dishearted :(

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cobface

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Took my mare in the ménage today for a schooling session, we haven't done any schooling for ages. As soon as i picked up contact she started with the head throwing - so violently that she threw me forwards out of my seat a few times, got off her as her head was being thrown up so much i discovered she had her tongue over the bit :( disheartened i took her back to the yard, had someone take a look and they suggested i try a smaller bit, tried her in a 5" French link (normally wears a 5.5 lozenge snaffle) she did go better, certainly not as bad as previously, but still tried to evade the bit and did the *rocking horse* routine again :( (rocking horse is what i call when she throws her head up so much her front feet leave the ground - does this when i she canters) i normally ride in a martingale but since i want to do dressage with her i am trying to use it less. I am becoming very dishearted about the whole thing now :( she has had everything checked and there dosent seem to be any physical problems??
i have an instructer next week coming.
Thanks for getting this far! any help out there?
 
I haven't read your previous posts so apologies if this is way off the mark! Has she only started doing it recently?

If so, have you considered headshaking?? I have had to give Zoom a few weeks off since April/May is the only time she really does it badly. She too does the 'rocking horse' with a mini rear and leap and then plunging her head.
 
Hi I have a 4 yr old that has recently started doing this!! Canter consists of her front feet coming up an high as possible and slamming into the floor as she lifts her head and shakes it! It drives me mad. I have considered turning her away for awhile but am first going to change bits. I would suggest if there are no physical problems trying out different bits and also taking your schooling back to basics as much as you can whilst trying these bits. Also try a net in case it is headshaking
 
get together a selection of bits to try and beg/borrow my other friends. If there is nothing physical/not headshaking, then you need to perserve with trying different bits. Take into consideration other things like the thickness of her tongue, narrowness of her jaw to try to find a bit that is comfortable. Use your instructors knowledge to try to ind something comfortable. As an example my 17 TB had a very small jaw and light mouth and ended up in a bridoon snaffle as any normal snaffle rings would actually meet behind his jaw. My current boy has an enormous thick tongue (complete with doorstep in it - its not as bad as when I first got him), so goes better with a small lozenge in his. Theoretically same strengths, but massive differences in what they were comfortable with.
 
I am having problems with my rising 5 TB. He is head shaking and also leaning and dragging the reins out of my hands. I have tried several different bits from happy mouths, KK Ultra, loose ring with and without french links, eggbutts with and without f/l, Nothing made any difference and then someone pointed out to me that he was probably teething.

When I examine his behaviour it is pretty obvious that he is like a young baby with a teething ring and is just chewing and trying to get some relief. I am sure this is what his problem is.

I had a horse previously that was an horrendous headshaker and it turned out that is had problems with it's spinous processes being too close together akin to kissing spines but not quite that bad.

I do hope you get it sorted out as headshaking is a nightmare and it is dangerous.
 
I had this exact scenario with my new horse. He started plunging his head up in the air so i would get off to check his teeth or bit and he soon realised if he did it enough i would get off and he didn't have to work. It developed into a really scary evasion and after getting a dentist out to check his teeth i sought advice from my instructor who said he was testing me and trying (and succeeding) to get the upper hand. I have since resolved it by giving him a hard smack and sending him forward so he cant bounce or rock and/ or disengaging him which is essentially spinning him round. We then carry on as if nothing happened and he has pretty much given up doing it now. He occassionally gets his tongue over the bit but i just ignore him and he puts it back where it should be and we continue to school.
 
To try ruling out head shaking in the medical term why not try riding different times of the day and see if it changes. Also does it happen when not riding? A pony we had didn't like being ridden in the heat of the day, or by streams, or in long grass - evenings and mornings fine.

If it's a baby you have it could just be some evasion and "trying it on". We found a lozenge bit worked well - but you say your's doesn't. Sometimes it could be some confusion on the youngsters part. Does stronger riding ie "no you don't" work or does it make matters worse.

Best of luck I know it can be both irritating and frightening.
 
I'd probably wait and see what your instructor says, speak to your EDT in the meantime and find out what sort of mouth your horse has (so you'll have a better understanding of what bits to avoid due to your horses pallet/tongue/lips etc) and providing there is no other reason for this behaviour (saddle/back/teeth/headshaking..etc) it might be worth taking your horse to a bitting clinic along with your instructor to see if they can find something that your horse will feel more confortable in, but even then it may take a while for your horse to settle.
 
Have you tried a bitless bridel or something like a training aid bridle, might decide whether the problem has something to do with the bridle or not so at least you know
 
Thanks everyone - seems like shes not the only one doing it.
Shes rising 5 and shes been in work since i have had her - almost a year, she did have a bit of time of during winter - shes always done the head thing even in the winter.
She does the head thing most of the time and more so whilst schooling - perhaps i notice it more? out hacking shes fine, never notice it only when we canter and then shes constantly throws her head up - a martingale helps with this. When she jumps too she gets excited and throws her head about more and the rocking horse thing becomes worse.........the french link is thinner than the previous bit i was using and she did seem alot better in it, she tried to get her tongue over it a few times but couldnt - she sort of lifts her head right up and sticks her tongue out and opens her mouth. Perhaps a flash noseband could help? i would however rather get to the bottom of the problem first to find the cause.
She moves so nicely its just when she throws herself about it completely throws me out and forwards :(
 
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