Getting tongue over the bit

[piebaldsparkle]

Right for the 7yrs I have had Sparkle, she has always been ridden in a bit with either a french link or lozenge type mouthpiece, which seemed to suit her. Two weeks ago she got her tongue over her bit, she kept doing this, so I put her flash back on, but she still managed to get her tongue over. I checked her mouth and couldn't find anything, but took her to the dentist anyway (she was only done 3 months ago). The verdict was her teeth are fine, and he couldn't find anything which would be causing discomfort, but did point out she has very fleshy bars, and suggested trying a single jointed bit.

So far I have tried 3 jointed snaffles and she went quite well in each for about 30mins, before her tongue was over again (even when combined with a drop noseband).

I had her massaged tonight to check she wasn't sore anywhere else, so trying to evade for that reason, but she is better than she has ever been.

I'm now completely out of ideas, so any suggestions other than cutting her tongue off!!!!

 

[catembi]

I usually ride my horse in a french link & on Sat my instructor ID'd the exact prob you're describing. She has lent me the Myler equiv of a french link which has a slightly port mouth & I tried it for the first time today.

It really seemed to do the trick, thank goodness, so perhaps you could find one to try & see if it works for you?

 

[MillionDollar]

I have a pony who does this so she wears a bit with a port. A ported Kimblewick without curb change for jumping and a high wide ported Myler comfort snaffle with hooks for schooling. Like this....

 

[piebaldsparkle]

Thanks, I did think of trying a ported bit, but they're not dressage legal (which it needs to be), I do have a myler snaffle (with no port), maybe I should try that.

 

[TayloredEq]

Are you sure you fitted the drop correctly?

My horse was getting his tongue over the bit of his double all the time. He was then sticking his tongue out, putting it halfway up his face and waving it at the judges - there was no way they would miss it.

I have gone back to a snaffle. I am using a KK, I think it is a demi anky. It is designed to take a little bit of pressure off the tongue. I think that Neue Schule also do a version which is quite a bit cheaper.

I combine this with a drop nose band. The first few days in I did have to have the drop quite tight. Now I can have it looser.

I too had gone through the whole back, teeth thing. Sometimes it can be from remebered pain or sometimes it is just a habit that they have got into and they think that it is a game.

It may be worth trying something non comp legal to school in to try and break the habit for a couple of weeks. If the drop was fitted correctly and still not working you could try a grackle. I'm haveing slight memory loss this morning but I think you want a high ring grackle (if there is such a thing!) it's one of the ones that starts quite high up the cheek. This might help to stop the habit of the mouth opening and your horse being able to get the tongue over from higher up

 

[piebaldsparkle]

**Now admits to being very bad** I did in desparation do the drop up very tight yesterday, but all that happened was she got her tongue over the bit and then couldn't get it back under again!!! Your right, I could try a ported bit or I guess even a Tongue Loller (Port) to see if I can stop her before it becomes more of a habit, as it literally started two weeks ago. Guess I'm just puzzled as to why? nothing on bridle had been changed, thus I assumed it was something physical, till that was ruled out too.

The high ring/mexican type grackles don't fit her very well as the rings tend to sit on her rather promiant cheek bones (I once swapped bridles with a friend so she to try my crank flash.

 

[DuckToller]

My horse has always been fussy in his mouth, and tries (and usually succeeds) to get his tongue over the bit. Dentist said he had a fat, fleshy tongue and he is definitely worse in french link bits, so that might be a reason?!

He learnt to do it one day when I was out hacking and now he does it whenever he wants to. I have worked my way through various bits, now on small ported kimblewick on top hole of cheek pieces but daughter had to get collecting ring steward to fumble about in his mouth last Sunday as he did it waiting to go in the ring (bad mother, I was waiting in gallery). So I think it is now a well established habit too. So please let me know if you find an answer!