The Winning Tongue Plate range of lightweight stainless steel horse bit designs. –
These bits can be used in all ridden disciplines subject to any competition rules prevailing (FEI, BS, and BD-Dressage riders please note and check before use) and are rated highly by riders and trainers for the benefits these designs bring for use during both training and in competition where allowed.
No other bit designer has been able to achieve a more successful solution to providing comfortable tongue pressure as opposed to tongue relief to remove objections from the horse that has a sensitive tongue. The WTP wide link plate prevents bit pinching and reduces tongue pressure by 85% which has been calculated under engineering conditions due to its surface area.
The bit arms have limited travel reducing outer ring pressure preventing pain to the cheeks and lips by reducing the nutcracker action found with the traditional snaffle. The bit design geometry is angled to prevent any pain to the roof, tongue, and bars of the horse’s mouth during active rein take up and removing any chance of soft palate displacement.
This horse bit design has been known to assist with horses that are displaying signs of a busy mouth or objections to a bit, and where the tongue is being put over the bit or out of the side of the mouth.
Some horses use the tongue like a large cushion against the rider’s rein contact which brings bit pressure on the horse’s mouth. The horse uses the tongue to protect the bars of the mouth which has a higher level of sensitivity as the bit first starts acting on the horse’s tongue followed by the bars of the mouth, and the gums that thinly cover the jawbone.
In using the tongue in this way, the horse achieves a level of control over the impact of the bit coming into contact with the bars of the mouth (as a secondary contact point to the tongue) with a level of assurance against any sudden bar pressure hitting the sensitive gum line.
When looking at bit pressure most bit designs move pressure to different contact points of the mouth, and while that can work well some horses may prefer comfortable tongue pressure without any discomfort which is what this bit achieves. Not all horses are happier with tongue relief given the greater level of subsequent bar pressure this often brings as the bit arrives on the bars of the mouth as an initial rather than secondary point of contact and so in this bit, we achieve a nice balancing act in compromise.
Another important aspect is the tongue position in relation to the mouth and air intake, which is particulalry relevant for horses doing faster work such as racing, eventing, jumping endurance and polo ponies. The air intake can be compromised by the tongue being drawn back to avoid bit discomfort either partially or completely at which point the horse pops the tongue over the top of the bit to give it some where to go.
This results in reduced oxygen intake and a reduction in speed or endurance performance, with the WTP bits oxygen intake is improved as the tongue remains under the tongue and does not draw back to avoid the bit linkages or whatever design feature is positioned over the tongue.
There is an important aspect that is often missed when considering bitting choices and that is the extent of the horse’s confidence in working with the chosen bit. This can be largely influenced by the riders’ hands and the degree of an independent seat rating. The better this rating is, the more content the horse will be with the likelihood that the bit will not come with any nasty surprises.
The important aspect related to this is the degree of apprehension the horse feels relating to the bit that can be ascertained by observation of the horse in work in any chosen riders’ hands. This apprehension can also be created even with a rider with both good hands and seat if the bit choice does not suit the horse’s mouth conformation or the sizing is wrong.
Or with some horses their understanding of how they should use the bit needs improvement through further education due to its introduction to ridden work being rushed or badly started.
A horse that is apprehensive about the bit acting in way that will hurt, will mean the horse will be apprehensive in its work. It may silently worry and back off in its movement or become more animated and develop avoidance techniques that are undesirable. It may put the tongue out, or go with the tongue over the bit, or exhibit a dry mouth and many other possible outcomes too numerous to mention.
Working through logically the best outcome and understanding the different bit actions can help narrow down a solution.
Bitting of any type means putting pressure in one or more places in and around the horse’s mouth and the key to successful bitting is to understand what and how much should go where. As humans we do a grand job of deciding this for the horse using all the information available if we understand what we are doing.
The problem is this, even a qualified experienced bitting consultant does not have the benefit of asking the horse what they think. The acid test is to observe knowledgeably any improvements or changes in the horse’s way of going when trying different bits and talking to the rider about how they feel the horse is responding.
The winning tongue plate bits are unique in their design and have an important place in the bitting consultants design toolbox because they do provide excellent levels of comfort over the tongue area and limit the level of bit closure to the bars and cheeks of the horse mouth and face respectively.
Reducing bit discomfort is a game of percentages often, and understanding where the horse is most comfortable accepting what is unavoidable bit pressure of some sort (because that is how we communicate a change in direction or pace with a bit) and to what level pressure is acceptable to the horse at that location in the mouth along with any other locations the bit design brings.
Far more is achieved in horse control by improving comfort than was ever done by increasing severity of bit type as this usually means more discomfort, which means more argument at both ends of the rein, and that also brings with it misbehaviour and noncompliance on behalf of the horse.
Once we have established the right bit solution and checked the improvements are still apparent over several days ( new bit contact points in the mouth can be come sore just like a new pair of shoes), we hope to observe the horse is less apprehensive, will relax further and look for the contact instead of avoiding it. The knock on effect is the rider relaxes more and softens the contact and then the snowball of improving work through better movement and control continues.
The results this all brings involve a softer neckline, better movement through the shoulder and the hind leg starts swinging through further to aid the rider achieve better carriage of the horse through lifting of the back to create a more rounded outline and consistently improving performance outcomes.