bit cutting lips

[Vicki1986]

my little mare leans on the bit when she's excited / tired / feels like it

so when we go out mock hunting i put her in a waterford 3 ring gag. ride wise this works well, however it cuts open her mouth at the corners not horrendously but enough to bleed slightly. (there are no sharp edges on it and its clean)
apart from those rubber bit guards and vaseline is there anything else i can do ??
i bought some gold label skin hardening gel, only used it a few times as wasnt convinced it was doing a lot

at home she goes in happy mouth bits (snaffles & gags). i'd happily change bit if i knew it was something that would keep her head up out of her knee's when we are cantering down steep hills

 

[Nats_uk]

My horse has exactly the same problem when I go out hunting (although his mouth is v.sensitive most of the time-damn gingers and their sensitive skin)

I put lanolin (wool fat) on the corners of his mouth before I ride which helps a lot. The first time I hunted I used a 3 ring gag and he leaned, stuck his head down and cut his mouth. The next time I used a rubber jointed pelham (with roundings) and he was great. I had brakes, he didn't stick his head down and it barely marked his mouth. I have now switched to a rubber snaffle at home as well.

 

[Vicki1986]

i will try to pick one up on ebay to try then thanks! wont be in time for sunday but will be out lots more hopefully so will come in use.

thanks for lanolin tip never heard that one before.

 

[Nats_uk]

Don't know what size you want but could try:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Cottage-Craft-Join...NQQcmdZViewItem

The lanolin tip was from a friend of mine (I had never heard of it before!)

 

[lisan]

I have never looked back since using KK's - I use this one for Hunting/XC
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Sprenger-KK-VIENNA...ksid=p1638.m118

My mare is allergic to normal metal and was in happy mouths, but I found they chafed her mouth. She really pulled last time out hunting, I expected her mouth to be cut and it was'nt! I do use the rubber biscuit thingies on it too!

 

[Gentle_Warrior]

if it is a loose ring it may be where the bit is pinching the skin as it revoles on the ring - in which case try bit rings

 

[StaceyTanglewood]

hun from froggers and probably speedgate you can buy stuff (ive got some at the yard) that you cut in strips and it wraps roudn the bit and sticks to its self !!!

anyway if you put that round the corners of your bit it should not split her mouth xx

 

[madhector]

Vasaline actually softens the corners of the mouth, I found it made J's mouth worse over time, I stopped using it and his has toughened up by itself and is fine now

 

[Vicki1986]

really?! i will go down the shop and ask ive never seen it but that sounds handy.

 

[Vicki1986]

that makes sense. although W is 14 ish now so i think if she was giong to toughen up she would have done by now. i only use it to lubricate when i know its going to be a problem like for hunting, all the rest of the time its fine.

 

[StaceyTanglewood]

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really?! i will go down the shop and ask ive never seen it but that sounds handy.

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im sure ive got some at the yard hun if you want it - ill look tomorrow what the name of it is and text you xx