Racehorse Tongue Ties: What They Do, When They Help, and What Trainers Get Wrong

Last updated: March 16, 2026

By: Miles HenryFact Checked

Why do horses wear tongue ties? You may have noticed, in the paddock before a race, a strap securing a horse’s tongue to its lower jaw. While it looks simple, the equipment sparks a surprisingly complex debate in racing circles.

I’ve been racing Thoroughbreds in Louisiana for more than 30 years, and my approach to tongue ties has changed dramatically over that time. Early on, nearly every horse in the barn had one — standard practice, rarely questioned. Today, I use them on only one of seven horses, and only because she has a documented history of getting her tongue over the bit during works. This shift reflects both research findings and what I’ve observed firsthand with my horses.

What Is a Tongue Tie?

A tongue tie is a soft strap — typically made from nylon webbing, elastic, or cloth — that is looped around a horse’s tongue and secured to its lower jaw or to the rings of the bit. It’s applied before a race or workout and removed immediately after. The goal is to hold the tongue in a fixed, forward position so it can’t move upward or backward during exercise. Tongue ties have been used in racing since at least the early 20th century, originally fashioned from leather or cloth strips before modern nylon and elastic versions became standard.

How a Tongue Tie Is Applied

Application takes less than a minute in practiced hands. A groom or trainer loops the strap around the horse’s tongue, draws it snugly under the lower jaw, and ties or clips it securely in place. The fit should be firm enough to stay put at racing speed but loose enough that a finger can slide underneath — tight enough to function, not so tight that it restricts blood flow or causes immediate pain. The tie is always removed immediately after the race or workout. Most jurisdictions require that application be done by a licensed official or under veterinary supervision, particularly for first-time use.

Tongue ties are one part of a broader set of decisions trainers make about racehorse headgear. Our complete racehorse equipment guide covers all the gear racehorses wear on race day and how trainers choose between them.

Why Do Racehorses Wear Tongue Ties?

Trainers use tongue ties for three distinct reasons. Understanding which reason applies to a specific horse matters — because the evidence for effectiveness varies significantly depending on which problem is being addressed.

Preventing the Tongue from Getting Over the Bit

Some horses learn to maneuver their tongue over the bit during a race or workout. Once the tongue is over the bit, the rider loses significant rein contact — steering becomes unreliable and the horse can effectively ignore the jockey’s signals. In a race at 40 mph in a field of horses, that’s a safety problem, not just a performance one.

This is the most straightforward use case for a tongue tie, and the one where trainers have the clearest behavioral evidence that it works. If a horse consistently gets its tongue over the bit in works and the tongue tie stops it, the logic is direct. One of my fillies does exactly this — we’ve tried several bit configurations, and the tongue tie is the only thing that reliably keeps her tongue in place during hard works.

Maintaining a Clear Airway — DDSP

The more medically complex reason for tongue ties involves a condition called dorsal displacement of the soft palate, or DDSP. During intense exercise, the soft palate — a flap of tissue at the back of the throat — can shift upward and obstruct the airway. Horses with DDSP make a distinctive gurgling or choking sound mid-race and often stop suddenly as their airway becomes compromised.

The theory behind using a tongue tie for DDSP is that keeping the tongue pulled forward also pulls the structures at the base of the tongue, which may help anchor the soft palate in its correct position below the airway. This is the most medically claimed benefit of tongue ties — and also the most contested by researchers, as we’ll cover in the science section below.

Reducing Oral Distractions and Improving Focus

Some horses are excessive bit-chewers or tongue-players — constantly moving their mouth, rolling the bit, or working their tongue in ways that occupy their attention during a race. Trainers sometimes use a tongue tie to limit this activity and help anxious or fresh horses settle and focus.

This is the least evidence-supported reason for tongue tie use, and the one where the welfare cost-benefit calculation is most questionable. The horse is experiencing some form of oral anxiety or habit, and the response is physical restriction rather than addressing the underlying cause. Not all trainers are comfortable with this rationale, and alternatives — particularly bit changes and behavioral training — often produce better long-term results.

What the Science Actually Says

The scientific evidence on tongue tie effectiveness is more limited — and more skeptical — than their widespread use might suggest.

A significant 2017 study from the University of Sydney, published in the Equine Veterinary Journal, found that tongue ties might reduce airway obstruction in a small subset of horses with confirmed pre-existing conditions. However, the same study documented clear stress responses in many horses during application and wear — increased mouth gaping, head tossing, and repeated attempts to dislodge the tie.

