Over 20% of Australian horses race with their tongues tied to their lower jaw

Editor's note

Let’s put a trite saying to rest: you may have tripped over your words once or twice, but you’ve never been tongue-tied.

Tongue-tying is the practice of winding a strap around a horse’s tongue and tying it to the lower jaw. It’s widespread in Australian horse racing and is thought to prevent breathing issues and increase the rider’s control.

But a recent ban in Germany raises the question, does it help or harm horses? Two researchers explain how tongue-ties work and ask if they’re something Australia should allow.

Madeleine De Gabriele

Deputy Editor: Energy + Environment

Top story

Tongue-ties are used to tie horses’ tongues to their lower jaw. Horses & People Magazine

Over 20% of Australian horses race with their tongues tied to their lower jaw

Samantha Franklin, University of Adelaide; Paul McGreevy, University of Sydney

Tongue-ties are used in Australian horse racing but are banned in most other horse sports.

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