Pony and the Bit Question

[rcfarm]

I just bought a new pony

Trained to drive , she will work her tongue over the bit. Is there a way to stop this? She will go along just fine, but I want to show her. Any one else ever had this problem? Help!

 

[jegray21]

check the fit of the bit first...what kind is it?

 

[rcfarm]

She came with a stainless french link snaffle, that was easy for her to flip. I put a half cheeck copper snaffle on her. It was better, but she was still trying to flip it. I did adjust her bridle a bit. She goes along sometimes with her tongue hanging out the side of her mouth.

I havent had a horse do this before, not even my riding horses.

 

[jegray21]

This issue comes across a lot when teaching a horse to collect...tongue hanging out is classic contact issue when riding ...or expression of discomfort does she have on a nose band? I would rule out pain first if thats not the problem I would find a simple bit and address it as a training issue...hard to say much more with out watching it... but def this comes up a lot! with horses that have been pushed to hard or are learning something new..when riding them...or if a rider hangs on the left or right reign..the reasons go on and on...have to just pick through it and see what her reason is.

 

[BannerBrat]

[SIZE=12pt]Hello,[/SIZE]

I currently am working a horse that would get his tongue over the bit quite a lot, it's a quite frustrating habit.

First I would check her teeth. Then I would bridle her with a double jointed bit, (french link, bean link, etc) and leave her somewhere she can't get hurt and watch her.

If she messes with the bit a lot I would leave her just like that and do it a few times a week.

When she starts to settle down from that I would take her for walks and ground drive her from her halter.

If she still seems comfortable with the bit I would ground drive her from the bit and try to find out and stay within her comfort zone. Eventually this may help. it takes time and patience but all good things do.

As jegray21 has said, there are plenty of reasons to cause this, knowing the reason would certainly help.

 

[rcfarm]

Yes she drives with a nose band. I will start ground driving her. The french link she came with was a little big. Fitted, a snaffle seems a lil better.

 

[rcfarm]

She did have teeth done 3 month ago

 

[Sandee]

Yes she drives with a nose band. I will start ground driving her. The french link she came with was a little big. Fitted, a snaffle seems a lil better.

You're on the right track. Check into if the bit fits, if the headstall fits (holds the bit in the right place), after that it could be that she hasn't been driven long enough and just needs to get used to the bit being in her mouth. Sometimes tightening up a nose band helps but that's not really the answer.

I went thru all this with my stallion when he was being trained. He was "ready to drive" but not. He constantly messed with the bit like you are describing. It took several months of changing everything and lots of driving and classes when he suddenly stopped fussing. I guess he just had to get use to everything or maybe I got better at driving (LOL), who knows.

When we purchased our first mini, who was 15 and very broke to drive, we had trouble with him not wanting to put the bridle on. He even got to the place where he would rear up. Short story we had no idea about driving and the people had sold us a "pony" harness cobbled together because he was so fat at the time The bit was 4" and was too big for him. When we got everything resized and a better fitting bit he settled right down with no more problems.

 

[RhineStone]

What is the conformation of her mouth? Are her lips fat and fleshy, or more thin? Is her tongue so thick that it "spills" out of the space by her bars? Is there space between the bit mouthpiece and the roof (palate) of her mouth?

I have found that fleshier-mouthed horses don't seem to care for jointed bits, as they pinch the flesh between the bit and the teeth. Those horses seem to appreciate a solid mouthpiece bit, or one that doesn't "collapse" in the middle. Feel around in her mouth while the bit is in. You will learn a ton! (Be careful not to get bit, though.)

(True Dressage enthusiasts seem to cringe at the thought of not using a jointed bit to work each side of the horse's mouth, but the above has been my experience with fat lipped horses. Maybe most dressage horses don't have fat lips....

)

 

[hobbyhorse23]

(True Dressage enthusiasts seem to cringe at the thought of not using a jointed bit to work each side of the horse's mouth, but the above has been my experience with fat lipped horses. Maybe most dressage horses don't have fat lips....

)

No, I agree with you. Some horses simply need a solid bit and I don't think that's bad at all. It's whatever the horse works best in! A jointed bit is hardly better if it's pinching the horse and making him miserable.

Leia

 

[rcfarm]

Rhinestone

Her mouth is a bit fleshy, Looked in her mouth, dosent seem to have a lot of room. I will try a straight mouth bit see how that does.

Thanks for all the input