Causes for head throwing

[That_midgit_equestrian]

I'm not saying it's the only cause, or even the main one, but underlying your issues is a lack of balance for this little cob. He needs to learn to move more efficiently then he won't need to use his head and neck to balance so much. If you're game then the very best way to help him is from the ground, and I'd recommend https://www.wildmagicllc.com/master-class, but you'd also get benefit from a more "fun" (I think doing the very best by your horse, learning about them etc is the best fun you can have, but...) approach such as Jec Ballou 55 Exercises book, great resources out there from Ritter Dressage, Manolo Mendez - they all look at posture, balance, way of going, and long term soundness but they also impact on behaviour and mental well being for the horse too.

For your contact make sure your hands are slightly lifted, and slightly offered forwards, thumbs always on top (so few people seem to be able to maintain this but it's critical) and for me, I like the "flat fingers" approach where you can see your fingernails flat on the palm of your hand, with fingers not bent at the uppermost knuckle.

I thibk he is unbalanced someone did say that and we’ve been working on it

 

[That_midgit_equestrian]

It think what people are seeing is tjya he’s 12 he’s been a successful show pony since 5 he isNt green

 

[sbloom]

I thibk he is unbalanced someone did say that and we’ve been working on it

We all work on it as riders, but we are seldom addressing the actual cause and fixing it, hence making very specific recommendations. I'm an experienced saddle fitter working with horses to improve their posture and balance including referring very many for similar ground work.

 

[That_midgit_equestrian]

There’s some videos On my YouTube of him he’s the little pieblaf cob https://youtube.com/channel/UC6CA7Kr-_mSCkZTXq5VItNg

 

[Tiddlypom]

Looking at the video, you are fixing your arms and hands low and down, which would make any horse resist the contact. What does your instructor say about this?

 

[milliepops]

videos are much more useful than one snapshot which I'm sort of surprised people are diagnosing all sorts from.

In the videos i saw i didn't particularly notice him throwing his head about in the way that people may be imagining. It looks to me like he just doesn't really understand the contact very well and as sbloom mentioned his balance is not established yet.
Getting all your checks done including teeth is the right approach in general to make sure your horses is comfortable in work, and then general progression with your lessons will probably improve this, as you work on your riding technique and your instructor helps you to improve his understanding of what you want.

 

[sbloom]

Contact and connection, with your hands low and your elbows pretty straight you can't follow his head and neck movement, nor offer him stability to lift in front. Can you see how your hands are bouncing as you rise, imagine how this feels on his mouth, even if you have pretty loose reins. He should feel confident to reach INTO the contact, almost taking your hands forwards, and never you bringing your hands back. Ask your instructor to help you with your hand and arm position so you can better follow him, and offer him a consistent feel down the rein.

The basics are - bend in the elbow, closed but soft hands, and a lifted hand, offered very slightly forwards, never backwards. Your upper arm belongs to you, your forearm belongs to him and must be able to be responsive to him, isolated from any instability in your own body (including deliberate instability like rising in the trot).

 

[That_midgit_equestrian]

Contact and connection, with your hands low and your elbows pretty straight you can't follow his head and neck movement, nor offer him stability to lift in front. Can you see how your hands are bouncing as you rise, imagine how this feels on his mouth, even if you have pretty loose reins. He should feel confident to reach INTO the contact, almost taking your hands forwards, and never you bringing your hands back. Ask your instructor to help you with your hand and arm position so you can better follow him, and offer him a consistent feel down the rein.

The basics are - bend in the elbow, closed but soft hands, and a lifted hand, offered very slightly forwards, never backwards. Your upper arm belongs to you, your forearm belongs to him and must be able to be responsive to him, isolated from any instability in your own body (including deliberate instability like rising in the trot).

I’ve been quite bad fot this is there anything I can do to keep my hands still or atleast help?

 

[That_midgit_equestrian]

videos are much more useful than one snapshot which I'm sort of surprised people are diagnosing all sorts from.

In the videos i saw i didn't particularly notice him throwing his head about in the way that people may be imagining. It looks to me like he just doesn't really understand the contact very well and as sbloom mentioned his balance is not established yet.
Getting all your checks done including teeth is the right approach in general to make sure your horses is comfortable in work, and then general progression with your lessons will probably improve this, as you work on your riding technique and your instructor helps you to improve his understanding of what you want.

I typically cut them out of the edits I don’t really have any vids of him Doug it

 

[sbloom]

I’ve been quite bad fot this is there anything I can do to keep my hands still or atleast help?

Oh that's so complex, so often our hands can be a reflection of how we ride overall, but we can improve them on their own too. How does the description of the basics I wrote fit in with what you're being taught? That's what to aim for, and bear in mind when making this kind of change you have to really focus on it, and often for many, many rides, which can mean taking a step back. ALL good riders regularly take steps back with themselves and their horses when they realise some basics aren't in place. It's part of the learning process - learning to ride horses well is a lifetime's adventure and we actually learn just as much about ourselves (which can be hard!), horses are our mirror

Ask your instructor, read read and read again, do you for instance follow good biomechanics trainers etc on Facebook or other social media? Have you had a lesson with a biomechanics coach, or read books by Mary Wanless etc? They can often help loads. I'd also look in on some of the freebies in the Rider Reboot group on FB, some great off-horse stuff in there.

 

[That_midgit_equestrian]

Oh that's so complex, so often our hands can be a reflection of how we ride overall, but we can improve them on their own too. How does the description of the basics I wrote fit in with what you're being taught? That's what to aim for, and bear in mind when making this kind of change you have to really focus on it, and often for many, many rides, which can mean taking a step back. ALL good riders regularly take steps back with themselves and their horses when they realise some basics aren't in place. It's part of the learning process - learning to ride horses well is a lifetime's adventure and we actually learn just as much about ourselves (which can be hard!), horses are our mirror

Ask your instructor, read read and read again, do you for instance follow good biomechanics trainers etc on Facebook or other social media? Have you had a lesson with a biomechanics coach, or read books by Mary Wanless etc? They can often help loads. I'd also look in on some of the freebies in the Rider Reboot group on FB, some great off-horse stuff in there.

I’m a bit of a shoddy ride I can’t lie I’d been at a riding school for about 3 years before I got my first loan, I’d had a couple ‘“loans’ that didn’t really work so I also coass Chester as my first the lovely haffy attached down below I then got an ish on loan knocked all the confidence Chester built for me but then we bought muroht and I’ve had him 3 months I think he’s testing me as we still get to know each other

 

[That_midgit_equestrian]

We changed the bit and he’s so so much happier no head shaking