Which habit in the show ring is worse???

It seems they are deemed equal offenses if I am reading correctly. Although this horse doesn't do it as avoidance, it's boredom. He does it in his stall, he does it being groomed, he does it in the turnout. I think the only time he doesn't do it is when he's eating...which I guess is pretty lucky ha ha.

Put peanut butter on his bit just before you go ride your test, he will most likely keep his tongue in after that. I used to have to do that for a horse I was showing Western, funny, she never dangled her tongue English, maybe the noseband prevented it?

The tongue hanging out is supposedly a sign the horse is avoiding the bit. The problem comes in where the horse may just have a nerve, as in systemn nerve not nervous nerve :), issue that is physical and the tongue just hangs..I've seen several horses like this.

Chewing the bit isn't necessarily a bad thing as long as it isn't to extreme. My horse is a bit chewer; he just likes to play with it, but, he does it so much it looks like resistance. I finally broke down and put him in a flash but even though it has quelled the worst of the playing, he still does it.

I was scribing for a judge this past weekend when a horse came in and I could hear this clacking sound..I had a heck of a time trying to find the source of the noise until the judge saw the look on my face..she said it was the horse's teeth..his jaw was so relaxed his teeth were banging against each other as he moved.

Cinny, in fact I like ware's idea, but instead of peanut butter I'd say add molasses on bit when you ride in ring at home (NOT at the show) and look if it'll keep him busy enough for sometime. It's a weird habit though, because I'd think it's not very comfortable to keep it out. But then who knows...

My coach swears by giving the horse a couple of sugar cubes during the course of the warmup. It does work to get that foamy mouth and at least with mine, eases his chewing. Something about keeping the horse's mouth wet.
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I stand corrected! Guess I should read my rule book more carefully.

Okay, this is what he does for those who want to see what I'm talking about.

There were a few interesting articles in dressage today about this:

Help for Horse Sticking Tongue Out — Resistance or Pain?

I believe the other one is in the February edition but I can't find a link online. Maybe you can find it: "My Toughest Training Challenge" by Anja Beran

I was just thinking of recommending a noseband while in the show ring. The PB is a great idea!

Thanks for the info. I read them and they seem to address avoidance, and problems with going into the bit which is different than what this guy does... I added a video, maybe you were posting this while I was still adding it...it shows exactly what the horse does and as I said, he does it in his stall, he does it in turnout, he does it in the cross ties... he does it with green eggs and ham. Oops, sorry ha ha. But really, the only time I don't see him doing this every few minutes is when he is eating.

Yes he does where a noseband. My trainer won't let me try the peanut butter because putting things on bits is illegal in the show ring here.