Bitting ideas?

tatty_v

Well-Known Member
Joined
25 March 2015
Messages
1,495
Visit site
Looking for some suggestions for new boy, who is currently in a thin hanging cheek snaffle with a lozenge. He’s very mouthy and constantly pulling his tongue back. Saddle and bit fitter checked it today and it’s the right height, and we’ve no teeth issues (recently checked). Fitter thought he had quite a fleshy, big tongue and might be feeling a bit squashed.

I was thinking about trying a ported mouthpiece to see if that gives him a bit more room - any thoughts? And would you stick with the hanging cheek or try something else?
 
I might try a similar bit with a french link first, to see if giving him a bit more room over his tongue helps.
If you change everything at once it's hard to know which thing he had the problem with.
 
Ported Kimblewick suits my lady with large tongue & small mouth but obv not suitable for dressage - she hated French Link & peanut snaffle & Cambridge too ?
 
Didnt the fitter have any you could try? I thought they would bring some with them. Also depends what bridle you have and how the grooves are in the mouth. They checked that the bit wasnt touching the molars as well?
 
Didnt the fitter have any you could try? I thought they would bring some with them. Also depends what bridle you have and how the grooves are in the mouth. They checked that the bit wasnt touching the molars as well?

Sadly I hadn’t booked her bitting services as the appointment was made before he arrived and I realised he was so fussy, so she just very kindly checked the fit in his mouth and was happy it wasn’t causing any issues bar the tongue. I’m planning to have a play with a few bits but if they don’t work I’m thinking of having a proper bitting appointment ?
 
I would have a proper bitting appointment. It will cost about £50 and you could easily spend that trying loads of bits that don't work. It will save time and money in the long run.
 
French link but with a lozenge often works well. One of mine, who's a bit chunky in the tongue, goes nicely in a ported kimblewick. They're not that fashionable these days - no fancy german name, no blue metal or whatever, but I've known a lot of horses (and especially ponies) go really well in them.
 
French link but with a lozenge often works well. One of mine, who's a bit chunky in the tongue, goes nicely in a ported kimblewick. They're not that fashionable these days - no fancy german name, no blue metal or whatever, but I've known a lot of horses (and especially ponies) go really well in them.

See above - mine too ?
 
I have a similar problem with a new horse. He draws his tongue back, wags it out the side and gets it over the bit.
the lozenge bit is worse of all.
I’ve found a Myler works quite well and currently have a Bomber Happy Tongue on hire which I’ve ridden in twice and does seem to be working. He’s less fussy and not yet got his tongue over or to the side. It’s early days of course but might be worth you trying/looking into. They are not overly expensive compared to some either.
 
Top