Star Gazing!

[humbuglx]

I've got a 4 year old gelding with a star gazing problem. When he was first broken about 5 months ago, he was just hacking - to build up some muscle - with his head reasonably low. He has not done much schooling at all (as he finds hacking more enjoyable), however when I have schooled him (just walk, trot and a bit of canter going large around school) he is either very lazy or rushing all over the place star gazing at the same time. I have tried starting doing bending and stretching down exercises to encourage his head down - as at the moment im not looking for a rounded outline just lower head carriage to bring his back up, so he can start working well. He will work with a lower head in walk when he is using his hindquarters to the minimal.
He has also become quite resistant to the bit - the more pressure the higher he raises his head (even though I have used very little pressure as we have only been hacking) - so I have begun riding him in a Dr. Cook Bitless Bridle which he does prefer.

When he was first broken he had a lovely head carriage as we did a lot of long reining but since then he has developed the star gazing problem. He is also in good health (teeth, back, etc. + tack fits bearing in mind his shape is changing)

Any suggestions welcome!
Thanks

[robrocks]

Doesn't sound too much like "star gazing" to me. I had my welsh since a yearling and backed at 4. He was turned away and restarted at 5 but was a nightmare to bit and had a neck and head carriage like a giraffe. I restarted him at 6, a little better but still not great. I put him in a small neue schule bit and when I say the difference has been night and day, I am not exaggerating. We have been consistently 1st or 2nd. I would turn him away and restart him next year.

[humbuglx]

Ok thank you for your advice, much appreciated.