OTTB gelding that sticks out his tongue...would you buy?

[horsenic]

Hi all!

I was going to move forward with this gelding, and then the trainer sent me some video under saddle. Turns out he sticks his tongue out on his own accord all the time while training. Just wondering if anyone has experience with this or success stories of being able to reverse this trend once they’re off the track. He’s such a cutie, but I’ll ultimately be eventing him and then quite possibly reselling him so this could pose a problem for sure.

Videos:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mzqMnzYJuKw9kSYZHthxXoJ5BLgAYhXg/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1b2VAz7AJ6I8Ih--We9Cd7Po34WoZ5aDZ/view?usp=sharing

Confo:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/16UM7OSdFZAivy9FVD8gdoUDvf9yH0Wo8/view?usp=sharing

Equibase:
http://www.equibase.com/profiles/Results.cfm?type=Horse&refno=9648779&registry=T&rbt=TB

I’d be shipping him a ways…so not sure I want to take the gamble. Any insight appreciated!

[mkevent]

I had one that did that. I was never able to get him to quit that habit. A dressage judge suggested a crescent noseband which is legal in dressage, but that didn’t help.

Even though he was a nice mover, I always got dinged on the dressage scores because of the tongue. It became very frustrating.

[Rnichols]

He is a cute horse - I’m obsessive about checking the CANTER CA site more than I care to admit and have come back to his page on several different occasions. If you’re looking, I also really like Dark and Beau. His purchase price is ridiculously high, IMO, but he’s also been for sale for a while so I’m sure it’s negotiable. Just saying

There was a Haflinger pony I used to ride who would stick his tongue out all the time. It seemed he would just do it out of habit. A good friend of mine now owns him and…spoiler alert…he still sticks out his tongue! She has a woman half leasing him who just likes to trail ride and hack around so it’s not too much of a problem for them. But if you want to event him I can see it becoming very frustrating in dressage. You’ll get dinged on your submission score and I believe (I could be wrong, someone more educated will likely correct me) you can get dinged points per movement where the judge sees his tongue out.

Personally I would pass, but maybe others have had more success fixing tongue issues!

[Training_Cupid]

I scribed for the dressage judge, BN at a recent horse trial and there was one horse who did have his tongue out most of the test. The judge did comment on it a few times but it didn’t seem to me like she really dinged points for it. For what it’s worth; some judges may have more of a pet peeve about it!

If it was a horse that you know will pack you around the jumps I would be less concerned (depending on your goals and priorities of course), but for a green resale project I’d probably continue looking.

[2LaZ2race]

I have a friend who got an OTTB who let his tongue hang out. Tried everything to fix it and nothing worked. I personally wouldn’t buy one unless it was for trail riding only. I enjoy doing local hunter shows and dressage too much. I feel it would frustrate me to not pin well because of it.

[Sannois]

I had one for 13 years. never had a judge say a word and he usually scored half way decent. He only did a Charlie brown thing with his tongue, most that have had their tongues tied down racing do it to some extent. If he is great in all other areas I would go for it, unless he dangles it totally out the side, which I have seen in a few and then I would pass but that is me. Edited to add, I watched the Video and that is way more than mine did. But dang he is cute. He may give it up in different bitting.

[vineyridge]

Do they allow accommodations for disabilities in horse sport. A horse can have its tongue damaged permanently with tongue ties, and maybe you could get a waiver if you can show physical damage to the structures of the tongue, just like you could get waivers to use nose nets in the past.

I have an ex racehorse (63 starts) who lolls her tongue whenever she is bitted, but she has a very, very fleshy tongue and is also a nervous type. Mare was bred, and her daughter ended up with the fleshy tongue, but died before she ever went under saddle, so whether she would also loll her tongue is unknown.

[Lord_Helpus]

Have the sellers told you if they had tried anything to keep the horse from hanging its tongue out? Specifically, I am thinking about a butterfly bit. That works very well on some horses but if the sellers have already tried it and it does not work then I would be more worried

[rememberthenight]

I used to have a horse that would kill his tongue when stressed or bored. He was a very oral horse. Bitting and changing major lifestyles did help, and if he was happy we could put a good dressage test or hunter class in, if he was having a bad day it was NOT PRETTY.

He turned out to be a horse that needed to not be in a high energy farm, taught me how to be more generous with my training methods and hands and he mellowed with age and my learning how to defuse him. I loved my horse and we made it work…But I would not buy another proven loll’er as a resale project.

[horsenic]

Thanks for all the input. Unfortunately I think I’ll have to pass on this guy, especially because I would have to ship him a long way to begin with. Not worth the gamble at this point. I hope he finds an amazing home, though. So flipping cute!

[merrygoround]

Smart move!

[Somantu]

@horsenic

I hope he finds an amazing home, though. So flipping cute!

I’m sure he will!

I bought a 4-year old OTTB with a lolling tongue. He’s turned out to be a great horse with a great mind. He’s athletic, smart, sweet, and super laid back. His tongue still sticks out, with or without a bit –– but it doesn’t matter to me because I don’t compete and have no plans to sell him.

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[halt]

No, I would pass.

Unless the bitting set-up is extreme, the tongue is damaged, or the horse is missing it’s front teeth, tongue-lolling is 100% rooted in physical pain. Usually it’s hock or stifle pain.

[EventingAndEmpowerin]

I would pass.

Not worth the trouble that will come in the future. Could be an indicator of other issues. Better safe than sorry!

[Mukluk]

Mine is a confirmed tongue sticker outer. It’s a real handicap in dressage. She’s an OTTB and has always done it. Does it just hanging out for example being groomed and especially if she anticipates getting fed. Tried riding her in a bitless bridle and she still stuck her tongue out. However, I absolutely love her so I forgive her this one “sin.” I just wish dressage judges could appreciate that it truly is a habit for some rather than an evasion.

[WNT]

For a personal pleasure horse or very low level local stuff, if otherwise awesome, sure.

For any sort of competition or sales project, not in a million years. It’s easy enough to leave points in the ring for dressage or hunters, not many buyers are going to want to deal with a horse that will get dinged every time that tongue comes out.

[Lkramer]

Use a flash.