exercises to help stop being tight in neck please

[ester]

This appears to have become a problem, particularly in canter (obv is welsh so is short and muscly in neck anyway) and has been noted on a few recent test sheets.

Is there any exercises I can do to help with this, is it possibly something I am doing? I used to fix quite a lot but the dressage saddle has been a revelation and now by hands are distinctly more separate to the rest of my body- always a good thing

He used to have a typical motorbike fast canter, now he is very balanced, sometimes get a bit too slow at times so I have to make sure he stays 3- time but it is absolutely lovely to sit too. It is the one pace that he really has improved and feels completely different to how he used to. He feels soft and turnable etc and doesn't feel hugely tight but obviously looks it and I think he is maybe coming a bit up and straight in the neck. If I try and get him to stretch down in a slightly round frame he will in the trot but not really in the canter.

any ideas?

 

[squirrelc17]

do some of your canter work in a light seat (i know this puts them onto forhand but is great for getting them to stretch their neck)
i have a horse that spent 4 years in draw reins and has a very short neck!! (need so splay legs like a foal to graze!!!)
this has worked wonders with him letting him realise he has a neck and is allowed to use it. then when he soft and low, introduce your seat but keep hands quite open so he doesn't tense up against you.
over time he should begin to understand you you should be able to ride him "down" or "up".

 

[trendybraincell]

I share the same problem, but then I've got a welsh too.

Lots of transitions, lots of flexing, lengthening and shortening the stride and some riding in a light seat are all quite effect for the short of neck welsh cob! I often fix my hands so end up in a dead lock with Shadow, so for me its mostly about moving the neck...if I fix, he fixes.

 

[Sol]

Something in one of the horse books I was flicking through the other day mentioned something about cantering horses in the forward seat to get them to relax their neck/back and swing more... gave it a try and it really has helped!
Basically, if you ever watch jockeys cantering their mounts before a race, their horses always look bloody beautiful, because their soft, light on the fore-hand and swinging along happily (well, most of the time) as the jockeys weight is completely off their backs.
So all you have to do is bridge your reins, resting your hands onto the horses neck (jockey style!) so you can roll your wrists slightly, getting the horse to soften. Then put your horse into canter sitting in a forward seat - not too far out of the saddle to cause your horse to want to rush, but so he has a lot of freedom through his back. Then aim to push the canter on a little more than normal, to open the horse out

Apparently this should only be done for sort of 1-1.5 laps of the arena at first, as the horse uses different muscles and can become sore. not sure how true that is but I usually only do a little on each rein, maybe twice a week?

Think it's in the book '101 schooling exercises' somewhere! Might just be very confused though...
Anyway, has worked for my boy

 

[ofcourseyoucan]

start all your warm up long and low really getting them to stretch down, but keep the hindquarters really active. feed any food and hay/haylage off the floor to stretch neck! encourage them to bend and flex round to each side towards your foot (bribe with a polo or carrot to start). finish each schooling session by trotting and walking off on a really long or loose rein with them stretching down to floor. it takes a long time to correct a horse wich flexes between atlas and axis but shortens neck into its shoulders!

 

[ester]

food it doesn't get food!! No atm he is out 24/7, neck is super muscly perhaps too much so.

We do carrot stretches after work but I might try it on, he will do anything for a single pony nut. - and he always clicks!- but then I do too.

I suspect he might be shortening at his shoulders actually from the pics I have, he is quite happy to stretch to the floor in walk and trot (saves having to hold your head up). I think I will need to keep on eye on the back end staying active if he is working long to start with as he is inclined to be lazy.

TBC, yes we seem to have gotten away from all the pulling matches now, finally, the saddle has really helped that, as he would fix, I would fix and normally end up leaning forwards then he would get stronger and round we go again.

I have to move the neck quite a bit to maintain countercanter and actually I think he stays better then so will try not to be fixed myself but I have previously been guilty of waggling and him head swinging so want to avoid this!. will also stick some more mediums in, I think I start to sit there enjoying his nice new easy to ride canter but am probably not doing enough within the canter.

Sol will give that a go too.

 

[charliebo]

Any exercise that supples the rest of the body, ie leg yield, shoulder in or counter canter.
The horse uses its head and neck to balance itself so if there is any tension in the rest of the body it will result in tension in the neck.
I have found that the more I work on lateral suppleness in the body, the softer the neck and mouth become.
Also, lots of transitions from one pace to another and also within the pace (working to medium to working etc) will help with the engagement and therefore the balance and should help with the tension in the neck.
Lots of patience and homework! Good luck.