Developing the frame

[yellowdun]

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone who has been so generous with information on this thread. Thanks OP for your original question- I've found it so helpful for my own horses.

 

[PolarSkye]

Most horses that are said to be stiff or braced in the neck are not actually so (but of course some can be..). The brace may feel in the neck but it is normally elsewhere.

Ask the horse to halt and stand quietly. Then gently ask the horse to bend the neck around like a physios carrot stretch to either side. Given time most horses can do this. The problem is that in motion the hindleg is tight and is thrusting the horse forwards and the horse can feel braced as they are actually losing balance and tightening against this. Most horses in this situation then brace the jaws around the bit and this is what the rider feels.

By using halt and gentle lateral (to the side) flexions (where the head joins the neck) the rider can softly encourage the horse to release the jaw. When this happens ask the horse to walk on and repeat in walk and when the horse lets go in the jaw (not dropping the contact but a genuine release through the jaw) the rider will feel a release through the whole horse. Then the rider needs to stretch the horse down into a soft and correct long and low to release the back further and to gain a softer more in balance stride.

Simon - I don't disagree that tension in the neck can be showing there but originating somewhere else . . . but isn't the reverse also true?

I'm oversimplifying my own situation when I say that Kal braced through his neck - actually it was his whole frame, particularly his front end, that was tense and tight but it was definitely a response to having been pinned in (draw reins and a standing martingale to stop him rearing - sigh). Kali learned to brace from stimulus at the front end . . . I knew he had more movement than he was showing us under saddle because with absolutely no contact he had a natural overtrack of about three hoof prints (he is quite short in the back and long in the leg, but still . . . ). When he walks with no interference, he prowls.

We do use lateral flexion to get him to release - ditto shoulder in/fore - for him, it's more of a mental release - it gives him something to think about and "do" rather than just be tense and puppet-like, plus it creates muscle softness .

As I said, I think you are right, but do you think most amateur, riding club level riders are able to differentiate (just with their hands) between tightness in the jaw and a horse which is bracing through the underside of its neck, etc.?

P

 

[Simon Battram]

As I said, I think you are right, but do you think most amateur, riding club level riders are able to differentiate (just with their hands) between tightness in the jaw and a horse which is bracing through the underside of its neck, etc.?

P

This is where the value of good instruction comes in. Any rider needs to work on their position first and foremost, then their understanding of the training process, the structure of the horse and the way it moves and then to understand where their horse is at with his or her training.

When talked through and shown any rider has the potential ability to 'read the signs' and know what the issues are and then use the appropriate tool in the box to help resolve what is going on. This is why I talked about looking at the whole horse and not overly focusing on one aspect to the exclusion of another.

 

[PolarSkye]

This is where the value of good instruction comes in. Any rider needs to work on their position first and foremost, then their understanding of the training process, the structure of the horse and the way it moves and then to understand where their horse is at with his or her training.

When talked through and shown any rider has the potential ability to 'read the signs' and know what the issues are and then use the appropriate tool in the box to help resolve what is going on. This is why I talked about looking at the whole horse and not overly focusing on one aspect to the exclusion of another.

We are in violent agreement here - I am just really saddened by how many people I see and know personally who focus solely on what the horse's head and neck are doing . . . and who have their own instructors. There are some very good instructors out there - but either not enough people are having instruction or there aren't enough decent instructors to go round.

P

 

[Walrus]

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone who has been so generous with information on this thread.

Echo this! Really interesting thread and definitely given me plenty to think about - will definitely be coming back to read through again for reference over the weekend. Thank you.

 

[soulfull]

Most horses that are said to be stiff or braced in the neck are not actually so (but of course some can be..). The brace may feel in the neck but it is normally elsewhere.

Ask the horse to halt and stand quietly. Then gently ask the horse to bend the neck around like a physios carrot stretch to either side. Given time most horses can do this. The problem is that in motion the hindleg is tight and is thrusting the horse forwards and the horse can feel braced as they are actually losing balance and tightening against this. Most horses in this situation then brace the jaws around the bit and this is what the rider feels.

By using halt and gentle lateral (to the side) flexions (where the head joins the neck) the rider can softly encourage the horse to release the jaw. When this happens ask the horse to walk on and repeat in walk and when the horse lets go in the jaw (not dropping the contact but a genuine release through the jaw) the rider will feel a release through the whole horse. Then the rider needs to stretch the horse down into a soft and correct long and low to release the back further and to gain a softer more in balance stride.

This^^^

Only 2 wks ago I realised this is what is happening with my newish mare

however she relaxes her jaw wonderfully in a pelham and it shows in the softness and throughness from hind to hand. why is this?

 

[Palindrome]

The only other thing i would add is that getting some of these horses OUT of the arena helps (but not all - depends on their basic nature. This little mare does some of her best most relaxed work out on a hack as she does not seem to carry the same mental baggage out there. And of course hills work well too (it's hard to be tense when your head HAS to be down near your knees to climb).

Yes, and gallop. They do really learn to stretch their neck when galloping. For those that are stressheads, following a confident horse hacking can let them relax a bit.
Also make sure the saddle is wide enough, a narrow saddle will pinch and they carry their head up as a result.

 

[nuttychestnut]

Sorry can't offer any other exercises but this may be worth a quick read https://aspireequestrian.wordpress....al-suggestion-to-try-if-you-just-cant-get-it/

 

[nuttychestnut]

Ps great thread! Thanks to OP for your Q and thank you everyone for your fantastic responses. Can't wait to include some of the exercises on mine

 

[Bernster]

I really like that imagery ! Thx

Sorry can't offer any other exercises but this may be worth a quick read https://aspireequestrian.wordpress....al-suggestion-to-try-if-you-just-cant-get-it/

 

[OwnedbyJoe]

PolarSkye it would appear that your horse has a little (Australian) sister... Right down to the headshaking thing (except with her it's head tossing) Violently, up and down and up and down, as soon as she gets worried by the contact. It's a hell of thing to get her past.

 

[BBP]

I apologise, I asked a question in the middle of this thread and then haven't been able to come back to it. The information given is great though, thank you. Simon Batterhams post is on the money. My pony suffers a hot spot in his spine and incredibly tight inner thigh muscles, so he really can't step through and under which means I can't push him into a contact. His canter is particularly weak. Every time I feel like we are making progress we go back and the tension reappears and I feel like I'm starting from scratch. The advice from the Physio is to get him to stretch a lot over his back but this is really hard to do in practice. I'm really not sure where to turn with him now. He is super willing and has all the potential in the world but I can't seem to solve this restricted inner thigh issue. I can do carrot stretches, lifts and massage for his back which did help last year but I don't know how to really get on top of his problems. He's such a lovely horse I really do worry that I'm causing the problems rather than fixing them.