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Choosing a bit for a horse with a sensitive tongue can be a challenge. All horses are different and need different help from the bit. We are here to help guide you to the best option for you and your horse!
The horse's tongue contains a dozen muscles and can be very pressure-sensitive. The tongue is also placed higher than the bars, which causes it to take more pressure than the bars. The bars are the space on both sides of the tongue, between the incisor teeth and molars. The shape of the bars is different from horse to horse; some horses have higher and sharper bars than others.
The tongue is a muscle, while the bars are a bone with a layer of skin, the tongue can withstand more pressure than the bars. But some horses are more sensitive to tongue pressure, and it's common for horses to like a bit with tongue relief.
Common signs of sensitive bars:
Your horse can throw its head up when you take the reins
Your horse can chew hard on the bit
Your horse put its tongue out on the side of the mouth
Your horse can overreact when you take the reins
Common signs of a sensitive tongue:
Your horse can pull the reins down/forward
Your horse can open its mouth
Your horse plays with the tongue, and/or puts the tongue over/behind the bit
Your horse can be on and off in the contact
Even if your horse is more sensitive to tongue pressure, it's still essential to have a bit with bar relief to vary between to ensure the bars don't get too much pressure. It's also important to make sure that the port of the bit is suitable for the shape of your horse's mouth, as horses with a bigger tongue can have a bigger port than horses with a smaller tongue.
We have different types of bits with tongue relief, as all horses have different mouth shapes, and the rider may want different feelings from the bits. Here are some of our favorite bits for horses with a sensitive tongue. All bits are available with multiple sidepieces.
These bits have a standard tongue relief, suitable for many different types of horses. When using these bits, the pressure on the bars will increase slightly so it's important to remember to have a natural bit without tongue relief to change between for most of the horses. For horses with a bigger tongue, it might not be necessary.
These bits have everything you could want from a bit! It is incredibly comfortable, featuring 100% super smooth surfaces, including the joints.
The joints are designed to never create uneven point pressure over the tongue. It is an extremely comfortable bit that contours naturally around the tongue, relieving the tongue from constant pressure.
This is an excellent option for horses who can overreact to pressure on the tongue and have a hard time staying comfortable and consistent in the hand.
Dylan is a double-jointed sweet iron bit with laying joints and a tongue relief.
The Horizontal joints will lay flat against the tongue and palate to give a more gentle pressure on the tongue than vertical joints. This can be good for horses that can overreact when you take the reins and need to keep the consistent contact through every movement. It's also a good option for horses with a low palate, thanks to the laying joints.
This bit has the same shape as Mattias, but without the lockup effect, which makes it possible for the horse to lift the bit up from the tongue even more.
These single-jointed bits feature our unique Fager Smart System - FSS™. This innovative system is designed to lock the joint in any direction, to avoid any interference with the palate, thus avoiding the ‘nutcracker’ effect.
This is an excellent option for horses who can overreact to pressure on the tongue and have a hard time staying comfortable and consistent in the hand. They have a standard tongue relief, suitable for many different types of horses.
These bits are the perfect solution for horses that feel stiff and heavy in the contact, whilst at the same time express sensitivity to harsh hands. This design relieves the constant pressure from the tongue and, in combination with the roller, creates a surprisingly different pressure as and when it is required.
The short centrepiece eliminates any palate interference as it’s breakover is positioned towards the outside of the tongue. This even suits horses with a low and/or short palate conformation with a large tongue.
These bits have a small tongue relief, suitable for horses with a small but sensitive tongue, who are sensitive to bar pressure as well. These bits are not as ideal for overly sensitive tongues as the other options but are often gentle enough to the tongue for most populations of horses.
Mattias and Matilda are double-jointed with a special lockup function, they have the same shape but different materials. The mouthpiece has a tongue relief but locks upwards, which can be good for horses with a low palate and sensitive bars who still prefers a tongue relief. This means that this bit will give less pressure on the tongue, but still minimize the risk of putting to much pressure on the bars.
The joints are rotated away from the tongue, which gives a more gentle, smooth pressure on the tongue. This can be good for horses that can overreact when you take the reins and need to keep the consistent contact through every movement.
These bits are constructed with a 100% super smooth surface, even around the joints designed to never interfere with or push against the palate or create uncomfortable point pressure on the tongue. It is a very comfortable bit that shapes naturally around the tongue.
This design has a very small, gentle tongue relief. It follows the natural shape of the mouth to give a more gentle pressure on the tongue than a normal single-jointed bit. It's still suitable for horses with sensitive bars and a small tongue.
Anatomical straight bits designed with specific pressure distribution to ensure complete comfort for the horse. A straight bit is good for the teeth and mouthcorners, which makes these bits a great option to use for variation.
The design provides the best shape for a horse, which a straight bit can have, following the natural contours of the horse's mouth. It gives a more evenly distributed pressure over the mouth, giving the tongue more space.
These bits have a larger tongue relief, suitable for horses with a big and overly sensitive tongue. Even if your horse has an overly sensitive tongue, we recommend finding a bit with a smaller tongue relief to vary between to protect the bars.
These bits have a big port that offers as little pressure on the tongue as possible. This can be good for horses with a very sensitive tongue who can pull the tongue behind the bit or over the bit, and find the tongue pressure very uncomfortable. However, a big port should not be used too many days a week as it will put more pressure on the bars.
