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PaddyCampbell15

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I need some help or advice with my horse. I’m going to list what he is doing & if someone could advise me on what’s happening I’d appreciate it.
1 when asking for contact he throws his head in the air and won’t accept it.
2 when I ask him to stop he does the very same thing.
3 when in trott he is perfect 99% of the time until I do a half halt and he throws the head up again.
4 in canter he is inclined to carry his head low and take hold of the bit especially when I’m following other horses.
Does anyone think this is a bitting or saddle problem?
His teeth are perfect as they were done 5 days ago. Thanks in advance 👍
 
You might be pulling back on the reins a bit. Try to half halt with your seat rather than your hands. You can do it by squeezing the horse with your thighs. You can teach them move down gaits and to stop this way as well.

Sometimes they lower their head and lean on the bit if they are excited and want to run on. That may be the case when cantering in a group.
 
If you just hold the reins quietly is he quiet with his head? Does he only throw it when you move the reins, like if you're trying to put him on the bit?
 
You need to do a process of elimination
- does he do it with another rider (one you know is good?)
- does he do it if you are bareback?
- does he do it in a different bit or if you ride in a head collar?

Can someone look at you and see if maybe you are being too strong/sudden or anything?

The canter thing sounds just like a horse using a tactic to let it charge a bit behind other horses, I wouldn't link it to the other issue really. if the horse was doing it in canter all the time I would, but a lot of horse pull them heads down when following others at times.
 
mule said:
You might be pulling back on the reins a bit. Try to half halt with your seat rather than your hands. You can do it by squeezing the horse with your thighs. You can teach them move down gaits and to stop this way as well.

Sometimes they lower their head and lean on the bit if they are excited and want to run on. That may be the case when cantering in a group.
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Yes I do all that. I have been riding racehorses & hunters all my life and this is the first horse I have experienced it with. I’m sort of half thinking that he is sensitive around the mouth area but not sure.
 
paddi22 said:
You need to do a process of elimination
- does he do it with another rider (one you know is good?)
- does he do it if you are bareback?
- does he do it in a different bit or if you ride in a head collar?

Can someone look at you and see if maybe you are being too strong/sudden or anything?

The canter thing sounds just like a horse using a tactic to let it charge a bit behind other horses, I wouldn't link it to the other issue really. if the horse was doing it in canter all the time I would, but a lot of horse pull them heads down when following others at times.
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I ride him on the buckle nearly all the time it’s just when we are doing xc or schooling it’s very notable, I only have him 3 months and wondering was previous rider heavy handed or he could be sensitive around the mouth area
 
Cortez said:
It's the rider, and the training, not the bit, or the saddle....
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He’s been doing it since the day he arrived 3 months ago!! Was doing it with a 2* event rider also. I doubt it’s every rider that’s why I’m wondering could it be possible he is sensitive around the mouth area
 
ycbm said:
This is head shaking. Is it getting worse as the weather gets better?

Also, above you said he was 99% in trot until you try to half halt. Which is it? All the time, or only when you try to stop?

.
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When he is been asked to stop in trott he does it, also when walking on a loose rein he is at it constantly
 
If you're causing resistance by taking a contact, or half halting on his mouth, it's a rider issue.

If, as you're now claiming, the horse throws his head without contact, that's an entirely different issue, which could be any number of things, mainly of which do not have easy fixes, like a magic new bit to solve your problem...
 
PaddyCampbell15 said:
He’s been doing it since the day he arrived 3 months ago!! Was doing it with a 2* event rider also. I doubt it’s every rider that’s why I’m wondering could it be possible he is sensitive around the mouth area
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Every horse is "sensitive around the mouth area". Is he an Irish horse, broken in Ireland, by any chance?
 
It does sound like it's headshaking. If so, it's a vet you need. It could be a number of different things.

I have a headskaker that reacts to an allergen. He gets sinusitis and his head flicks constantly, even when he's not being ridden. It stops at dusk and starts up again around 9 am. Fortunately steroid treatment works for him.
 
JFTD-WS said:
If you're causing resistance by taking a contact, or half halting on his mouth, it's a rider issue.

If, as you're now claiming, the horse throws his head without contact, that's an entirely different issue, which could be any number of things, mainly of which do not have easy fixes, like a magic new bit to solve your problem...
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I said that he does it in walk. I got his teeth & back checked and all good. I only have him a few months and wondering now is a long term thing with him that I think of it
 
PaddyCampbell15 said:
I said that he does it in walk. I got his teeth & back checked and all good. I only have him a few months and wondering now is a long term thing with him that I think of it
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You said he was fine in trot when you aren't fiddling with his mouth, which is not necessarily consistent with headshaking. You said he puts his head down in canter - also not necessarily consistent with headshaking. Those are both consistent with a rider who is fixating on the mouth and not riding the whole horse.

Throwing his head on a loose rein in walk is consistent with headshaking, though not exclusively, and that has other causes. Maybe changing the bit will magically fix your issues, but I doubt it.
 
ycbm said:
Then I suggest you look up head shaking and work through the potential causes of it one by one. Was he vetted when you got him?


..
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No I bought him from a field with 3 others. Other than the head issue he is class, jumps 1m 30 tracks but I’m trying to get to the bottom of the head business
 
PaddyCampbell15 said:
Would a sensitive tongue and been rode in the wrong bit not cause head tossing/shaking??
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You said he was doing it with his previous rider. It would be best to contact him/her and get some more information. I'd imagine that person will have experimented with different bits. You might get some answers.
 
PaddyCampbell15 said:
No I bought him from a field with 3 others. Other than the head issue he is class, jumps 1m 30 tracks but I’m trying to get to the bottom of the head business
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You bought four horses at the same time? Are you dealing? I wouldn't expect a private buyer to buy four at once, but then I wouldn't expect a dealer anyone who buys four horses at the same time to be needing to ask about a bitting problem on a forum, either. This is very confusing.
 
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