A tongue-tie is a piece of

equipment Equipment most commonly refers to a set of tool A tool is an object that can extend an individual's ability to modify features of the surrounding environment or help them accomplish a particular task. Although many animals use simple tools, onl ...

used by

equestrian The word equestrian is a reference to equestrianism, or horseback riding, derived from Latin ' and ', "horse". Horseback riding (or Riding in British English) Examples of this are: * Equestrian sports *Equestrian order, one of the upper classes i ...

s to prevent a

horse The horse (''Equus ferus caballus'') is a domesticated, one-toed, hoofed mammal. It belongs to the taxonomic family Equidae and is one of two extant subspecies of ''Equus ferus''. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million yea ...

from getting its tongue over the

bit The bit is the most basic unit of information in computing and digital communications. The name is a portmanteau of binary digit. The bit represents a logical state with one of two possible values. These values are most commonly represente ...

, which would make the animal very difficult to control. It is usually a strip of cloth or rubber, passed through the mouth and tied below the chin. Tongue ties are illegal in competitive events such as most

horse show A horse show is a judged exhibition of horses and ponies. Many different horse breeds and equestrian disciplines hold competitions worldwide, from local to the international levels. Most horse shows run from one to three days, sometimes longer ...

disciplines, but very common in other sports, such as horse racing. The device is controversial in some circles where its use considered abusive. However, due to the life or death safety and control issues inherent in certain extreme equestrian sports, such as horse racing, it is considered by its proponents as a necessary tool for some animals. Sometimes it is viewed as necessary to prevent the horse's tongue from moving, either to move the

out of position, rendering it ineffective, or to keep the tongue from obstructing the airway if the horse puts its tongue over the bit. The horse's inability to "accept" the bit, whether it be that it was broken in abruptly, or due to assorted riders' heavy-handedness, is often given as another reason for use of a tongue tie. Some equine behaviorists argue that the need of a tongue tie is indication of a deeper underlying issue, and that the tongue tie itself is a mere crutch that does not solve the problem. Research has shown that the tongue-tie does not restrict the animal's breathing. However, research has also shown that the tongue-tie does not provide a respiratory benefit in healthy animals (as some trainers believe it prevents the horse's tongue from coming up, and therefore allows for free air intake). Other studies have shown that it does help prevent dorsal displacement of the

soft palate The soft palate (also known as the velum, palatal velum, or muscular palate) is, in mammals, the soft tissue constituting the back of the roof of the mouth. The soft palate is part of the palate of the mouth; the other part is the hard palate. ...

, but success rate is low.

References

{{Horse equipment Bit accessories