| Profile of a Tongue-Hanger | | | | Once the teeth have been checked and the correct |
| Rubesca was given to me for free, a petite | | | | bit inserted, we riders must be careful with our hands. |
| eighteen-year-old chestnut Thoroughbred with a host | | | | Dressage judges treat tongue hanging as 'resistance' |
| of bad habits, one of which was tongue hanging. That | | | | because it's so often a reaction to the rider's hands. |
| big muscle lolled out of the left side of her mouth | | | | It's important not to use the horse's mouth for balance. |
| almost non-stop: she looked ridiculous. | | | | It helps to imagine how we would feel if someone |
| Who would have thought she'd become the best | | | | rested on a shaft inserted inside our own mouths. |
| horse I ever owned, winning countless one day events, | | | | Dr. Jahiel stresses the importance of maintaining even |
| dressage and show jumping competitions? | | | | contact with both reins: sometimes tongue lolling is a |
| Approximately one year into our relationship, she'd | | | | reaction to too much pressure on one side of the |
| kicked the tongue-hanging habit, which made me | | | | mouth. |
| wonder why horses hang their tongues and whether | | | | Stress |
| my way of 'curing' Rubesca is common? | | | | Brenda Imus includes stress and boredom as causes |
| Reasons For Tongue-Hanging | | | | for tongue hanging in horses, and suggests varying |
| In her article "Help for Tongue Resistance" Jessica | | | | their work in areas with room for them to stretch and |
| Jahiel, PhD, clinician and lecturer, states that | | | | move. To this I would add turning the horse out as |
| 'tongue-lolling is usually a reaction to pain.' | | | | much as possible with friendly companions, and |
| Teeth Problems | | | | reducing his idle time in the stall. |
| Causes of mouth pain vary. Brenda Imus, of Brenda | | | | Ms. Imus also says the habit may be "so ingrained that |
| Imus Gaited Horse Services suggests getting the teeth | | | | even after all the stressors are removed, (the horse) |
| examined and floated, as it's possible the teeth cut into | | | | will need to have his tongue physically held in place until |
| the horse's tongue when the bit is inserted. The animal | | | | he becomes accustomed to it." |
| hangs it to avoid the pain. | | | | That is a viewpoint I cannot share. |
| The Bit | | | | Don't Obsess |
| Both experts point out that a horse's tongue is very | | | | I plied Rubesca with daily TLC and rode her as if she |
| thick. There is little or no room for the bit, a contraption | | | | had no quirks. Her workload was varied, with several |
| which causes him to salivate. He must be able to | | | | trail rides a week. |
| swallow that saliva comfortably. If the bit is too large, | | | | I didn't obsess about her tongue hanging (or |
| held too strongly or the nose band shuts his mouth too | | | | head-wagging, bit-snatching, etc.) and concentrated on |
| tightly, he will need to get his tongue out of the way in | | | | riding her as sensitively as possible, with consistent |
| order to swallow. | | | | contact and even rein pressure. I took it slowly. |
| Horses' mouths differ, but Dr Jahiel recommends | | | | Over time I noticed her tongue staying in her mouth for |
| finding "the thinnest, smoothest bit that will be the most | | | | longer periods. As Dr. Jahiel says, this problem doesn't |
| comfortable for your horse." | | | | go away overnight. But it did go away. I'd removed |
| My own experience supports this. Early on I changed | | | | everything that might cause my mare pain, stress or |
| Rubesca's thick jointed snaffle to a thinner, smoother | | | | boredom and stopped worrying about her tongue. |
| Happy Mouth. I used this soft rubber bit even though | | | | I talked to trainers who've tried various ways to stop |
| she was enormously strong cross country. Because it | | | | horses from hanging their tongues. After addressing |
| didn't hurt her, she listened, and I think this contributed to | | | | possible physical issues, they found artificial attempts |
| her eventually forgetting to loll her tongue. | | | | to restrain the horse's tongue exacerbated the |
| I ride her son in a fairly thin French link, which Dr. Jahiel | | | | problem. |
| recommends for horses with thick tongues and low | | | | These horse-men and women use the same simple |
| palates. He's happy with it and not hanging his tongue. | | | | method I stumbled upon: keep the horse happy, ignore |
| Rider's Hands | | | | his habit and it will go away. |