Could someone educate me please about bits with tongue plates (Winning Tongue Plate and similar)? What are they helping achieve? Are they considered strong?
Thank you
A tongue plate does not affect the severity of the bit; it simply is there and prevents the horse from getting its tongue over the bit. Winning tongue plate bits with the extended tongue work great for that purpose. That company also makes a bit without the extended tongue plate, and that is just another version of the snaffle. The joint is such that it will not cause a nutcracker effect on the horse’s mouth. I’ve used the bits with success.
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WTP bits are fantastic, especially for OTTBs who have been tongue-tied or wore a lugging bit. They cannot pinch, are both fat (encourage the horse to push against and take up contact) and small-mouth-friendly (plenty of room for horses w low palate or thick tongue), and encourage the tongue to lay still without the horse feeling trapped. I used one on my lad for a few years before switching to an Expert barrel bit to show in; his mouth has quietened considerably. Highly recommended for horses with tongue or contact issues.
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