Minimor
Well-Known Member
This is SO wrong!!!
Tongue over the bit
- Thread starter Marsha Cassada
- Start date
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Okay, I used some twine as a "bit lifter" today. I tied it on the myler where the headstall connects. When I tied it to the bit, she didn't like that twine next to her mouth. I crossed it over on her forehead and tied it to the headstall at the poll. It was obvious that she felt a difference. We did a little ground driving. I am thinking it helped a little to lift the bit off her tongue. She seemed more relaxed.
A real bit lifter with leather "rowel" for the bit might be more comfortable than the twine. (I haven't had any return call/email from Camptown. Maybe they don't have one for minatures...) We will try a longer ground driving session next and see if it works. It is so dang hot here! Hard to get motivated.
A real bit lifter with leather "rowel" for the bit might be more comfortable than the twine. (I haven't had any return call/email from Camptown. Maybe they don't have one for minatures...) We will try a longer ground driving session next and see if it works. It is so dang hot here! Hard to get motivated.
We did a two mile long line walk this morning. I used the twine. It isn't pretty but it seemed to work. She played with the bit quite a bit but never got her tongue over it, so I think the technique is working for sure. I even asked her to do some things that usually cause the problem and it worked fine. When we got back, I brought the sulky shafts up behind her. It took some maneuvering with whip cues; she didn't want to do it, but finally she got positioned where I could bring the shafts up. I bumped her a little with the shafts, on purpose, and she did just fine. Didn't attach them, just had a simple shaft lesson. I think we are definitely making progress. She is so proud of herself when she does a good job!
I am going to share the bit-lifter tip with another person I know who's having this problem with a riding horse.
The big horse catalogs have several pages of bridles with devices that can't be for anything but keeping a horse's mouth shut. It must be a big problem...
I am going to share the bit-lifter tip with another person I know who's having this problem with a riding horse.
The big horse catalogs have several pages of bridles with devices that can't be for anything but keeping a horse's mouth shut. It must be a big problem...
I took Tipsey out for the second time in the cart today. We went about 2 miles. My sister drove Dapper Dan also, so Tipsey would be more content. Tipsey responded well to gait changes, pulling up inclines and going down them very well. We had some rough terrain with the cart bumping behind her, and some traffic. O my! her trot is fantastic! I'll be interested to get her mph.
Still have the bit lifter on, but it think it has served it's purpose and will no longer be needed. She is carrying the bit well now and seems to like her new job.
Anyone who is having trouble with this issue should try the idea. (A boot lace works much better than the twine!)
Still have the bit lifter on, but it think it has served it's purpose and will no longer be needed. She is carrying the bit well now and seems to like her new job.
Anyone who is having trouble with this issue should try the idea. (A boot lace works much better than the twine!)
shalakominiatureshowhorses
Well-Known Member
I never thought it had a use either, i didnt even know what it was before i actually used it. But I didnt buy the cavesson when i bought my first harness, because i didnt think Bentley needed it. I WAS WRONG! He went crazy, he wasnt used to NOT having a cavesson. I just started driving and he started up again after 2 yrs of doing nothing but jumping with me. Anyway, all i know is for Bentley- cavesson=controled/no cavesson=CRAZY B! I dont know, i dont like the cavesson, but it doesnt do any harm to him
The bit-lifter thing stopped working; maybe I didn't have it attached properly. Anyway, my dressage DIL helped me devise a makedo flash band using the boot string. We put the caveson on pretty snugly and wrapped the boot string around the noseband, under the lip in front of the bit. She also raised the headstall one hole; I was worried about having it too short but she said I needed the bit up in her mouth more to enhance bit contact.
I've had the flashband makedo on her 4 times now while ground driving and she has not been successful at getting her tongue over the bit. She has not given up trying, though!
It looks funny, but we are not concerned about a beauty contest at this point.
I am determined to break this bad behavior before it becomes a habit. She is a good, smart girl and does not need this baggage.
www.cassphoto.com/flashband.jpg
I've had the flashband makedo on her 4 times now while ground driving and she has not been successful at getting her tongue over the bit. She has not given up trying, though!
It looks funny, but we are not concerned about a beauty contest at this point.
I am determined to break this bad behavior before it becomes a habit. She is a good, smart girl and does not need this baggage.
www.cassphoto.com/flashband.jpg
I use a flash noseband on my 4 yr old shetland cross and it works very well. When he gets upset he starts really chomping on the bit and gets his tongue over it. So my trainer advised putting him in a flash noseband and it works perfect. I do not crank it up,just tight enough so he can't open his mouth to chomp the bit. You can order the flash noseband seperately from Comfy fit harness. It just slides into your cavesson hangers and consists of the cavesson and the flash. Driving essentials also sells the flash seperately that slides onto your cavesson.
Funny side note, his showing of crabbyness has transferred to his tail. Now when I have him do something he doesn't like or doesn't understand, he swishes his tail around since he can't chomp the bit. I guess I have to pick my evil. The tail thing is quite entertaining and I definitely know what he is thinking. LOL
Funny side note, his showing of crabbyness has transferred to his tail. Now when I have him do something he doesn't like or doesn't understand, he swishes his tail around since he can't chomp the bit. I guess I have to pick my evil. The tail thing is quite entertaining and I definitely know what he is thinking. LOL
