One of mine had a habit of doing it, but once he was pain free it stopped.

Also to state the obvious, make sure the bit is high enough in the mouth and that it fits well. Once you're 100% sure it isn't a pain response then I'd be looking at using a drop instead of a flash as it's usually far more effective and less restrictive.

Best of luck

[kirstys]

One of mine does this. We have had everything checked out, tried various combinations of bits and nosebands.
He now goes in a cavesson noseband and mullen mouthed eggbutt, pops his tongue over the bit and goes like that as sweet as anything. Won and been placed at a decent level showing and dressage!

[sarahp]

Worth trying different mouthpieces - single jointed, double jointed, mullen, lozenge, thinner, thicker, myler, whatever. Often a sign of discomfort in the mouth as in bit not suitable for the individual mouth conformation.

[sjm]

our cob would do it when bored in line up, we got him a spinner bit from fylde worked wonders

[teamarcher]

had everything checked and also hubby is an equine dentist and saddler too. all comfy and im more inclined to think its just a new habit she likes doing. Anyhow, have a comfort bit now so will see how that goes .......

[hels]

My old highland did this but French link was only bit that she never did it in!

[helle]

Our pony used to do this, tried most bits/ nosebands to no avail. Saddle, back, teeth all checked, some days he was ok, others he was a nightmare. Used to go round the ring with his tongue flapping out of the side. Like someone else, got him a spinner bit from Fylde, not had a problem since and he doesn't seem to mind it at all

[catkin]

Its a really annoying habit, isn't it! I haven't had many that do it, well only two actually. One resolved with a myler bit (found the snaffle that suited, then moved onto the pelham when we needed double reins). The other was trickier. An older pony who did it whilst waiting in line. Anyway, he was almost totally cured with a pelham with a lozenge or double bridle (depending on the pilot). He never did it at home, so hard to work out what to do. Good luck

[maisiemay]

My spooky youngster used to flick his toungue over as an evasion so we tried the Neue Schule hanging cheek snaffle, but pricey and only used it for a few months but solved our problem!

[casper15]

Wrap vetwrap around the mouth piece - it makes the piece slightly thicker just to stop the pony from getting his tongue over the bit

[clifton]

i have the same problem, i have tried lots of different bits, then I purchased a loose ring snaffle with solid figure of eight spinner off ebay, this works well so now i am looking to purchase a pelham with spinner.

snaffle £17 from cotswoldsport