Lead researcher Professor Paul McGreevy concluded there is still no definitive proof that tongue ties improve performance for most horses — a finding that applies to the broader horse population, not just the specific subset where some airway benefit was observed.

A separate study published in the journal Animals found that tongue ties do not consistently widen the upper airways in racehorses — which directly challenges the primary claimed mechanism for their use in DDSP management. The assumption that holding the tongue forward automatically improves airflow lacks robust scientific backing across the broader horse population.

What this means practically: tongue ties may genuinely help horses with confirmed DDSP in specific anatomical circumstances, but using them as a routine precaution on horses without a documented airway issue has no strong scientific justification. The evidence supports targeted use, not blanket application.

Welfare Concerns and the Critics’ Case

The welfare debate around tongue ties has intensified significantly in the past decade, driven by the same research that has questioned their effectiveness. The central concern is straightforward: if the evidence for benefit is weak and the evidence for stress is documented, the calculation shifts.

• Documented stress responses — Studies have recorded increased mouth gaping, head tossing, elevated heart rate, and higher salivary cortisol levels in horses wearing tongue ties. These are measurable physiological stress markers, not just behavioral observations.
• Potential for oral injury — An incorrectly fitted or excessively tight tongue tie can cause bruising, lacerations, or long-term sensitivity in the tongue and surrounding tissue. These injuries may not be visible during paddock inspection.
• Restricted natural movement — Confining the tongue limits a horse’s ability to swallow normally during exercise and interferes with other subtle oral functions.
• Hanging tongue syndrome — Repeated or overly tight tongue tying has been linked to nerve damage that can cause the tongue to hang permanently outside the mouth. This is more common than many in the industry acknowledge.

Organizations including RSPCA Australia have called for stronger regulation or outright bans, citing both the behavioral distress evidence and the lack of consistent performance benefit. Their position is that the welfare cost cannot be justified when the benefit is unproven for most horses. This connects to broader patterns of behavioral stress in racehorses that trainers and regulators are increasingly taking seriously.

Some jurisdictions have responded. Victoria, Australia now requires mandatory veterinary inspection of tongue ties before races to ensure proper application. Germany banned them entirely in 2018. These regulatory moves reflect a shift in how the industry is weighing the evidence.

How Tongue Tie Use Varies Around the World

Tongue tie use isn’t consistent globally — regulatory approaches range from routine acceptance to outright prohibition, and the split largely tracks how aggressively each jurisdiction has engaged with the welfare research.

The Australian numbers are particularly striking — a 2020 study estimated that roughly 72% of Australian racehorses wore a tongue tie at some point in their careers. That level of adoption in a single jurisdiction has driven much of the welfare research and regulatory response, and explains why Australia leads the world in mandatory pre-race veterinary inspection requirements for tongue tie use.

How Trainers Decide Whether to Use a Tongue Tie

A thoughtful trainer’s decision process for tongue ties is more rigorous than simply reaching for one because other horses in the barn wear them. Here’s how the evaluation should work:

• Identify the specific problem first — Is the horse getting its tongue over the bit? Making a breathing noise mid-race? Excessively chewing the bit? The answer determines whether a tongue tie is the right tool at all.
• Scope before assuming DDSP — If the suspected issue is airway-related, a veterinary endoscopy during exercise will confirm or rule out DDSP. Don’t add a tongue tie for a breathing problem you haven’t diagnosed.
• Try it in works before race day — A horse that responds badly to the tie in morning gallops — increased agitation, head tossing, broken focus — is telling you something. Don’t race a horse in equipment it hasn’t accepted in training.
• Check the fit carefully — The tie should be snug enough to stay in place but loose enough that you can slide a finger underneath. Fit matters as much as the decision to use one.
• Monitor and reassess — If a horse has been wearing a tongue tie for several seasons, periodically evaluate whether it’s still necessary. Some horses outgrow the problem that originally required it.

Alternatives to Tongue Ties

For each of the three problems tongue ties address, there are alternative approaches that avoid the welfare concerns — and sometimes produce better results.

For Tongue-Over-Bit Issues

Modified bit designs — including bits with rollers, keys, or elevated ports — physically occupy more space in the mouth and make it harder for the tongue to maneuver over the mouthpiece. A figure eight noseband prevents the horse from opening its mouth wide enough to get the tongue over the bit without restricting the tongue itself. In my barn, the figure eight noseband has become the first thing we try before reaching for a tongue tie.

