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Article: How to Fix Tongue Flipping?

How to Fix Tongue Flipping?

How to Fix Tongue Flipping?

There are horses that have made it a habit to flip their tongue over the bit. This is a very frustrating habit as it seemingly never ends. You get on the horse, then get off to fix the bit, the contact keeps disappearing, then reappearing. It's very difficult to ride in that situation.
Often what frustrated riders end up doing in this situation is cranking the noseband and flash so tight so as to prevent any movement in the jaw. While it can work it also creates some unintended effects.. the kind you would expect if somebody put an object in your mouth and shut it tight for an hour.
So what to do? It's smart to think about the root causes first.
Some ideas:
Is the bit sitting too low?
Try bringing it up a hole or two on each side and see if it makes a difference. Another option could be trying a baucher bit which mostly "hangs" on the poll, i.e. sits higher up in the mouth rather than sits on the tongue.
Does the horse dislike pressure on the tongue?
Try riding in a ported bit that offers some tongue relief such as a mullen mouth, a Myler or one of our tongue relief models with a port.
Is the bit pinching on the palate?
Try riding in a smaller sized mouthpiece and a curved French Link or a ported bit.
If you need any help weighing your options reach out to us anytime. Happy riding!

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