Horse getting toungue over the bit.

[Alfiem]

My 4 year old is starting to hack out very nicely. All that inhand work and walking out and time and patience is paying off and I have a happy forward going horse, light off the leg and a soft mouth, so really, really happy about that.

As he is an immature 4 year old I am just hacking him as he has plenty of time to be schooled when he's fitter and stronger. We do however have a "bit" of a problem - if you'll excuse the pun! He has a very large head, a small , but long mouth, long thin tongue and all the room in the world to stick his tongue over!! His teeth were done last month, no wolf teeth coming through as yet, he's a bit ADHD in that he likes to fiddle with anything he can get too!!

He has been started in a NS with a little lozenge, tried a Myler today with a more extreme curve, he got over that too! I am loathe to strap his mouth shut with a flash just yet. Has anyone had experience of this and what bit did you use? I would like to stay in the NS range as he likes the metal and has a soft mouth and salivates nicely with it, unlike steel where he feels dead to the hand. I'm leaning towards something with a bit of a port, and it must be dressage legal as would like to do a few W&T tests over the winter.

 

[Louby]

My friends mare did the same not long after being backed. She was advised to put a happy mouth straight bar in, probably 2 holes higher than normal. Friend was a bit loathed to do it but it worked quickly and she stopped doing it. She was told to give it about a month then she went back to the KK Ultra. She hasnt done it since.
Me on the other hand had a similar problem too, I tried loads of different bits, Mylers, sprengers, ports etc etc and 8 yrs on my horse still has a habit of drawing his tongue back.

 

[Miss L Toe]

An australian noseband as used for racehorses will lift the bit high in the mouth and keep it there

 

[SpruceRI]

My friends mare did the same not long after being backed. She was advised to put a happy mouth straight bar in, probably 2 holes higher than normal. Friend was a bit loathed to do it but it worked quickly and she stopped doing it.

A straight bar happy mouth worked for my youngster too.

 

[Tnavas]

Try a mullen mouth - or try the bit a little higher - this is one trick you want to sort fast. This is what I used on my TB that developed the habit after 45mins of wearing a French Link