The interaction between a horse’s tongue and the horse bit is a critical aspect of horsemanship and equine welfare and has implications for physical health, behaviour and performance.

A horse’s introduction to the horse bit can leave a lasting imprint on the horse’s mental, emotional and physical state, as well as their willingness to co-operate with a handler. Approaching this process with skill and compassion is essential to ensure the horse associates the horse bit with comfort and clear communication rather than fear, confusion, discomfort or pain.

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Placement
From an anatomical perspective, the mouthpiece of the horse bit rests atop the horse’s tongue.

There’s a common misconception that the horse bit applies pressure to the bars, the area of gum between the incisors and molars. Ideally, the horse’s tongue should rest comfortably between the bars and the horse bit without excessive pressure or discomfort.

So where should the horse bit exert pressure? The answer, surprisingly, is nowhere at all. Problems often arise when pressure is misapplied.

The relationship between a horse and the horse bit is profound. The horse bit serves as a bridge for communication, conveying both the horse’s thoughts and feelings and the rider’s intentions. A perceptive rider can detect the initial signs of tension, or bracing, in the horse’s tongue.

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Instead of using the horse bit as a means to push or pull on the horse and make things happen (or not happen), it can be viewed as a means of dialogue, promoting relaxation and guidance.

The tongue is among the body’s most robust muscles and horses instinctively tense it when confronted with discomfort. This instinct is evident when a horse first experiences a horse bit in their mouth.

The tongue’s movement also has a strong influence on the biomechanics of the entire body, due to an intricate web of connections with bony, muscular, and fascial attachments.

A relaxed tongue is key for proper horse bit fit and effective communication between rider and horse. When the horse bit rests comfortably on the relaxed muscle, it has a positive effect throughout the horse’s body. This relaxation allows the horse to position its head correctly, achieve flexibility at the poll, elevate the lower cervical area or base of the neck, lift the withers, engage the spine and activate the hindquarters.

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The state of the horse’s tongue directly influences its ability to use its hind legs effectively.

The hyoid apparatus, a structure of seven small bones within the branches of the horse’s lower jaw, serves as an anchor point for the root of the tongue and various other muscles. These connections are vital, as they link the hyoid apparatus to the poll, neck, shoulder blades (scapula) and even the sternum.

Tension along this muscular chain can affect the horse’s cervical vertebrae formation, compromising forelimb biomechanics and contributing to hollowing of the back.

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The ability of the horse to move its jaw properly and freely is closely tied to the functioning of the tongue and, consequently, the temporo-mandibular joint or jaw joint. The TMJ plays a central role in balance and proprioception, allowing the horse to co-ordinate its movements without relying solely on visual input.
When tension arises in the tongue and the TMJ mechanism, it restricts the lower jaw’s free movement and impairs its ability to accurately transmit positional information. This can result in poor quality movements that include a shortened stride, difficulty mobilizing the shoulders and resistance to lateral movements.

Red flags
Excessive foaming and salivation, protrusion or lolling of the tongue and increased tongue activity in response to the horse bit are all signs of discomfort and tension when a horse is being horse bitted.
The various headgear designs meant to mitigate these behaviours fail to address the root cause of the discomfort. The behaviour is a symptom rather than the primary issue. It is one of the horse’s ways to cope with unease.

When owners attempt to suppress these behaviours, the horse may resort to alternative coping mechanisms such as pulling their tongue back, placing their tongue over the horse bit, clenching their jaw or bracing against the horse bit. More subtle symptoms may develop over time, such as compromised movement, challenges in handling the horse and, eventually, even observable lameness (bridle lameness).
Discomfort in a horse’s mouth can result from unnatural riding and training methods, horse bit issues, underlying dental problems, use of restrictive headgear, ill-fitting saddles and inexperienced handling by riders.

Initially, tension tends to manifest in the tongue, jaw joint, poll and neck. With time, the entire body becomes tense and unresponsive.

To alleviate discomfort and tension in a horse’s body, it must have unhindered tongue and jaw mobility while being ridden. This freedom of movement enables the horse to release accumulated muscle tension throughout its body.

Understanding and respecting the physiology of the horse’s mouth will lead to increased freedom of movement, improved co-ordination, longer strides, enhanced straightness, gait improvements and smoother transitions.

Most importantly, it fosters a horse that is more responsive and willing to be ridden or driven.

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The Horshi team with 20 years of OEM/ODM manufacturing experience.We produced the first pair of equestrian riding gloves in 2002.We are the young, energetic and creative team .We love life!We love fashion!We love pets!

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