Tongue Over Bit

Joyous70

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I have been schooling my mare as per my instructors advice in a pelham recently, then back into a snaffle every 2 or 3 sessions, however after the first ride in the pelham she managed to get her tongue over the bit, so when I next used it I popped it up one hole, she has been schooling, fast work and jumping in it really nicely.

FF to last night we had a lovely schooling session and had finished, but stood talking to a friend, so my mare was just stood relaxing, just as i was about to pick up the reins to walk back to the yard i felt her mouthing the bit thought nothing of it, and then noticed her tongue lolling and twisting around, jumped off and she had got her tongue over again.

So my question is should i be worried about this? do some horses just like to fiddle? is it too much pressure on her tongue? i would try a ported pelham, but the ports seem to be very narrow and shallow and don't appear to offer much in the way of tongue relief, plus she has a low pallet although goes well in her happy tongue bomber.
 
Can't you get a bomber Pelham if she likes the snaffle? I know they are not cheap but she may stop doing the tongue over thing, there is a Pelham that has a bigger lower port I think it's called a Hartwell Pelham could try that.
 
Def try a floating cheek Hartwell, mine is a tongue flipper on occasions, even if any bit is far too high.
3 or 4 sessions in the Hartwell and then back into bomber happy mouth iron snaffle, we have come a long way in a month.
Or, try a Myler 33 hanging cheek?
 
Def try a floating cheek Hartwell, mine is a tongue flipper on occasions, even if any bit is far too high.
3 or 4 sessions in the Hartwell and then back into bomber happy mouth iron snaffle, we have come a long way in a month.
Or, try a Myler 33 hanging cheek?

I like her in the pelham as it gives me control for fast work and jumping, im not sure the Hartwell would allow me enough control
 
I had a horse who put her tongue over the bit once and my instructor at the time told me to put the bit down. It sounds counter intuitive, but it worked.

I bit where I know two very different and well respected trainers of Iberian horses do, without a wrinkle in the lips. Most dressage horses seem to me to be bitted very high. I always think if I was a horse I wouldn't want the corners of my mouth pulled up like that. Since I started bitting this way, I've never had another horse even try to get its tongue over the bit.

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I had a horse who put her tongue over the bit once and my instructor at the time told me to put the bit down. It sounds counter intuitive, but it worked.

I bit where I know two very different and well respected trainers of Iberian horses do, without a wrinkle in the lips. Most dressage horses seem to me to be bitted very high. I always think if I was a horse I wouldn't want the corners of my mouth pulled up like that. Since I started bitting this way, I've never had another horse even try to get its tongue over the bit.

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Maybe i should give this a try, i have my instructor over this evening I will ask her to take a look, but now you have said that, it makes more sense to drop it lower - thank you
 
I had a horse who put her tongue over the bit once and my instructor at the time told me to put the bit down. It sounds counter intuitive, but it worked.

I bit where I know two very different and well respected trainers of Iberian horses do, without a wrinkle in the lips. Most dressage horses seem to me to be bitted very high. I always think if I was a horse I wouldn't want the corners of my mouth pulled up like that. Since I started bitting this way, I've never had another horse even try to get its tongue over the bit.

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Getting the right bit (and hands) goes a long way.
Current Fuzzy not only has a fleshy tongue but also a short and also shallow palate, so bitting is an issue.
A low fitting bit has her curl in, worry, then tense right up with hollowing, setting or running off, so it's a non starter now.
If/when I've fitted the wrong bit for her, it's then been lifted to finish safely. One that appears to do the trick stays fitting correctly.

If I ever get yet another Fuzzy, I will def ensure that I do the bitting and backing....
 
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