Bit / sensitive mouth

[Vicki1986]

my little mare leans on the bit when she's excited / tired / feels like it :smirk: so when we go out 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. (its clean and has no rough / sharp edges)
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 :shocked:

 

[lucemoose]

Just a thought, Ive got two waterfords and the construction of them is slightly different. One is smoother than the other at the ball joint where it attaches to the actual bit ring. Worth a try comparing your bit to others out there? (mine are a hanging cheek and a loose ring)
Can you put a curb on the bit so the action is lessened on the mouth but you still have brakes?
With a bit that works on leverage there will always be 'pull' at the corners of the lips more so than a snaffle type bit.

 

[Breezesbenefactor]

Is the bit wide enough? However I thought I'd mention it there is a elastic cord device on the market that keeps your horses head tucked in without forcing (more of a suggestive tool), it may be she is biting the bit for long periods which can cause bleeding and this may help alleviate this problem? Worth a try for a tenner anyhow