Tongue Layer

[i_should_be_working]

My horse is starting to get really naughty at getting his tongue over his bit. We have tried other bits, have tightened his flash noseband, but to no avail. My friend (a very experienced hunter) has suggested using a rubber tongue layer which looks ok on Robinsons website. She has seen it work with some of her liveries however she never competes so has no idea if it is legal with BD and BE. Its starting to get quite dangerous, so I need to find a solution asap but don't want to use anything that means I can't compete him in it.

Does anyone have a suggestion or know the answer?

 

[jumpthemoon]

Have you tried other avenues such as checking teeth, trying different bits etc? No idea if they are BD/BE legal, sorry

 

[Eccles]

Hmm I asked the same question a couple of weeks ago but called the same thing a tongue dummy. I can't see that they can be BD/BE legal and although I bought one I am very loathe to use it as I think I could just create other problems.

I've just been through the same thing with mine although he rarely gets his tongue over, but lolls it out the right hand side sometimes (which looks ridiculous!!). A flash wasn't a solution for him either. He is loads better now ridden in a fulmer with loops and a cavesson noseband. I think part of it is habit, I expect you've tried putting the cheekpiece up a hole or two? Have you tried bits with a lozenge?

 

[Tinker_Belle]

My mare was horrific at getting her tongue over the bit. To the point of starting to bolt & getting sores in her mouth. I'd tried a tongue layer & she still managed to get her tongue over the bit so if yours is as persistent as mine then it won't work.

I bought my mare this bit (link below) & it worked wonders! She now goes like a dream & is happy in a flash noseband.

Mine is a fixed ring but this is loose so if I were you I'd use bit guards with it

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

Hope that helps & hope you solve the problem!

 

[Abbeygale]

No the tongue guard / rubber things aren't dressage legal.

I have had a couple of horses that were little sods for putting their tongues over the bit, but I have a couple of bits that seems to stop them doing it. I have a hanging snaffle with a port in it - which if they do manage to put their tongue over that, it does completely deter them from doing it again. I have only had one horse who ever managed to put his tongue over this - and he certainly never offered to do it again.

I then have a loose ring snaffle with a small half moon port in it, which i swap them to after a few goes in the hanging snaffle.

Usually after a couple of weeks in this snaffle I have found that I can go back to a normal snaffle and they don't offer to do it again.

However, I have always done this very quickly if a horse has started putting its tongue over the bit - and I haven't tried this on a horse that is established doing this.
The couple of times I have used a tongue guard my horse just chewed it up and spat it out!!! LOL!
The other thing that I normally suggest would be to tighten a cavesson nose band up a little tighter than you would normally - but I am sure that a lot of the "I don't use a noseband" clique will tell me off! LOL

 

[i_should_be_working]

Just thought the rubber layer might just break the habit. We have tried all sorts of bits and he seems to be happiest in a hanging cheak myler but it is weird when you are cantering along with this tongue flapping around the side of his head and thats witht he bit as high as I think it can comfortably go and noseband done up tightly but not as tight as a crank could do up.

 

[i_should_be_working]

thanks, I like their 30 day trial - I shall give it a go and see if I can break the habit

 

[Tinker_Belle]

My horse was a terror for it, unfortunately I think it's a habit she had from her breeder who didn't break her properly & therefore did not break this habit in time. Tightening her noseband made no difference whatsoever either.

Hopefully the spoon bit will be dressage legal because if it does the same for your horse as it did for mine your problems will be over