# taking bit under tongue



## Wild Child (Dec 1, 2007)

Have you just put the bit into his mouth, and waited, just to see if he is putting his tougue over the bit, or if he is just playing around with the bit to get it comfy and get the feel of it again ?

Hope you find out your problem !!


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## Painted Ride (Jun 30, 2008)

when were his teeth floated??? that may be it. the bit may not fit. i know that sounds crazy but it is possible.


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## Pinto Pony (Jul 28, 2008)

Usually if they can get their tongue over the bit then the bit might be hanging too low in his mouth. Try putting the leathers up a hole to hold the bit up, he should have a crease on either side of his lips. Does that make sense?

Also the length of the bit, does it hang out the side of his mouth?


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## iridehorses (Oct 22, 2007)

If I remember your pictures correctly, the bit you had for him may be a size too large. I would also suggest trying a French Link snaffle with an arch which will give some tongue relief. Have you had his mouth checked out by a vet yet?


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## nldiaz66 (Jul 27, 2008)

when I put the bit in his mouth he plays around with it until it is under his tongue, than he is fine. He did keep it over his tongue a few times but just for a short period of time, than back under.I am trying to find a dentist to come out, but haven't had no luck yet, I don't have a horse trailer or I would take him in.When the bit is in his mouth there is a crease in the corner of his lips, also the bit is not hanging out the side of his mouth, the round ring are right up againts his mouth, do you understand me??  so, I will try a French Link snaffle bit..... and keep looking for a vet to come out.I will try to post pics when I get a chance  thanks everyone.


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## iridehorses (Oct 22, 2007)

The bit may still be too large for him. Since the snaffle is a broken mouth, the two joined pieces may be forming a "V" in his mouth, hitting the top of his pallet and also allowing his tongue to get over the bit giving him relief.

Take an 18" piece of string, a stick ~ 1/4' thick, and a magic marker. Tie one end of the string to the stick, run the string through his mouth and snug the stick against his mouth; lastly mark the other end of the string with the marker and measure the span of string that was in his mouth. That way you will know what size he needs.


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## FGRanch (Feb 9, 2008)

I would say that you are your bridle to big for your horse and the bit is haning too much in your horses mouth.


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## LizAndCollin101 (Jul 10, 2008)

Hi!

Is Koda a thoroughbred? My horse Collin is a thoroughbred and its a typical habit of thoroughbreds to put there tongue over the bit and also play with there tongue and mouth a lot.!

Usually its because there excited or sometimes its because they havent been trained to actually put there tongue in the correct spot!

What i use is a tongue control bit - it stops the horse from putting his tongue over the bit - but what you must do is make sure when you put the bit in his tongue is under the bit - otherwise it wont work!

I Hope This Helps,

If you have any more trouble please conact me. 

Liz


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## tomkat (Sep 23, 2008)

Seems like I read that with certain bits they can't do that, is it a curb bit? I was concerned about a runaway horse the reason I remember reading soemthing about that, someone on here should know if so or not.


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## Vidaloco (Sep 14, 2007)

I use an Imus comfort bit, which has a lot of relief, curb bit. When I first started using it I had to put it higher in Vidas mouth than I normally would because she was getting her tongue over it. If I remember right I had 3 wrinkles in her mouth when I normally just have the bit sitting in the corners with little to no wrinkles. 
This is the one she can get her tongue over 









This is one she can't









You might want to go to one with less tongue relief or tighten your headstall. 
I just kept checking Vida during a ride. if she was still getting her tongue over I'd go up another hole on the headstall. I felt terrible to keep tightening it up but after she got used to it and stopped playing, I could move it down to just in the corners, no wrinkles.


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## nldiaz66 (Jul 27, 2008)

iridehorses: Thanks for the tip on how to measure for the bit, will do that tomorrow, when I put the bit in his mouth I can pull on both sides of it and it doesn't hang out of his mouth, but I will measure.Thanks

FehrGroundRanch: I don't think the bridle is too big, if it was I wouldn't get creases in the corner of his mouth.right??

LizAndCollin101: Koda is a paint,about 7 yrs. old.
I don't think he was trained the right way. Where can I get the, tongue control bit? Thanks

tomkat: It is a loose ring snaffle bit. Runaway horse?????


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## iridehorses (Oct 22, 2007)

Nidiaz, a bit with tongue relief could work well but I would hold off on using one with shanks until you've tried a 3 piece snaffle or even one with a Billy Allen mouth.

Most nicely broke horses will go well in a non shanked bit. There certainly are many times when it is necessary but too many riders resort to them for control. They may be required at a show or for finer control (aids, not behavior) otherwise KISS.


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## LizAndCollin101 (Jul 10, 2008)

The tongue control bit -- is no type of curb at all.


Here is a picture of one.

http://www.yourequinestore.com/browseproducts/Tongue-Control-Bit-5--SS--255509.HTML

It is soft -- all it does is prevent the horse from getting his tongue over the bit.

Liz


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## iridehorses (Oct 22, 2007)

LizAndCollin101 said:


> The tongue control bit -- is no type of curb at all.
> Liz


Thank you but I was referring to the bits with an arch in them for tongue relief (not control) and with shanks as in the bits above my last post.

