Bits with tongue room.

[drummers mum]

Livvi has a loose ring snaffle with a lozenge in the centre but recently I have noticed that she tries to get her tongue over it, especially of she is "on the bit" I think that maybe its not helping us as the lozenge is quite big and so is Livvis tongue.  My theory is that when she softens and rounds, the angles all change and the bit is then putting more pressure on her tongue.  Anyway humour me

So what bits are best when there isn't much room in there and they have a huge tongue?

[thegaffer]

Something with a port, ie pelham.

[catkin]

make sure that the mouthpiece is not to thick in diameter. If they haven't very much room in their mouths then a thick snaffle is just too much of a mouthfull.

[winnieandben]

Ignoring the price tag  I found this on ebay the other night and like the look of it for Jinx, she has a thick tongue and little room and also trys on occasion to get her tongue over.  Not so much now as I did use a drop noseband for a while.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SPRENGER-CM-COMFORT-MOUTH-PELHAM-16mm-THICK-ALL-SIZES-/350422269595?pt=UK_Horse_Wear_Equipment&var=&hash=item905b6de046
Think this also comes in a snaffle but just as expensive.

Some sort of mullen or low port may help.

[Claire]

myler are good for that

[thegaffer]

I have the Sprenger.  You can usually pick them up 2nd hand quite reasonably priced.  I like mine but would not have paid for a new one.

H

[Mossy]

 I like the sprenger controller ported snaffles. The only hiccup is they are not dressage legal.

[drummers mum]

Forgot to say that I tried a regular  pelham and tongue over straight away so I would have to be carefull with anything straight, although that does look good...ignoring the casy

I wouldn't mind something that gave a bit of poll pressure as when she spooks etc her first reaction is head in the air, I'm going to get a martingale for hacking as I'm going to lose her one day when she does it!

I also need to encourage her to soften her jaw, I tried a friends myler with coppery roller bits in the middle and she was proper dribbling so something with a nice tasty mouth piece too.

Don't ask for much do I?

[TashaKat]

How about the WE pelham with the port? 

[Wendy]

But Livi's only a baby, right? How old is she now? Is she teething? If she is teething it could be causing her discomfort. Have you mentioned it to your EDT?

I'm not sure pelhams would necessarily be the way to go. I would try a different jointed snaffle, a thin one. Have a chat to the people at Neue Schule. There are some good online bitbanks now too.

[OliviaR]

You also need to consider how low her pallette is.  If it is very low you might find that ported bits cause problems with that.

I've found a very thin (bradoon thickness) double jointed snaffle with a lozenge rather than a plate works best for Tilly.  She'd probably be best bitless, but I'm not that brave!

[Woody]

a hippus bit 
www.hippus.ch

just got mine and VERY pleased

[ukica]

It might be the double joint that bothers her, have you tried a normal single jointed bit at all?  Santis mouth is much quieter in a single joint.

[drummers mum]

Thanks everyone, to answer and reply all in one go.

As much as Heather advocates the Pelham, I can't do 2 reins all the time, I'm rubbish and it drives me nuts, also you right about her low palate, there is literaly no room in her mouth. I also want a bit that is dressage legal really as I would like to do some prelims just for fun.

She isn't a baby in body anymore (just in mind ) although she is late backed, Livvi will be 8 this year and has had her teeth done regularily.

Olivia, where did you get a really thin one, its what we have but its too thick.

I will look at the site, thanks woody

eta, Ukika, I don't think she would like the nutcracker action but I haven't actually tried

[OliviaR]

Hi Emily,

Her snaffle bit is a Sprenger KK Ultra in 14mm thickness but with full size rings.

Her combination bit is a neue shule in 16mm thickness.

Anywhere that stocks those makes should be able to buy in, but the sprenger and neue shule websites have all the bits they make for you to browse though.

I also very much like the look of the Myler triple barrel mullen mouth - but they don't make them wide enough for Tilly :(