Bitting a horse that dislikes tongue pressure

mbf938

mbf938

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Hello

I am trying to find a bit that would be suitable for my pony. He has a large tongue and a small mouth and is currently ridden in a french link hanging cheek snaffle. However, he frequently opens his mouth and sometimes puts his tongue over the bit. It is correctly fitted. He does this mostly when he is excited (e.g. when jumping or on a fast ride) and pulls. He also wears a flash noseband on his everyday bridle.

His show bridle has a hartwell pelham with two reins and he is much happier in this. However, he also has a sharer who is not used to riding with two sets of reins so I have been searching for a snaffle (preferably hanging cheek) with a tongue groove or port, but I haven't been able to find one.

Does anyone know a) if it is possible to get a snaffle with a port/minimise tongue pressure more so than a french link or b)have any suggestions of bits that do have a port that can be used with one pair of reins? I have thought about just putting roundings on the pelham but I would rather keep the two bridles separate to keep his show bridle for best.
 
I have the same problem and to be honest havent managed to cure it but Ive tried a Sprenger Correction bit, Neue Schule do a version too, I think its called a schooling bit. You could aslo try a wide ported Myler bit.
 
the horse bit shop have some called happy tounge, and these do exactly what ur after

http://www.thehorsebitshop.co.uk/product.php?xProd=514

A horse shaking its head when bit pressure is applied or its tongue trying to escape the bit are classic signs the horse has a sensitive tongue. With this in mind the happy tongue was created, it has a medium port creating space for the tongue, relieving pressure, allowing the horse to relax.

these were suggested to me as i have a fussy mouthed TB, im yet to try it thou!!

good luck on your search...... im still going!!!
 
The problem with going bitless is that I would need to start from the beginning in terms of finding a design that suits him (although I have read that some horses dislike every bitless bridle tried on them and seem to prefer a bit) which would be expensive and time consuming. Having said that, he slows and stops primarily on body and voice aids (the latter when not in a dressage test!).

What concerns me about mullen mouth bits is that whilst they seem to allow a bit of tongue room, it appears they would press on the tongue when in use.

The bit I am using that he seems much happier with has more room for the tongue than that:
http://www.thesaddleryshop.co.uk/P/Hartwell_Pelham_heartwell_pelham_ported_pelham-(454).aspx

I'd quite like to find a snaffle that has a cambridge mouthpiece or something similar ideally.
 
Louby said:
Ive tried the Bomber bit (happy tongue) too and he didnt like it. I got it on loan as they are so expensive.
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ahhh in that case im fresh out of ideas :) good luck thou and totally agree re expensive bits!!! ive spent a small fortune and he's still not happy!!
 
If I could afford it, I would be having a Myler like a shot! They seem to be designed for exactly for what I want!

The only thing I can find that looks affordable is buying a cambridge mouth Kimblewick and removing the curb chain (or keeping it on - he is used to being ridden with a curb chain).
 
I need dressage legal too but I got my Myler off Ebay, its worth looking. Problem is, I dont want the hooks and they all seem to have them unless I buy new and as the 'bit queen' lol, I cant afford it, to try it and it not be right. I resort to using a flash but hes so overactive in his mouth, that the flash strap ends up rubbing him, so I hack without and school with, not ideal I know.
I do have a cambridge style hanging cheek, apparantly made as a one off by Abbey bits, I bought it off Ebay, what size do you need?
 
Cambridge snaffles are brilliant for this (I have several in my tackroom, at around a tenner a time they are both cheap and useful), or a Happy Mouth straight bar hanging cheek because the way they are wavy in the mouth piece gives a bit of tongue room (and this would be dressage legal) or a half moon double jointed hanging cheek would do the same.
 
mbf938 said:
Like this one? http://www.thesaddleryshop.co.uk/P/Magic_Bit_(Cambridge_Mouth_Snaffle)-(432).aspx
Click to expand...

Yup, although I've got two with slightly bigger rings than that one which I prefer (though I don't think the horses notice particularly).

The Myler isn't dressage legal, so if you are going down the route of schooling in a ported snaffle and competing in something else, then I'd go for the cheaper option! Can't tell you how many horses I've used the Cambridge in.

I've competed in the half moon lozenge snaffle and never been told it's not legal, but then the lozenge is only slightly shaped but it does seem to make a difference to horses who like a bit more tongue space.
 
The John Patterson snaffles give plenty of tongue relief, I find that sometimes a french link is disliked because the link still gives pressure on the tongue, I have an eggbutt single joint jp which works well when not using a pelham.
 
My mare is similar in that she has a large tongue and small mouth but she won't accept a french link as she doesn't like it sitting on her tongue, she goes really well in a plain mullen mouth and it doesn't seem to press down on her tongue
 
You can get a Hartwell mouth hanging cheek snaffle :

http://www.horsebitbank.com/informed-designs-hartwell-port-hanging-719.phtml

Not dressage legal though.

Another one that might be worth trying is a Sprenger Turnado. Dressage deluxe sell a stainless steel version that is much cheaper than the Aurigan one. I was sceptical about them but recently got one and my Horse likes it ok. I was after something dressage legal - he also much prefers ported mouthpieces.
 
If I could afford it, the hartwell hanging cheek would be perfect as my pony loves that mouthpiece! I will google it and see if I can find it cheaper.

I think that, as I won't be able to find a hanging cheek with the mouthpiece I want that is dressage legal, I will forget about the dressage legal aspect (he doesn't do dressage very often anymore) and focus more on getting the mouthpiece that he is happy with and 'rings' that work for him i.e. suspended like the hanging cheek.
 
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