# Tongue over the bit



## LKC

So this is more of a question about my moms 4 year old gelding.. He was started a year ago by a reputable local trainer and was started very well. He knows all the basics, is quiet, responsive, and light with the bit. The only problem is he has had a cronic problem with putting his tongue over the bit. The trainer tried a couple different techniques to try and keep him from putting his tongue over but they basically just said he'll grow out of it.. Seeing that we didnt want to ride this horse with his tongue over the bit until he decided to "grow out of it" we tried a couple different things. Someone had got some literature for my mom on this habit which said that once the habit is formed its hard to break because they get an endorphine release from doing this and then continue to do it as like an addiction.. His mouth was a little raw under the tongue when she got him back from training so she rode him in a bosal for a little bit while his mouth healed. He is still in a ring snaffle now and my mom found a rubber tongue tab to put on the bit which for the most part is successful. The only trouble with the tongue tab is initially he will concentrate more on trying to get the tab to move to get his tongue over the bit that he has little concentration on the rider. Most rides, he will forget about it after warming up a bit and rides out well but occassionally he is able to get the tab to move and gets his tongue over so after fixing the bit, he will spend the ride fixed on trying to get the tab to move again. So does anyone have any ideas on any aids or something that could maybe help correct this habit?


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## Foxhunter

It can be a very annoying problem!
I dislike the tongue tabs because they alter the action of the bit and, as you say they can move it around and if they do get their tongue over the bit it can be harder for them to get it back.

You can get a metal tongue port which goes on as a separate piece to the bridle, this does not interfere with the bit action and does work. Called a 'WQire Tongue Grid'
KORSTEEL WIRE TONGUE GRID










When a young horse starts to get his tongue over the bit I will actually lower the bit fit so he can get the tongue back over easily and teach himself that it is better to have it under rather than over. 

The final thing you can do is to get a length of panty hose and tie that around the tongue, tied so that it is holding the tongue with a single knot underneath the tongue and then tie the ends under the chin.


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## Army wife

Just read up on this for you. From what I read, snaffles put pressure on a horses tongue, which is why they usually put their tongue over the bit...to avoid pressure. Most bits are designed to go straight across a horses mouth, but this is not the natural curvature of a horses mouth. Myler bits are designed to curve, and take pressure off the tongue. So this is most ppls solution, a nice Myler bit to take pressure off the tongue. Maybe your mom could find one to borrow and try out on Roy?


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## PunksTank

Definitely sounds like a pinchy bit. What you should look for is something like this: Myler Level 2 Dee - D-Rings from SmartPak Equine

This bit is a typical snaffle, except is far less pinchy on the toungue. I has two benefits for your horse, it is mullen mouth (meaning it curves away from the horse's tongue) and it has a low port. Ports help prevent a horse from getting their tongue over the bit, but overly high ports (like in the first post) will reach the horse's palate and can do damage there. This bit's action is just like a typical snaffle with each side having independent action. Like any bit though, put it on him and give him a few minutes to get comfortable in it before jumping on. 

Hope this helps.


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## Foxhunter

I agree that the Myler bits are great - I start all the youngsters in them and they usually stay in one of the snaffles. 

However, a horse that gets its tongue over the bit will still do so with a Myler. 

I have a very strong little horse here and he is always getting his tongue over the bit. Reschooling him with a Myler has helped a great deal but out fox hunting he will still do it (also if he gets excited on a hack) so I tie his tongue down.


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## LKC

Ok great! I know she looked into getting a Myler bit recently but they are pretty spendy so I think shes been keeping her out for a used one first. Thanks for the tips!


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## rascalboy

Tack for sale around USA :: HorseClicks
List Ads - TackTrader.com Classifieds
myler | eBay
There are lots of cheap Myler bits out there. I really wouldn't spend a ton of time on quick fixes when you really want to just solve the problem all together. I wouldn't ride him in a bit until you try out a Myler.
Don't go for a loosering, either. They pinch and are hard to fit right, though Myler looserings are easier to work with than most looserings.


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## countryryder

Subbing! I have a mare that does the same thing,first time I've run into this issue,and I'm looking for ideas to get her to stop as well..


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## jaydee

I avoid the tongue guards after a mare we had that used to put her tongue under and over the bit constantly managed to part get her tongue over and panicked and flipped over backwards. 
It does become a habit so might be worth riding in a hackamore or similar for a while then try the horse in one of the bits suggested here. 
Sometimes having too much of a hold on the horses mouth can set them off doing it to avoid the pressure
Have you tried keeping his mouth shut with a flash noseband?


