Pony putting tounge over bit?

K

Kristine

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Hello,

Just need some help. When i school my pony, be in lunging or riding she has a habbit of putting her tounge over the bit. She never did this previously but has only just started. She wear's a snaffle bit with a webbed cavesson bridle but I have taken the nose band off. Having the nose band on or off makes absolutly no difference.
Please can you suggest some things i can try to stop her putting her tounge over the bit.

Thanks in advance

K
 
My youngster used to do this ALL the time. She would do it while you were still tacking up, at a trot, whenever. With her it has turned out that she was uncomfortable in the bit because of her big tongue. I played around with different bits and now have finally hit on one that she obviously finds comfy as she never ever does it now. Might be worth trying something different eg a french link if you have are using a standard jointed snaffle or maybe a mullen mouth to see if its discomfort in your case.
 
just get the checks done on teeth if this is not the problem then you can get a tongue layer this goes on top of tongue this should stop her from getting her tongue over the bit
i had this problem when i worked at a stud farm with a little pony
 
Put the bit up a hole or 2 and try that. What type of snaffle is it? It may be too thick for her mouth so you could try a thinner snaffle
 

Have you had her teeth checked? Checked her mouth for sores?

It could be that the snaffle is too much for her mouth. I had the same problem with my pony & she has a very small mouth.

After all the checks we tried an Australian noseband (racers wear them) a flash noseband, a tongue layer & a thinner bit. All of them made not an ounce of difference. The only thing that did work & that she has been fine in for the past 5 years is a closed spoon tongue bit.

http://www.shop4bits.com/item--Closed-Spoon-Tongue-Bit--closed-spoon-tongue-bit.html

She is really happy in it & is far more responsive & relaxed.
 
Should just say that before playing around with different bits get the teeth checked. I also tried the tongue layer thingy. She was hugely frustrated with it as she couldnt avoid the discomfort of the bit. (At the time I didnt know it was discomfort that was causing the problem) In the end she figured how to flip that over as well!
 
I have ran my hand around her mouth and there are no sharp edges but the vet is coming out on monday for jabs so i'll get them to have a quick look!

its an egg butt snaffle she was absolutly fine with it up untill I used a training aid on her and now she does it all the time n o matter what

I only have one hole left to take the bit up but will try that if the vet finds nothing.
 
Are you still using the training aid??? I suspect the taining aid just dragged her nose in rather than getting her working over her back, thus she was uncomfortable, so tried to find a way out of the contact.
crazy.gif
 
i agree with teeth checked in first instance, my youngster started doing it because the single joint of his bit was hitting the roof of his mouth and hurting him, so he used his tongue to stop it, i changed him into a french link bit but by that time it was a bad habit aswell as pain so he kept doing it, i then put a drop noseband on him to and have had no problems at all!
 
I was really interested in the responses, as my new horse does this.
I am waiting for my equine dentist to come and check his mouth/teeth, so dont want to mess about with lots of different bits at the moment.
I have got him in a loose ring french link, and have to use a flash.
I have a feeling it was an evasion issue previously, which has now become a habit - hope I can sort the problem out quickly, its not funny having no brakes!

Hope you find a solution soon Kissmesweet69.
grin.gif
 
Does anyone have a horse that does this and is perfectly happy? Our 19year old shire constantly works with his tounge over, seriously I have never, ever, seen him with his tounge under, he lifts up his tounge when you put his bridle on. He gets very frustrated if you try to stop him and plays up yet leave him like it and his fine, works into a nice contact with good breaks. Tried other bits but nothing seems to make a bit of difference. Like I said, he's 19 now so I tend to leave him be but any thoughts?
 
No i took the training aid off the second she did it and it hasnt been on since but i was riding her yesterday on a loose rein not asking for outline or anything and she must have put her tounge over and under the bit about 12 times.

The vet has been out and had a look and she has said she has a few points, Nothing abnormal for a horse but has suggested the equine dentist comes out and does them anyway which im happy with so just going to book in with the dentist and only lunge her in a parelli halted for now.
 
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