(incidental in my last post concerning shanked bits, I was referring to riders in general not to anyone in particular. I use a shanked bit for that little extra finesse that it gives me and many others use them for various reasons but too many novice riders will resort to shanks instead of training.)


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## jazzyrider (Sep 16, 2007)

while the bridle being too big could account for the problem, the bit being too big is less likely to cause issues. well ive never seen it cause this particular issue. not saying 100% that it wouldnt but ive never experienced it.

teeth can be a problem as mentioned but sometimes it can just be a habit type thing. when i first got my mare she would automatically do the same thing and everything was ok, bit, bridle size etc a noseband did the trick. now if i take it off she doesnt do it. i have no idea what started the habit/problem but she doesnt do it anymore.


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## FGRanch (Feb 9, 2008)

You are right if Khoda has creases then your bridle is not to big! He must just have a super flexible tounge! :lol: Would it be possible to talk to his new owners about all this?


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## nldiaz66 (Jul 27, 2008)

LizAndCollin101: I will try that bit, going to look on ebay for it.Do I use it until he starts to take it the right way, then I can switch?? How long do you think it will take for Koda to accept it the right way??

FehrGroundRanch: I am his new owner, the old owner did not never ride him, I think they had him for about a year.

I think I'm also going to try a bridle with a noseband.


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## jazzyrider (Sep 16, 2007)

personally i wouldnt bother about another bit at this stage. IME its not going to matter what bit you put in his mouth. if he is putting his tongue over by habit then a different bit wont help. try your noseband first and then if that doesnt work look at your bit but i honestly think changing bits wont help. JMO though


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## FGRanch (Feb 9, 2008)

Sorry about that, wrote the wrong word. What about the people that trained Koda, anyway to get in contact with them?

Another thing you might try is having someone else come out and have a look, it's amazing what a fresh set of eyes will see.


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## nldiaz66 (Jul 27, 2008)

jazzyrider: ok, I will try the noseband.

FehrGroundRanch: I don't know who trained Koda, if he had any at all.For example: I have been lunging him and he will go but he doesn't know how to stop, its either wtc, I also have a hard time getting him to go...I did have someone come out and he said Koda would adventurely learn to hold it the right way, but for now he was alright...Maybe I need a second opinion


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

I used to have an appy who put his tongue over the bit, and because of it he would get cuts in his mouth/tongue and become very difficult to steer etc. He was abused previously, so I think it may have been a stress thing. Here in Australia you can buy a rubber peice that fits onto your bit, it is about the size and shaope of a human tongue and it liesflat up the horses tongue, much like the tongue control bit, but a lot cheaper! I used this until he calmed and stopped attemping. I then moved onto a kimberwick with a medium port, which still gave him that little bit more trouble getting his tongue over, then finally I moved on to a rubber mullen mouth snaffle with a cavesson noseband. By the end he was fine in the snaffle and noseband.

Good idea to stop riding until you find a solution/training aid, as it does bad things to their mouth and tongue. With spot (original name for an appy!) it was not a training thing, or a disobedience thing, I think it was simply a ngeative reaction to having a bit in his mouth. Progressing through the bits, lessening the tongue control as he got used to it, was really the best way to go.


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## jadeewood (Feb 18, 2009)

my mates horse how im riding does the same thing. when her tongue goes over the bit she will not put it back, then she runs of with you, she had a spin plate made. search it up and have a look they are very exspensive, so be sure that theres no other way, hope this helps.


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## QHDragon (Mar 6, 2009)

I didn't read everything said, so excuse me if I am simply restating something that has all ready been said.

Did you say that your horse is a TB?

My TB had a huge issue with getting his tounge over the bit all the time. This seems to be a common TB thing. You might want to look into a flash bridle if your horse's teeth check out and aren't an issue. I now ride Rocket in a flash bridle so he can't do that and he is much more responsive.


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## nldiaz66 (Jul 27, 2008)

no my horse isnt a TB, he is a QH Paint


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## mom2pride (May 5, 2009)

Perhaps putting a cavesson on him would help- that way he can't open his mouth enough to get his tongue over the bit.


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## nldiaz66 (Jul 27, 2008)

yeah thats what we been doing and he's getting better


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

Vidaloco said:


> I use an Imus comfort bit, which has a lot of relief, curb bit. When I first started using it I had to put it higher in Vidas mouth than I normally would because she was getting her tongue over it. If I remember right I had 3 wrinkles in her mouth when I normally just have the bit sitting in the corners with little to no wrinkles.
> This is the one she can get her tongue over
> 
> 
> ...


I have an Imus bit for my Paso Fino lol


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## riccil0ve (Mar 28, 2009)

Edit -- Ugh, just saw the date... why can't we delete our posts?



Please don't put a noseband on your horse just to clamp his jaws shut. I'm all for trying a noseband if your bit and bridle fit perfectly, but please, just remember that you should be able to fit TWO fingers in between your horse's jaw and the noseband. You can also try adding a flash noseband, it's actually meant to prevent horses from getting the bit under their tongue. I would also recommend playing with bits eventually anyway. Some horses work better in some bits than others, there is no such thing as a perfect bit for every horse.

For reference...

Two fingers --









Flash noseband --


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