Tongue freedom

We find that many horses respond positively to being ridden with a free tongue bit instead of a traditional two-part or three-part snaffle bit - or, for that matter, a fully fixed bit. There can be several reasons why a horse works best with a free tongue.

The need to swallow

One reason is that the horse - like humans - has a need to swallow, and the swallowing motion is done by bringing the tongue up to the roof of the mouth. If the horse is ridden with a traditional bit (whether two-piece or three-piece), the bit will be pressed into the tongue, preventing the horse from swallowing.

A horse produces an average of 38 liters of saliva per day! It therefore has a great need to swallow; even during the period when it is being ridden. When a traditional bit prevents the swallowing movement, some horses will resign and others will protest. Thus, when large amounts of foam/saliva come out of the horse's mouth, it can be a sign that it is being prevented from swallowing its saliva.

Try it on yourself! Hold a pencil or similar down on your tongue and jog around the living room, riding arena or wherever you like. Very quickly you will feel the need to swallow and it's very difficult to keep moving and keep holding the pencil on your tongue.

A free tongue bite allows the horse to swallow - even if the rider has contact on the rein. Preventing the horse from performing a reflex from the body causes stress and discomfort, and you risk the horse focusing on the uncomfortable instead of listening to the aids and performing its task.

Freedom for the horse's chest sling

Physiologically, the horse's tongue has a major impact on the function of the rest of the horse's body. The tongue is connected to the muscles in the underside of the horse's body - including the underside of the neck and the chest sling, which lifts and carries the horse's front part. Therefore, it goes without saying that if the tongue is fixed and pressed down against the lower jaw, the horse cannot utilize the muscles that are connected to the tongue and it will therefore be inhibited in its movements.

When you try a bit with a free tongue, you will most likely find that your horse can move more freely and relaxed - especially in its forequarters.

Should you change your horse's bit?

Your horse will tell you if you should find a different bit. You can see and feel it if the horse shows resistance:

• The horse goes "over the bit": The horse picks up its head and may also shake its head. This results in the bit sliding backwards in the mouth, relieving pressure on the tongue. The horse can either walk in this position all the time or alternate between walking over the bit and walking in the correct position.
• The horse walks "behind the bit": The horse presses the nose backwards to remove the pressure the bit puts on the tongue. This results in the bit putting pressure on the lips and pasterns. Just like when the horse goes "over the bit", it can go "behind the bit" for longer or shorter periods of time.
• The horse puts its head down: There are different degrees of head down. Some horses press their head so hard against the ground that the rider is almost pulled out of the saddle, while others "just" get heavy on the bit. When the horse presses its head down, the pressure from the bit will settle on the lips and flanks, relieving the tongue.
• The horse has an overactive mouth: This ranges widely - the horse can either move the tongue over, back or out of the mouth, or chew and munch. There can also be many degrees of overactive mouth, but it's typically one of the first signs that the horse is uncomfortable on the bit, so it's important to question if you see this behavior instead of solving the problem by putting a tight noseband on the horse.