The gag bit is designed to allow the mouthpiece to slide on a shank, rope or cable. A gag bit is used for lateral leverage and does not apply pressure to the bars of the horse’s mouth. It is most often used in barrel racing to elevate a horse in a turn. In general, gag bits are designed to work without a curb chain to not restrict the draw action. Although some cheeks are designed to work with a curb, these bits have a restricted slide area.
