ewe necked, resistant horse with poor balance

[welshpony216]

today, me and my horse were having a bit of a trot around the arena, and I noticed she was running out from under me, I half-halted lightly, but she put her head up and ignored me. She continue to carry her head up in the air for the rest of the session. Her head was braced agenst the bit, I tried doing some long and low work with my trainer, but she would just go faster and ignore me. When we worked on 20m circles, I noticed that on the down hill side (our arena is a bit uneven) she would speed up and fall in. After our lesson, I noticed she had hardly had any muscle on the top of her neck, but had a bit too much on the bottom. The few times she listened to my half halts, she would exaggerat and started walking (i dont think it was me, because I tend to under-use my reins a little. I hate hard mouthed horses, and I really dont want to create them!) Is it just because she is unfit (she has only been in work for nearly 2 months now, after some time off). What can I do to help her? Once she isn't ignoring me, I will be able to slow her down, but how do I get her to not tune me out??? She will not put her head down, no madder what me and my trainer do! I also had my trainer check my tack, but she said it all fit fine. Its only at trot though. I know you guys are going to ask... this is her bit.

 

[Equi]

do more work on the ground like carrot stretches and always feed from the floor, long reining over poles etc in walk to build up her topline without the need to resist. Always start every ride with long and low even if she’s not doing it perfectly it will come. Walking over poles on a long rein etc and using your legs and seat to push her forward and eventually adding just very slight resistance for her to work into.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I did ride a horse with a bit ewe neck years ago and found her quite heavy in the hand but my horses are extremely light in the mouth so I probably noticed the difference between them, I would not feed from a hay net ever as it encourages under neck muscle, I used a happy mouth once and it made my Arabs mouth bleed, bits are only made strong by the people that are on end of the rein, I like the eldonian bits I currently use the starter snaffle on one of mine, but I concentrate on getting the horse to relax through the neck, don't hang on you have to relax through your body and it relay down the rein and then the horse will respond, do lots of counter bend, lots of changing direction and lots of transitions but you have to be relaxed not tense at all, don't expect it to happen straight away it doesn't don't worry about where the head is just sit relax and be calm, it might take you 15 minutes to get a slight head drop that's fine and just practice and in time it will just happen for longer.