08/03/2024
The Board is going to vote on the use of Tongue Stabilizers for the US National Futurities next week. We need to get ahead of this vote.
We have fought hard for the use of tongue stabilizers and we have improved the comfort and welfare of our horses AND our riders with them.
We passed that resolution arguing that horses who cannot relax their tongue position on their own, with the help of the tongue stablilizer, do relax and go to work with less stress. Nothing is more stressful for a horse of any age than having their tongue end up over the bit or between the snaffle and curb bit.
At the AHA Convention we had veterinarians and professional trainers logically educate us as to why the use of tongue stabilizers was a humane way to help our horses become more comfortable learning to handle their bridle. Having passed that new rule allowing the use of tongue stabilizers using this logic, how can we now disallow their use because they are “stressful” on young horses?!?! In fact, it is when horses are young, in their formative years that they need it the most!
As a trainer for 50 years, I have a general routine with young horses. They start with fat snaffles and no cavessons. I give them time to understand the feel, use, pressure of a bit. Then I make adjustments to horses according to how they respond, none of them identical. Some have busy tongues that never relax under a bit. Then, I introduce a tongue stabilizer. The ones that relax and are more comfortable with the TS, wear it as long as is needed. Some for week, some a month and some always. In the rare circumstance that a horse is more stressed by stabilizing his tongue, I take it off!
We are horsemen and need to make decisions for our own individual horses that are in their best interest . If a tongue stabilizer makes your horse more stressed, then don’t use it!
Finally, I want to point out again, as we did at the Convention when we passed this resolution permitting its use, it is legal to use it in the paddock. This proposed change just requires that we take it off when we go in the gate. That might actually make it more stressful to our young horses.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, the passing of the Tongue Stabilizing Resolution does not require you to use it, it is merely an option. If your horse is stressed by it, DON’T USE IT.
Once again, we are acting illlogically and inconsistently. Either the stabilizer helps alleviate stress or it does not, but we cannot have it both ways.
I urge all of you to call or email your director with this statement:
We are in favor of Tongue Stabilizers for the Futurity horses. Please vote to allow them . The delegates passes this resolution based on the reasoning that the tongue stabilizer helps alleviate stress.
Don’t make us take one step forward and two steps back.
Hashtag: Futurity Commissioners: Lance Walters, Deb Witty, Carrie Olson, John Ryan, Chuck Mangan, Ryan Chambers, Kimberly Dickinson
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