Hanging your tongue in horses: causes and cure

Profile of a tongue hanger

I was gifted with Rubesca, an eighteen-year-old brown thoroughbred with a number of bad habits, one of which was her tongue hanging out. That big muscle hung down the left side of his mouth almost non-stop: it looked ridiculous.

Who would have thought that he would become the best horse I have ever owned, winning countless one-day events, dressage and show jumping competitions?

About a year into our relationship, she had kicked the habit of hanging her tongue, which made me wonder why horses hang their tongues and if my way of ‘curing’ Rubesca is common.

Reasons for hanging your tongue

In her article “Help for Tongue Resistance,” Jessica Jahiel, a doctor, physician, and lecturer, states that “hanging tongue is generally a reaction to pain.”

Teeth problems

The causes of mouth pain vary. Brenda Imus of Brenda Imus Gaited Horse Services suggests that the teeth be examined and floated as the teeth may cut into the horse’s tongue when the bit is inserted. The animal hangs it up to avoid pain.

The little

Both experts point out that a horse’s tongue is very thick. There is little or no room for the bite, a gadget that makes you salivate. You should be able to swallow that saliva comfortably. If the bite is too large, held too tightly, or the noseband closes your mouth too tightly, you will need to stick your tongue out in order to swallow.

Horses’ mouths are different, but Dr. Jahiel recommends finding “the finest and softest part that is most comfortable for your horse.”

My own experience supports this. At first I swapped out Rubesca’s thick jointed steak for a thinner, smoother Happy Mouth. I used this soft rubber bit even though it was enormously strong cross country. Since he didn’t hurt her, she listened, and I think this contributed to her eventually forgetting to move her tongue.

I ride your son on a fairly thin French link, which Dr. Jahiel recommends for horses with thick tongues and low palates. He’s happy with it and not hanging his tongue.

Rider’s Hands

Once the teeth have been checked and the correct bit is placed, the pilots must be careful with their hands. Dressage judges treat tongue hanging as “resistance” because it is often a reaction to the rider’s hands.

It is important not to use the horse’s mouth for balance. It helps to imagine how we would feel if someone were to rest on a shaft inserted into our own mouths.

Dr. Jahiel emphasizes the importance of maintaining even contact with both reins: sometimes the tongue hanging is a reaction to too much pressure on one side of the mouth.

Stress

Brenda Imus includes stress and boredom as causes of tongue hanging in horses, and suggests varying her work in areas with room for them to stretch and move. Add to that getting the horse out as much as possible with friendly companions and reducing its downtime in the stable.

Ms Imus also says the habit can be “so ingrained that even after all stressors are removed, (the horse) will need its tongue to be physically held in place until it gets used to it.”

That is a point of view that I cannot share.

Do not obsess

I applied Rubesca with daily TLC and mounted it like it had no quirks. His workload was varied, with several trail runs a week.

I did not get obsessed with his tongue hanging out (or moving his head, biting, etc.) and I concentrated on riding him as sensitively as possible, with constant contact and even with the pressure of the reins. I took it easy.

Over time I noticed that his tongue stayed in his mouth for longer periods. As Dr. Jahiel says, this problem doesn’t go away overnight. But he left. I eliminated anything that could cause pain, stress or boredom for my mare and stopped worrying about her tongue.

I spoke with trainers who have tried various ways to prevent horses from hanging their tongues. After addressing potential physical problems, they found that artificial attempts to hold the horse’s tongue exacerbated the problem.

These men and women on horseback use the same simple method I came across: keep the horse happy, ignore its habit, and it will disappear.

Resources:

Jessica jahiel, Doctor Help for tongue resistance

http://equisearch.com/horses_riding_training/english/dressage/eqjahiel3496/

Brenda imus, My horse is hanging his horse tongue from his mouth

http://www.gaitsofgold.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=453:my-horse-is-hanging-his-tongue-out-of-his-mouth&catid=24:gaited-horse-training- items & itemid = 5