What is the difference between a tender touch bit and a lifter bit? I need a little bit more than my junior cow bit. Are they both still gag bits?

Edit: If I need more response "now" I would want less gag correct? 

I beileve the tender touch has 1in of gag.

And you are correct, the gag is delayed/softer response vs a fixed bit.

As for lifters, it depends on the actual bit. Lifters vary greatly in length of the shank & purchase. the size variations out there are numerous. there are also fixed mouths vs gag on lifters. Do you have a specific one in mind?

I have a mare currently that LOATHES any type of gag bit. Even a jr cow that has the round gag action. as for the fixed version the shanks overall were too long. I found a mini lifter on the L&W website that is also swept back. it's 3.5 in overal length. It works very well. I'll add that she pushed through the smooth mouth but works very well on the slow twist hex mouth piece. I hope this makes sens. 

I don't have a specific brand in mind, but thinking a life saver mouth. She prefers a 3 piece bit. I have to bring her back down and do some rating drills. She will cruise a nice set in the 3/4D easy but when being pushed she tends to just worry about the run and not as much the turn. I am still learning where exactly I should start asking her to rate, I've had really nice runs on her before when I cue at the correct time, but I still never felt like my junior cow is what I need. I ran my push style horse for years and I'm still adjusting to the free running style. She is sensitive still so I can't use too big of a bit on her, what you have sounds like it may be good for me to use in an indoor, but I probably need a longer shank for a big outdoor pen. We are really going to work on rating that first barrel this year though. We have the turns going slower, and she definitely has the speed, but we still need to combine the two. ??  Edit: I'm going to start trying some poles on her as well this year. Would a lifter bit be good for that as well?

Wow you described my mare to a "t". I am currently learning how to run a free runner as well. It's hard, lol. I am riding her in a L&W lifter bit with a twisted lifesaver mouth piece. It seems to help us "rate " a little more as I too need to figure where here rates points are. I do also work her in a tender touch and she loves it but we have no whoa at all.