Gag Bits-Mechanics?

Soo..all I've been told about gags is that a lot of barrel racers use them to elevate a shoulder on a horse that drops theirs around a barrel. While I've seen them work for that very same thing, HOW do they do it? What about the gag action helps to raise a dropped shoulder? O.o
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Yeah - I've heard this thing about using a bit to 'raise a shoulder'. It's nonsense.

A gag forcibly raises the head. Whilst this might 'free' a shoulder it mostly affects the horse's balance and speed as it throws its weight back. Whether that's desirable in a barrel racer I can't say.