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## smrobs

Are you eventually planning to ride this horse in a curb bit or are you hoping to keep him in a snaffle (I guess I should ask do you ride english or western)?

Whenever I have a horse that starts to do that in a snaffle, I'll go ahead and bump them up to a curb, but I use the snaffle rings instead of the rings at the end of the shanks. Because my curbs are ported, they can't get their tongue over them. 

I rode a pony that was horrible about putting his tongue over the snaffle. Since I planned to eventually move him up to a shanked bit anyway, I just started riding him in this bit








with my reins on the middle ring for a while before moving them to the bottom. Stopped his messing with the bit immediately. He was very happy that I changed him up. If you plan to keep him in a snaffle, you can find ported snaffles too.


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## pish cob

Hi

my experience of horses that have there tongue out or over the bit is that they tend to fit into 2 catagories
1 mentally very active and busy and then the tongue becomes habit forming
2 evasion of the bit from contact issues

i was once told that a horse that is very busy with its tongue is hyper intellegant and often the busy ones in the mouth are very full on on the ground, these are the hardest to cure.


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## jaydee

*tongue over the bit*



pish cob said:


> Hi
> 
> my experience of horses that have there tongue out or over the bit is that they tend to fit into 2 catagories
> 1 mentally very active and busy and then the tongue becomes habit forming
> 2 evasion of the bit from contact issues


These have been my observations too. A lot of people dont even realise that they are hanging onto a horses mouth. We saw this with a young woman who came to ride our sons horse when he went to Uni - she appeared to be very capable on paper but couldnt understand why the horse was refusing to move when she asked it too - the mare has a very light mouth and couldn't understand why she was not being allowed to go forward even though the legs were telling her too & she got really upset about it
The few horses I've had that start messing with the tongue have been very smart and get bored really quickly so it probably is something to amuse themselves with that then becomes a habit


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## smrobs

^^That's the main reason why I am not a fan of the whole "put the snaffle on the horse and then just let them stand around and wear it to get used to it" idea. I've seen more horses end up with bit issues from having than done than anything else.

The horses I ride, I put them in the bit and then put them to work on stuff that keeps their mind going. I don't give them a chance to fixate on the bit and play with it. I can't say with any certainty that's the _only_ reason, but doing that, I've never had a single horse that didn't end up very quiet and soft on the bit.


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## LKC

Im no professional but when I start my horses I always would make them do some sort of ground work when introducing to the bit versus letting them sit and get bored as you said. However, he was started by someone who does do this as a living and I know they did just tack him up and let him stand for the entire day for about the first week and he is a very busy minded horse that gets bored pretty easily so very well could have been where this habit formed. That would make sense to me anyway because USUALLY once he starts working and get his mind somewhere else he kind of leaves it alone but if you stop and stand or really arent doing enough work to keep his mind with the rider than thats when he starts playing with it and gets the tongue over. And I believe I wrote the initial info a little wrong. He was started in a ring snaffle, he is now ridden in a D ring. He is ridden western. Thanks for all your input, lots of great suggestions.  I think shes just gonna get a myler here soon. He hasnt really been ridden lately because of my mom moving, and being out of town, and life just being plain old crazy lately.


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## Allison Finch

One thing I would check, is the snaffle hanging in the right place? I see many (sorry, but mostly western) riders with snaffles that are way too low in the mouth.










This photo is an extreme case. many were not so bad, but still way too low.


If the bit is even a little too low, it encourages the horse to fuss with it. That will sometimes result in the tongue getting over the bit. A properly adjusted snaffle (and one that is not too WIDE) isn't easy to get a tongue over.

There are rubber tongue depressors that will help.


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## mom2pride

My first thought was to check the bit fit as well...I too see ALOT of folks that the bit doesn't fit properly, and snaffle bits, especially NEED to be fitted properly, or else the horse will constantly get the tongue over, and then it becomes a habit, since it is so low. 

Next thing I would try if he continues to throw is tongue over, if the bit is fitted properly, is a flash nose band. You wouldn't have to use it permantly, just use it for several weeks, and then try it without for a ride, and see if he does okay. If he does, you've done what you needed to, if not, you will need to continue riding with it. When you are done training with the snaffle, switch out to a curb, and he shouldn't need a flash, since "usually" a horse won't get the tongue over if adjusted properly.


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