Tongue sticking out side of mouth

[lilyc]

I have a youngster, not had him long (4.5 yrs Danish warmblood) who sticks his tongue out when he has a bit in and is ridden. It's out more than in and he puts quite a lot of the tongue out (of right side of mouth). Teeth checked, mild bit used, new and fitted saddle being used. When lunged without bit in or with bit in without side reins on no tongue out. He also grinds his teeth sometimes when bridle on and being ridden. Any info? His temperament is great but sense he gets stressed when he has a contact. Not long backed I guess (? earlier this year) so quite green too. He doesn't get it over bit and out mouth, he keeps it under the bit.

Hope you can help! It just looks a bit silly and worried it will become a habit.

[specialsparkle3]

I knew a broodmare ( ex racehorse ) who used to do this in the ring in Mare and foal classes. We always thought of it as being a stress induced habit. Sorry, not much help

[naria]

Have you tried a different bit? It may be he doesn't like the action &/or thickness of whatever you're using. Some WBs have fleshy tongues & low palates so prefer a thinner bit & don't get on with single joints. You say you have a mild bit, does that mean it's fairly thick? I'd definately try a different bit, maybe a thin french link or a Myler low port comfort snaffle.

[xsamx]

I was wathcing a Lucinda Green clinic on TV today and there was a horse on there that was doing it, it looked stressed and very strong though!

[julz]

Oldie was doing that today..poking his tongue out..I thought he'd maybe got his tongue over the bit...

[lilyc]

Thanks for the advice.

I ordered a Pee Wee bit recently and received it today (not had a chance to try it yet as the weather was dire today!). I'm hoping it will help, it's thin and does not rest all along the horse's tongue, check it out www.peeweebit.com

Any info on it welcome or more on the tongue problem.

Oh and I've tried a loose ring french link snaffle and a happy mouth bit but neither have helped. So fingers crossed on the Pee Wee bit!

[naria]

I must admit I found HM useless with Jim - too thick & made the sides of his mouth sore. He doesn't really like a french link either, he seems to find it too busy & not precise enough. He does like the Myler low port comfort snaffle as it gives him tongue room but his favourite is his Myler mullen mouth - it seems to give him enough tongue room but sits very still in his mouth & gives a very clear aid. Interestingly out of all the bits I've tried for schooling that's potentially the strongest one but he's definately more settled in it - just goes to show what we think is kindest isn't always right.

I've never tried a Pee Wee bit though I've read about them. Since I live in hope of one day getting enough money together to get him out competeing again I prefer to stay with dressage legal bits when schooling.

[sarahfox]

Never tried a peewee either.It sounds to me like he may just have a fleshy tongue and not much room for the bit.
Does he still do it with no contact? If not then you may need to try and soften your aids and keep him on a long rein until he is more accepting.it can also be useful to ride off a cavesson and a bit at the same time,one pair of reins on each,when starting a young horse,that way you can gently up the use of the bit whilst maintaining control.
If he does still do it with no contact then it is most likely the bit itself.
If the peewee doesnt help then I would second trying a myler comfort as they give the tongue more room and dont pinch it either.

[lilyc]

Yes I ride with a loose rein at the moment, doing just basic schooling movements and when the side reins on they're also loose, well a light contact.

Am going to try the pee wee bit this afternoon but tried it on him this morning in the stable and as soon as it was in his mouth he put his tongue out (always out of right hand side). I could try using two reins I guess one on cavesson one on bit.

I've also looked at the "bitless bridle" but that won't be sorting the problem out, just getting around it!

[sarahfox]

If the peewee is no good then,either get in touch with the bit bank and seek their advice re which bits to try,( probably different ported ones) which you can try for free and keep going until hopefully you find one he likes.Or alternatively get a bitting expert out to help.
If you can find one that he is ok with then I would definitely go along the 2 reins,cavesson route,as it will make him less likely to start objecting again when you do start using it.Obviously though,unless you can find a bit that he will accept without contact then contact will always be an issue.
Some horses have difficult mouth conformation,and some can take a long time just to accept even if there isnt an actual problem,it would be useful to have a good look at his mouth/tongue etc so that you have an idea what you are dealing with when you talk to the bit bank (if!)

[lilyc]

Well I've had the dentist out twice since I got him in October, once to remove a wolf tooth and two weeks ago to check him again re his tongue problem. He did a lot of filing on the back teeth on the right as he had developed a step through his grinding! We lunged him, all was great. Later on that day, it happened again when I tried him in the school on my own. He didn't give any negative comments re his tongue, tongue size, palate etc.

If I did ride with a bitless bridle, I can't do dressage on him and he has nice paces and is a nice looking horse - apart from his tongue!!

May try with cavesson and the bit this afternoon, just to see what happens. Not sure how I would find out about a bitting expert. I live in Kent by the way.

[SarahW]

The woman you could do with talking to is Hilary Vernon who runs Informed Bitting - she has a website. I have attended a number of her clinics and she says that horses stick their tongues out to avoid discomfort in the mouth. I would defintiely want to try something like a low port comfort snaffle ona hanging cheek if the peewee doesn't work. This type of bit is shaped to the contours of the hore's mouth, isn't too fat and doesn't rest on the tongue all the time. It cannot pinch and has independent side action.

[Sarah Dent]

Hi

Can you ride him in a dually or bitless bridle just to see if he does it anyway without a bit?
I've been down your road and had no success I'm afraid. My horse was doing exactly what you describe in the field as a yearling before he'd had any human messing with him ... he's now 12 and still doing it. I've even had his teeth and mouth examined under GA. The tongue out comment comes up on every dressage score, I just have to live with it! If only I'd have known that the habit would be with him for life before I bought him.... SIGH
Hope you get to the bottom of yours.

[lilyc]

He only ever does it with contact on reins, even if bit is in his mouth he's fine unless he hasa contact. Would prefer to work with bit for now rather than bitless. Did try him in dually but he played up so not sure it's the right way to go for now. Hope it improves in the end though! Sorry to hear your horse hasn't got better Sarah, how disappointing for you.

[peaches]

just a little info hope it helps equisearch.com/horses_riding_training/english/dressage/eqjahiel3496/ xxxxx