There is plenty of jargon associated with horse racing and for newcomers to the sport many of the most confusing aspects focus on what the horse wears during a race. It can look weird when seeing a racehorse clad in a hood, blinkers or shadow roll as they parade around the ring preparing to race.
One of these pieces of horse racing equipment is the tongue tie, which is actually something you’re unlikely to notice when watching horse racing online or on TV.
But even though you may not see the tongue tie in action, you will notice it on the race card.
So, Paddy Power is here to explain exactly what a tongue tie is and what it does, in our latest Demystifying Racing guide!
What is a tongue tie?
A tongue tie is a piece of material that fits between the horse’s tongue and lower jaw. The idea is to keep the tongue in a fixed and comfortable position when the horse is racing, so that it doesn’t swallow its tongue. A horse that swallows its tongue naturally has its air passage disturbed and may struggle to breathe. It certainly won’t be able to race at its full capacity, and in some cases it can be serious.
Horses can also accidentally move their tongue over the bit, which is the piece of metal that runs across the horse’s teeth in order to secure the bridle in place. Usually the bridle helps the tongue sit into place at the base of the lower jaw, but occasionally it can be disturbed.
You can easily spot if a horse is wearing a tongue tie by checking out the horse racing betting race card. A ’t’ will be placed next to the horse’s weight if a tongue tie is being worn. If this is the first time the horse is wearing a tongue tie then ‘t1’ is used instead.
A tongue tie is fitted to a horse before a race (GETTY)
Is a tongue tie bad for horse racing betting?
No. In fact, a tongue tie is likely to be better for the horse than not. After all, if there is a concern that the horse will swallow its tongue then wearing a tongue tie is the perfect solution to ensuring it can run at its potential.
So when you see a ‘t’ or a ‘t1’ on the race card then don’t automatically assume the horse won’t win. The racing betting odds won’t change either. Equipment is there to help the horse, not disadvantage it.
- Why are there false starts in horse races like the Grand National?
- How many horses are there in the Grand National?
- Grand National prize money: How much does the Grand National winner get?
- 9 things to consider when picking a Grand National winner
- Grand National fence names and the stories behind every Aintree jump
- How high are Grand National fences at Aintree Racecourse?
- What are Grand National fences made of at Aintree Racecourse?
- Grand National fences: Order of jumps, total and which are taken twice
- Grand National weights: Why do horses carry different weights at Aintree?
- How many people usually attend the Grand National? What is Aintree’s capacity?
- What is the distance of the Grand National? How far do the horses run?
- How does a horse qualify for the Grand National?
- When did a horse last win the Grand National carrying top weight?
- Do Grand National reserve horses ever run in the race at Aintree?
- What does it mean when a horse is On the Bridle?
- What is a Black type horse race?
- What are the different types of going in horse racing?
- What is a bumper horse race?
- What are blinkers and why do some horses wear them?
- What is an Allowance Race in horse racing?
- What is the difference between hurdles and fences in National Hunt racing?
- What is a halter and why do some horses wear them?
- What does it mean when a horse has spread a plate?
- What is the Rule 4 betting rule in horse racing?
- What is the difference between graded, handicap and selling horse races?
- What does a novice hurdle in horse racing mean?
- What is a listed horse race?
- What does a novice chase in horse racing mean?
- Why do race horses have different ratings and what do they mean?
- When does the National Hunt season start and when does it end?
- Why are there different grades of horse race?
- Why are there 3 different types of National Hunt race?
- Why are race horses given different weights and what does it mean?
- How many different classes of horse race are there?
- What is a claiming race and what do they mean?
- What is an optional claimer in horse racing?
- What is a shadow roll and why do some race horses wear them?
- Why do some races start from stalls and some not?
- What is the difference between Derby and Oaks races?
- What does it mean when a horse knuckles during a horse race?
- What is a stayer in horse racing?
- What is a yearling horse and when are they ready to race?
- What does it mean if a horse has won a point race?
- What does a maiden mean in horse racing?
- How are horses’ ages calculated and why is it not the same as humans?
- What advantages do apprentice jockeys get when riding against professionals?
- What is a conditional jockey?
- What does the term ‘connections’ mean in horse racing?
- Why do some horses wear cheekpieces?
- Who are the stewards in horse racing?
- What does ‘weighed in’ mean at the end of a horse race?
- What is a nursery race?
- Why are some National Hunt races run without fences?
- Why are some horses given a tongue tie during races?
- What does it mean when a horse is ‘pushed out’?
- How are horse racing ratings calculated?
- What does it mean when a horse has a ‘wind operation’?
- How high are the fences and hurdles in horse racing?
- What is an apprentice jockey?
- What is a Bull Ring in horse racing?
- What does the phrase ‘Look of Eagles’ mean in horse racing?
- Why do some horses wear a ‘weight cloth’ during races?
- What is the Triple Crown in horse racing?
- What is a Steeplechase race in horse racing?
- How high are the Cheltenham Festival fences and hurdles?
- Why is the Champion Chase named after the Queen Mother?
- Why does Cheltenham racecourse have an Old Course and a New Course? What’s the differences between the two?
- What is the Cheltenham roar? What difference does it make in races?
- Why are there no jumps in the Cheltenham Festival Champion Bumper?
- How many fans usually attend the Cheltenham Festival? How big is the capacity?
- What is a juvenile in horse racing?
- What is a sire and a dam? Why is breeding so important in horse racing?
- What’s the difference between a colt, filly, gelding, stallion and mare?
- What does it mean when a horse goes to stud?
- What do horse racing commentators mean by sectional times?
- What is the Royal Procession at Royal Ascot? Which members of the Royal Family attend?
- How do they choose Epsom Derby stall numbers? Is there a draw bias?
- How long does it take horses to complete the Epsom Derby? How fast are the runners?
- What has happened to the Queen’s racehorses?
- What is a stewards’ enquiry in horse racing?
- What does it mean when a horse is exposed?
- What happens when there is a dead-heat in horse racing?
- What does the Clerk of the Course do in horse racing?
- What does schooling mean in horse racing?
- How are horses named and who approves them?
- Men must wear socks and other weird Royal Ascot dress codes
- Market movers: What is a market mover in horse racing?
- What is a Ladies’ Day in horse racing and why do they exist?
- Where’s the toilet and how much is a beer – Paddy’s guide to Cheltenham
- How many horse racing courses are there in the UK? Full list
- Top 8 most famous race horses of all time
- 8 of the best retired UK and Irish jockeys
The latest Cheltenham horse racing odds are on PaddyPower.com now
The Paddy Power Guide To Safer Gambling – Everything You Need To Know