Bit problems
Hi all. I have been having trouble with Zak and his bit. This is a relatively new problem and I just really discovered what he was actually doing with his bit. I asked one of the ladies at the stable to check to see if Zak's bit was in his mouth correctly, like I did not have the bridle up too high where the bit would be too far back in his mouth,or dropped too low. Well it turned out that Zak was pulling his tongue back so that the bit was resting on the floor of his mouth and his tongue resting over the bit and then he would readjust it with the tongue over, and back and forth it goes. I hear that is a dangerous position, like now control, well I have ridden him on the trails and such, noticed he was dancing a lot and dropping and like yawning stretching his mouth on the way home. I was feeling sorry for him thinking something was really wrong. Had his mouth check, teeth good. I went back to the mullen bit from a curb bit yesterday and he seems to be playing with it less. Anyway, I was hoping someone would have some in put on this situation. I did get some advice to get a strap that goes around his mouth to keep it closed, but geeze, that thought bothers me, like wouldn't he get a little claustraphopic?spelling. Any suggestions? He does not like snaffle bits, anything broken or that moves really makes him play way too much, he tosses his head and acts up, that is the reason I went to a curb bit, very low port, now with the Mullen he is still playing with it, I am just afraid that he will hurt himself or me, with his tongue over the bit. Please help. Thanks,
Pat
My gelding did the same thing with the bit - rolling his tongue over and under the bit - especially a snaffle or split bit. I switched to a bosal and mecate after a training recommended them. He responds much better to the reins and does not try to pull on the bit or toss his head as much. It did take some ground work to get him used to it but as I say, he does respond better. I would check with a trainer first to get a more professional opinion.
Sometimes a roller type bit can work, but it sounds like you may need to go to a bosal or bit free bridle. A roller bit with perhaps I high port......gives him something to do with his tongue. I would definitely talk to a good professional trainer about this problem. My older mare had gotten a spider bite in the corner crease of her mouth and had to have surgery. Therefore, I couldn't ride her ever again with a bit. I started riding her with a bosal that I had orginally used on my gelding when he was a junior horse (in the show ring). She does well and it looks pretty cute! Maybe your boy will like that. Good luck!
Good advice, Wildhart...when Dennis was alive, he would do basically the same thing...get his tongue over the bit, "yawn" and stretch his mouth--and usually on the way home. I ended up with a whole collection of just about every bit you can imagine and none of them worked.
Then someone gave me a box of horse "stuff" and in the box was this nylon halter with a nylon rope going across the noseband, similar to a nose chain and acts kind of like a hackamore (kinda). There are two rings on either side of the halter and I thought "what the heck". I put the halter/contraption on him and attached the reins to the rings and away we went! No more yawning, stretching or acting up. He loved it!
