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Beth, have you had a trained equine dentist look at your horse's mouth? 
 He may have dental problems that are causing the sores on his tongue 
and also could be causing his behavior since he's in pain.
Laney

Beth Walker wrote:
> Thanks folks!  
>
> Sounds like I'm not the only one.  I did try leaving after everyone at 
> Fandango ( the LD ), and he was OK until we passed some folks.  I'm also 
> getting pointers on ground work, since his ground manners go out the 
> window at rides, too :(   I saw some improvement in that area at the 
> Manzanita ride, and it seems to help with his calming down so he can 
> pass the VC, too.  
>
> As for the new bit -- I have a Myler Low Port Forward Tilt (MB 36) and 
> also a Myler Ported Barrel ( MB 33 ).  I know that the MB 36 tears his 
> tongue up ... he had a bad sore on both sides after the Manzanita ride 
> this weekend (our first 50).
>
> He seems to have a wide tongue, fat lips, and a narrow jaw (4 3/4 width 
> mouth), as best as I can tell.  Not sure about the palate height, but I 
> am assuming fairly low.  
>
> I haven't figured out exactly what is causing the sores on his tongue, 
> but I think it is getting pinched between the bit and his teeth.    I am 
> on the lookout for a new bit, since I have yet to find one that he seems 
> really comfortable with.  I've tried the two above, plus a french link 
> (not nearly enough whoa for ride day), a Wonder bit (pinched / rubbed 
> his lips).  I just bought a Sweetwater mouth western bit, but it looks 
> like it is too wide for him - the shoulders of the port hit right on his 
> bars (and I have yet to find a western bit in a 4 3/4 width).
>
>
> On Oct 10, 2007, at 8:27 AM, Dawn Carrie wrote:
> > Oh yeah...the "this can't possibly be my horse!" syndrome on ride 
> > day!  They morph into an entirely different creature.  LOL  My horse 
> > Bear was like that for about a year and a half...the only way I could 
> > have my normal horse back was to fall back and let everyone get ahead 
> > of us...about 10-15 minutes after the last horse got out of sight, the 
> > "old" Bear returned and we could have a lovely ride.  But let a horse 
> > pass us, or us catch up to someone, and he'd get all psycho again.  
> On Oct 10, 2007, at 8:28 AM, Chastain, Shannon L. wrote:
> > Beth,
> > My horse was the same way two things have help lots of ground 
> > work/bending before the ride and not leaving with the crowd. I usually 
> > leave last.
> > Shannon
> On Oct 10, 2007, at 8:30 AM, Ranelle Rubin wrote:
>
> > Beth,
> >
> > My horse is like that as well. One thing that helped is a new bit. I 
> > talked at length to the Myler rep about which bit I was using and the 
> > result I was getting. She recommended a L2-3 bit that works great. 
> > Even at Tevis with 180 horses, he was great.
> >
> > If you are interested, I can get you the mouthpiece #. I got it with 
> > Kimberwick cheek pieces and love it.

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