[mark@farmhouse]

hi all,
            we have a shetland pony who is guilty of putting his tongue over the bit I think it is an eggbut snaffle , does anyone have some good ideas how to combat this I have been told about tongue guards,and changing the bit to a half moon snaffle but unsure.
I have also move the cheek straps up a hole but it looked like it was pulling tight on him.
Any ideas please
mark

[smiley bucket]

A drop or flash noseband may help.  If putting both cheek pieces up a hole looks too tight, just put one up and rebalance headpiece, there should be a couple of wrinkles round the corners of his mouth.  I've heard of horses having their tongues tied down but its not something I'd do, I'd rather have the bit just a little higher.
 
 

[mark@farmhouse]

Thanks for that will give that a go

[Rosemary]

No, no ,no - please don't resort to forcing your pony to accept something that he's clearly not happy with. Forcing his mouth closed with a flash noseband is just plain wrong, IMHO, and a quick fix without any regard for the dignity of the animal. A happy pony will carry the bit himself because it is a communication tool.

My Shetland is very mouthy - loves to play with buckets, ropes etc but he's not that happy with a bit. He's got a Dr Cook's bitless bridle, which he's quite happy in.

[SallyintNorth]

It's a good idea to check for a reason before coercing him.  Does he have any problems with his teeth?  The roof of his mouth?  Has he had some bad experiences with the bit? 

Try putting something tasty on it - apple puree or something he'll love to taste.

If he hates it and you force him, you could just end up with a pony that resists having the bit put in his mouth.  So it's worth a bit of work to get him to accept it willingly - or, as Rosemary suggests, try him with a bitless setup, even if only for a month or two to allow whatever soreness he may have in his mouth to heal up.  That's what I'd do, give his mouth a good rest, then I'd go back to basics and a training bit to re-teach him to like and play with the bit.

[mark@farmhouse]

Hi all he had just had his teeth done and I wonder if that has any bearing as I think this is just quite a new thing and only main change has been dentist visit thanks for getting the grey matter working 

[Eeyore]

Hi,
I just wanted to say how wonderful it is to read posts from people who genuinely care about horses and their feelings.  Where I stay this is a rarety.  I have 2 horses and have tack that is custome made to fit (they are large) and I am trained in natrual methods.
One of my horses always got his tongue over the bit - a high port myler.  I was told that my gelding had a very fat tongue and he probably didn't have enough room in his mouth to be comfortable with the bit.  I then took to riding him in his Dually headcollar - although this was ok in the school - not so good out on a hack as it didn't give me breaks!  Someone did suggest a hartwell pelhem which has a high and wide port - to give the tongue room.  I don't ride anymore so have never tried this.
 

[Brijjy]

When I read your post I immediately thought "bitless bridle". I used to be a groom for a hunt stables and one of the hunters hated being ridden in a bitted bridle so he was always exercised in a hackamore bridle. Unfortunately the huntsman at the time was an abyssmal rider so insisted he was put in a bitted bridle. The poor horse would come back from a days hunting with a lacerated mouth that took ages to heal. Evebtually we got a better huntsman who also took him out in the hackamore and the result was a much happier, easy-going horse.

[jinglejoys]

I solved the problem years ago

[sabrina]

My Shetlands all wear a Mullen mouth bit and go very well in them. Never had a problem. I do not believe in tying a ponies mouth shut.

[omnipeasant]

Don't know if you can see that my horse in the pic to the left is ridden in a halter. I always start young horses in a halter. Smokey has never needed anything else even out on the opemn hills.

My point though (agreeing with Rosemary and others) forcing a horse to accept the bit will never work, the resistance will just pop up somewhere else. Question why is he opening his mouth? probably because he is objecting to pressure. Horses will be more comfortable when they have been taught to yeild to pressure and this can be done in a headcollar.  Also is the bit too big? get someone who knows to check it out for you and definately try a straight bit as ponies often do not like the nutcracker action of a snaffle. Good luck

[landhallow]

My Fell pony used to do the same with her bit nearly everytime I hacked out    
I got a rubber tongue attachment which attached to the bit I had and lay flat on her tongue and it stopped her doing it.

I then took some advice from a friend who suggested a Mullen Mouth bit.
I don't use the rubber tongue attachment anymore and since I got the Mullen Mouth straight bit she has never put her tongue over the bit since. The original bit was a snaffle, which didn't agree with her.

Maybe a change of bit might be just what you need?

[Mays]

he's most probably avoiding tonuge pressure, the bit may be pinching, so I agree with trying a bit that eleviates tounge pressure, meanwhile ensure the contact you take up is light enough to respect the soft mouth, or ideally try a bitless bridle. Work on your voice commands so you only have to use subtle rein aids which will help.
 

[BrianSwatlin]

I agree but what are the major alternatives for it?

[SallyintNorth]

mark@farmhouse - how did this pony come on?  Did his soreness wear off, or did he continue to have problems?