Bits/causes for open mouths/gagging behaviour?

[popularfurball]

Piggwig also has A tendency to wander about withhis mouth wide open, as if he is being choked when he has his bridle on - if I drop his bit a hole it clangs his teeth and there is one wrinkle in corners of mouth on current holes. He also can't eat treats properly when bitted thoughts eats grass and hay happily enough (I used to turn him out to get used to it).

I'm going to try a bit size up (4") to see if that helps but are there any types of bit that may reduce that feeling for him? He isn't trying to get his Tongue over and nor does he do it to evade - he will do it stood in the stable!

Oh he has had teeth checked and is happy to open up for the bit to go in. Hee does the same in a straight bar with raised Tongue bit and is currently in a loose ring French link.

 

[bitsnpieces]

Is the bit too low in his mouth? It could be sitting a low on the bars of his mouth and tongue? Inca did this, I put it up and she seems quite happy.

There should be two wrinkles at the corner of the mouth I think?

 

[popularfurball]

Up and he is worse - no room for alteration his mouth is too small!!!

 

[alwaysfallingof]

A thinner mouthpiece maybe...if he's got a really tiny mouth then maybe even a bradoon?! Other than that or maybe a lozenge rather than a 'regular' french link I can't think of an awful lot else - assume you've tried molasses on the bit etc.

 

[bitsnpieces]

hmmm....maybe a happy mouth bit might suit him better?

 

[popularfurball]

I long reined him in madams dull cheek and he was much better though it was too big - so it's the extra size I guess. His steering was also better in full cheek, but had a problem with the arm bit getting inside his mouth, would a smaller size or keepers solve this? Assuming I can get one small enough!

I'm toyig with getting a 4.25 and putting rings on if too wide? I'm worried a 4" won't give him enough extra space though the 3.75 doesn't seem really small on him, just snug.

 

[bitsnpieces]

keepers would stop the full cheek bit getting in his mouth -if he seems happier in the larger bit it sounds like maybe he doesn't like the action of the snaffle? Would a french link full cheek be worth a shot?

 

[sjp1]

After having tried several bits on Tobes, all of which met huge resistance, the one bit he likes is the Rockin S raised snaffle. Personally, I just can't rate this bit enough. It is sweet iron, and when it engages lies backwards in the mouth. It is ported but hinged.

For us, it is like day and night. He no longer fights the bit, roots against it or opens his mouth when there is any contact which he did with the Myler which was the best previously I could find.

However, the Rockin S only comes in 5 and 5.5. Tobes is 5.25 really. After much toing and froing - I bought it from Tom Widdecombe who is just fab, and emailed pics of it to him, and Tom Sulan who designed the bit, who again is brilliant, after dropping it a couple of holes - no wrinkles at all and I would have thought far too low, we settled with the 5 and he is just as happy as larry with it.

So, long and rambling, but sometimes the oddest things work.

So long and rambling, but