Horse avoiding bit

[Nonyabusiness]

My wonderful chestnut mare will not easily come onto the bit. Shes so strong and heavy in my hands, when she does come onto the bit and engages behind she wont stay there long before were back to square one. Ive been working with her for a year on this now (only had her 18 months) i think ive got somewhere and then im taking 2 steps back. My hands and arms feel like they have been pulled out of joint. I use my legs just as much to ask for engagement. I feel shes taking the mick, but by all accounts has never been any different. Always been very hard to get her on the bit. She is ridden in a loose ring snaffle with roller joint. Also have 4 ring gag think its dutch gag, can be used as snaffle. But not being dressage legal id rather not use it as in the ring is no good to me. Thinking of maybe a baucher hanging cheek. Could this be of use?

Oh shes up to date with dentist, saddle fits, been massaged recently all the norm things, she just likes having her nose in the air.

advice please.

 

[littleshetland]

Seek advice from a good trainer and or try lots of different bits - you'll find the right one eventually.

 

[sally2008]

It could be that she physcially can't come onto the bit at the moment.

My advise would be to take a good look at her foot balance (yes really). Tie her up in the yard and allow her to relax and choose here own foot placement (ie. don't push / pull her back / forward to get her to stand square). Take some photos from directly side-on. Are her legs under her body (standing like a "goat on a rock")? Does the back half of her rump dive off at a steep angle from the highest point? Does she have a negative sole plane (a good indicator is to look at the angle of the coronet band on the back foot - continue the line it makes forward - if it hits the horse above the knee when I would suspect it is negative)?

All / any of these issues could indicate that she seriously needs her foot balance addressed by a farrier / trimmer that properly understands the importance of correct skeletal alignment. All the bits and gadgets in the world won't help her if this is the issue, she will just find another way of evading to try and take the pressure and stress of the bits that hurt when she's made to work in an outline.

Hope that helps! Do give me a kick in return to explain myself better if need be.