Tongue-tie (tack)

A tongue-tie is a piece of equipment used by equestrians to prevent a horse from getting its tongue over the bit, which would make the animal very difficult to control.

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.

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.

[1] 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).

[2] Other studies have shown that it does help prevent dorsal displacement of the soft palate, but success rate is low.