14/03/2023
Another interesting read!
The equine tongue
Restrict the tongue, restrict the stride
Often the tongue is linked to freedom in the front end, but it is the pathway to freedom much further than just the front end it is the gatekeeper for freedom in the whole horse
We often think of restriction of the tongue as just merely placement of the bit and how that interaction affects the movement of the horse but it is so much more, with everything I do we also have to take into account the horses mental wellbeing when we think of restriction because a tight mouth will not effectively give freedom for the horse to move its jaw or move its tongue to its full potential
Basic Anatomy of the tongue
You may think of the tongue as one muscle but it is made up of both intrinsic (closer to the skeleton) and extrinsic (more superficial) muscles, it also has cranial nerve connections it is covered by a thick membrane called lingual mucosa and then most of the surface is covered in papillae, the frenulum (which is also mucosa) attaches the togue to the floor of the mouth and the root of the tongue is attached to the hyoid, The tongue is u shaped
Function
To aid in eating the front section along with the teeth and lips will help select food I(prehension) t can discard what it doesn't want (you will see the horse pick up some grass but remove the bits it doesn't want quite easily) the tongue will help move the food along and around the mouth(mastication) , around to the teeth to create a suitable size and shape (bolus) to swallow and keep moving it back towards the oesophagus, . The tongue also will help clean the horses' teeth along with the salvia and is also highly sensitive and will react to heat, pressure and taste
Connections
We know that the lingual process of the basil hyoid is embedded into the tongue and fan out we call this the omohyoid which is an important muscle in my work as it originates at the subscapular fascia (you will see me working at this area if a horse is head shy) so if you have a tense mouth you will never have a free shoulder. Therefore you will never have a free stride., there are several other muscle connections and along with the fascial connections will have far reaching properties and all the way to the hind end , any tension in the sternohyoid or sternothyroid will have a ripple effect to the hindlimb, a bit is usually the main culprit for restriction but for me it more than that a horse that is worried or tense often will clench their mouth influencing respiration (and again we go back to the diaphragm and regulating correct breathing it's not just as simple as saying itโs the wrong bit it usually links back to how the horse is coping with stress
So if you want a horse with a better stride , we have got to make sure the horse is free in the head
This is such a small, condensed version of what I wanted to write but it would be pages long going into so much detail, so I have glossed over for basic learning and to get a better understanding of how important the head is in relation to the rest of the body when we work, I am often surprised when an owner is shocked at how long their horses tongue is
A little exercise for you to try walk and then hang your tongue out and then curl it back and see how your posture changes to accommodate what you may think is a small movement with your tongue where do you feel more comfortable
