Hybrid two-fluid and kinetic equations have been used to study ballooning modes in a tokamak. These modes separate into two branches: a modified ideal magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) ballooning mode and a toroidally induced ion temperature gradient (ηi) mode. Using both model and actual high beta equilibria we find that the ηi mode (ηi = ∂ℓn Ti/∂ℓn Ni) may dominate the ideal MHD mode for moderate ηi (ηi⪆1), leading to substantially lower beta thresholds.