For Airway and DDSP Issues

For horses with confirmed DDSP, surgical options exist that directly address the anatomical problem rather than managing it with equipment. Tie-forward surgery repositions the larynx to prevent the soft palate from displacing upward. Tie-back surgery (laryngoplasty) is used for a related condition — roaring — where the laryngeal cartilage on one side is paralyzed. These are significant procedures with recovery periods, but for horses with confirmed structural issues they offer a permanent solution rather than race-by-race management.

For Behavioral and Focus Issues

Consistent groundwork, positive reinforcement training, and reducing pre-race anxiety through routine and familiarity are more effective long-term solutions for horses that use their mouth as an anxiety outlet. Non-invasive equipment like blinkers and shadow rolls can help manage distraction without any oral restriction. Earplugs reduce sensory overload before the gate without adding physical restraint.

What Tongue Tie Changes Mean for Bettors

Tongue ties are less commonly tracked by casual bettors than blinker changes, but they carry meaningful information — particularly when you know what to look for.

• Tongue tie added (first time) — The trainer identified a specific problem — tongue over the bit, a suspected breathing issue, or excessive bit chewing — and is addressing it. First-time tongue tie horses are worth a closer look at recent past performances to see if there’s a behavioral or breathing pattern that explains the change.
• Tongue tie removed — Can signal the horse has resolved the underlying issue, or that the trainer found the tie was causing more problems than it was solving. Look at how the horse ran with the tie on — if the form was good, removal may indicate confidence the problem is resolved. If the form was poor, removal may be an experiment.
• Tongue tie added with other equipment changes — A horse adding both a tongue tie and blinkers in the same race is receiving significant equipment intervention. The trainer is clearly trying to solve multiple problems simultaneously, which may indicate a horse that’s been running well below its ability.

If you are handicapping and want to know if a horse is wearing a tongue tie, you generally have to use your eyes:

1. Paddock Watching: Look for the characteristic strip of cloth or rubber around the lower jaw.
2. Trainer/Barn Reports: Sometimes reporters or “clocker” reports will mention a horse training in a tie for the first time.
3. Past Performance Comments: Occasionally, a chart caller might note if a tongue tie was “lost” or “slipped” during a race, but this is rare.

FAQs: Tongue Ties in Horse Racing

Conclusion

The tongue tie is a small piece of equipment that sits at the center of a genuinely important debate — one that balances real performance problems trainers face against growing evidence that routine use causes measurable stress in many horses. The honest answer is that tongue ties help some horses in specific circumstances, the evidence doesn’t support using them as a precautionary default, and the welfare cost of getting that calculation wrong falls entirely on the horse.

My own approach has shifted over 30 years from near-universal use to targeted, documented-reason-only use. That shift came from paying attention to what the research says and what my horses were telling me. Both pointed in the same direction.

To understand how tongue ties fit alongside other headgear decisions — blinkers, shadow rolls, earplugs — our complete racehorse equipment guide covers how trainers approach all of it together.

Have you used tongue ties with your horses, or watched a horse’s performance change when they were added or removed? Drop it in the comments — the specific situations are always more useful than general advice.

Sources

• University of Sydney / Equine Veterinary Journal – McGreevy et al., tongue tie stress and effectiveness study (2017): onlinelibrary.wiley.com
• PubMed / NIH — Animals journal – Tongue ties and upper airway widening research: pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
• RSPCA Australia – Position on tongue tie use in horse racing: kb.rspca.org.au
• British Horseracing Authority – Equipment rules and horse welfare regulations: britishhorseracing.com
• The Jockey Club – Equipment rules and racing regulations: jockeyclub.com

Miles Henry

About Miles Henry

Racehorse Owner & Author | 30+ Years in Thoroughbred Racing

Miles Henry (legal name: William Bradley) is a professional horseman based in Folsom, Louisiana. He holds Louisiana Racing License #67012 and has spent over three decades managing Thoroughbreds at premier tracks including Fair Grounds, Delta Downs, and Evangeline Downs.
Expertise & Hands-On Experience: Beyond the track, Miles has decades of experience in specialized equine care, covering everything from hoof health and nutrition to training protocols for Quarter Horses, Friesians, and Paints. Every guide on Horse Racing Sense is rooted in this “boots-on-the-ground” perspective.
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