Tongue over bit but only during breaks- any experiences?

[rising_promise]

Has anyone had any experience of a horse getting it's tongue over the bit but only during schooling breaks?

She's rising 6 ex racehorse, had her just over a year after off the track. Coming on really well, very willing and trainable. She is lovely to school and takes a nice contact, calm and relaxed. She's won and been placed dressage and did her first ODE at the end of last year but has recently started getting her tongue over the bit but only when she's stopped working....

Come to a halt and have a chat to someone in the school (as you do sometimes!) and her tongue comes over. Mostly she gets it back of her own accord but sometimes I have to put it back.

During a jumping clinic, we'll do our bit then come back to stand with the others and the tongue comes over again, almost like a boredom thing?!

She has no contact issues other than that and is consistent in her outline, still in her head carriage and relaxed in her work.

Any ideas/ experiences?

 

[nikicb]

Yes, my horse does it sometimes when he's bored (if I've stopped to watch someone/talk to instructor). He waggles it out the left side of his mouth first so I just tend to do a bit of stationary flexion work to distract him. He hasn't done it for a while and he doesn't do it when he's working properly forward, so I tend to think it's just that he worked out he could do it and does it because he feels like it. He's quite playful and into everything so it's just the sort of thing he does - he's always picking things up with his mouth. Hope that helps.

 

[rising_promise]

Yes, my horse does it sometimes when he's bored (if I've stopped to watch someone/talk to instructor). He waggles it out the left side of his mouth first so I just tend to do a bit of stationary flexion work to distract him. He hasn't done it for a while and he doesn't do it when he's working properly forward, so I tend to think it's just that he worked out he could do it and does it because he feels like it. He's quite playful and into everything so it's just the sort of thing he does - he's always picking things up with his mouth. Hope that helps.

Yes, thanks for your reply, that's exactly what she does. Stop to watch or chat and it's out!

Stationary flexion works with her too, doesn't do it when I have a contact, only when the contact is dropped...

Thanks

 

[nikicb]

Yes, thanks for your reply, that's exactly what she does. Stop to watch or chat and it's out!

Stationary flexion works with her too, doesn't do it when I have a contact, only when the contact is dropped...

Thanks

No worries, at least you know you're not alone. If it's any consolation, my instructor said that at least it shows he is now much more relaxed through his throat and has more control over his tongue as when I first had him he was pretty fixed. I think she was trying to make me feel better about it, but I see the logic.

 

[rising_promise]

No worries, at least you know you're not alone. If it's any consolation, my instructor said that at least it shows he is now much more relaxed through his throat and has more control over his tongue as when I first had him he was pretty fixed. I think she was trying to make me feel better about it, but I see the logic.

Yes that's nice to know