Pink pigmentation where the bit rests at the corners of the lips?

[endlessclimb]

Again, my young mare. The skin at the corner of her lips is pink, right where the bit rests. The bit is not adjusted too high, and while she can pull when she darn well feels like it, overall she’s a reasonably soft ride. The rest of her lips are black, just this part is pink.

She is ridden in a variety of metallurgys, including NS’s, aurigan, stainless, and sweet iron. I know that’s no help if there’s a metallurgy allergy, lol. The one she’s been ridden in the most as of late is a sweet iron bomber bit.

Anyone else seen this? I’ll try to get pictures tomorrow.

ETA: not sure when this “started”. I just noticed it about a week ago and found it odd.

[2DogsFarm]

Does she have fleshy lips?
DH’s TWH did, and the loosering snaffle we started him in (previous owner had a longshanked Gaited bit) pinched the corners of his mouth.
We switched to an eggbutt & that solved the problem.

[endlessclimb]

I would say not really, and the bit is an eggbutt anyhow. My late mare had SUPER meaty lips, you had to be very careful with loosering sizing.

[endlessclimb]

[endlessclimb]

side view of how the bridle/bit sits.

Maybe this is a relic from the track? They said she would get really strong and on the muscle.

[punchy]

It’s scars from the bit, most likely the joint. With fleshy lips, the joint of the bit can easily move to the fleshy part. Their mouth is narrower than you think, it’s all lips. So it’s not that you’re pulling hard, but that the bit has moved and the joint gets in her fat lips and cuts her. Mine has the same problem. The daintiest little palate, and five inches of lips.

[StormyDay]

You could go up a bit size. Sometimes that helps. Or try a bit less bridle for a few weeks and if it goes away you know it’s something wrong with the bit you are using.
There are fully plastic bits if you are worried it’s an allergy

[endlessclimb]

Interesting. I did notice that she really hates bits with large center joints, and this definitely could be why. It’s never been scarred or torn since she’s been with me though, it’s just… pink. @StormyDay Up until a few months ago, she was in a rubber mullen mouth (trust, 20mm).

Interesting this would happen with this bit, with the barrel on the center too. Gives me some things to try though! Her second favorite bit is an NS verbindend, but I wanted something a little more stable as a transition bit out of the 20mm rubber d ring.

[endlessclimb]

Plus, her head is anything but petite lol. She’s the first TB I’ve had that doesn’t fit in a cob sized bridle… oh well, made for a good excuse to buy a few more

[SuzieQNutter]

To me the bit is too big.

You should have 2 wrinkles on both sides of the horse. I don’t see that so the bit is too low.

The correct bit you can see so much of the bit when the bit is pulled to the side.

You are seeing that much of the bit with the horse just standing there and the bit not being pulled to the side.

It takes two to pull. If the horse is pulling sp are you.

The art of using the reins is learning how not to use the reins.

In dressage you never pull. Hold yes, pull no.

[endlessclimb]

It could be too big. If I go up another hole it hits her molars. Two wrinkles is a rule of thumb,but depends on jaw conformation.

And yes on the pulling. I don’t pull. She reefs the bit when she’s very stressed but she overall isn’t heavy. Remember this is the mare I have to push into contact at all, which is greatly improved with this bit versus others. I don’t “do” pulling.