Head low cantering - Fast work / exercising

[bouncing_ball]

Head low cantering - Fast work / exercising

My large warmblood has recently started putting his head low when cantering out hacking.

He used to occasionally get his head low and lean on contact out hacking resulting in brake failure. Think was a cheeky learnt habit he came with.

But a Waterford Elevator stopped him leaning and he’s been great to hack. We have a lot of open fast grass canters / gallops.

Recently he’s started wanting to canter / do fast work with his head low. He’s not taking off or getting his head down to buck. He just wants it low. I HATE it, the ground is damp, I’ve far less control with his head low and it feels unbalanced. That nothing in front of you feeling.

I can just about pull his head up but second I soften he takes it back down. He’s big, he’s unbalancing me. I’m trying to sit up and lift my hands. He wants to lean on me. Though if I drop the contact he stays low.

My late, big warmblood didn’t originally know how to carry his head and shoulders galloping, and I taught him to stay up galloping. He’d forget with more novice riders but a sharp upwards tug and release would remind him. Doesn’t seem to work on current horse.

I don’t think issue with current horse is physical (he’s under regular thorough range of checking) and he doesn’t do it in an arena. He’s working BD elementary level in arena, and he’s been hacking on same terrain about a year.

I thought this issue must happen exercising racehorses and must be a simple way to solve it?

 

[Britestar]

My old boy does this.
Always has, its very disconcerting, flying along a beach flat out , him with his nose on the ground. He does it in stubble fields too.
I've got used to it, I give him the rein and sit up tall, in case he trips.

Sorry, no help at all but feel your fear.

 

[Auslander]

Alf does this if he gets the chance, but with a view to putting in a good sidewinder of a buck, and then pissing off with me. Unfortunately for him, I was brought up on racehorses, and the first thing I learned to do was bridge my reins! By doing that, he can try and pull his head down as much as he likes, but he's pulling against himself.
It's a vital skill for a horse that likes to put its head down!

 

[Firefly9410]

My horse used to try to put his head down when cantering if the saddle did not fit. It must have been more comfortable. Although he would do it in the arena too. Given that your horse has only suddenly started doing it this time, after being successful trained out of it, I would check the saddle fit just in case. Maybe he has lost weight over winter and it is no longer comfortable?

 

[sbloom]

My horse used to try to put his head down when cantering if the saddle did not fit. It must have been more comfortable. Although he would do it in the arena too. Given that your horse has only suddenly started doing it this time, after being successful trained out of it, I would check the saddle fit just in case. Maybe he has lost weight over winter and it is no longer comfortable?

Yes, I would immediately wonder when your saddle was last checked (I know it won't have been a hideously long time).

 

[LEC]

A lot of it is a schooling and physical issues. Hocks needing to be done can be a cause, on a younger horse it will be strength. other physical things have been mentioned above.

Horses need to be taught how to gallop. It’s not really a natural pace for them as if in the wild you don’t see it happening much and if it does it’s over short distances.

I have one horse who very uphill in an arena but In fast work will get lower. It’s a strength thing, mostly I work on moving the energy back with a half halt and getting them to lift the core by giving a kick. I have ridden several xc courses on young horses having to use more leg between fences than at the fence to help them learn to lift and stay uphill. It’s no different to training the canter in an arena. Just faster pace.

 

[bouncing_ball]

Yes, I would immediately wonder when your saddle was last checked (I know it won't have been a hideously long time).

16th November. Little was changed at this check, as all good, and agreed would fully reflock in February as reaching good time to do so.

I don’t think there’s a current saddle fit issue, per recent physio check etc. ??

 

[bouncing_ball]

A lot of it is a schooling and physical issues. Hocks needing to be done can be a cause, on a younger horse it will be strength. other physical things have been mentioned above.

Horses need to be taught how to gallop. It’s not really a natural pace for them as if in the wild you don’t see it happening much and if it does it’s over short distances.

I have one horse who very uphill in an arena but In fast work will get lower. It’s a strength thing, mostly I work on moving the energy back with a half halt and getting them to lift the core by giving a kick. I have ridden several xc courses on young horses having to use more leg between fences than at the fence to help them learn to lift and stay uphill. It’s no different to training the canter in an arena. Just faster pace.

Interesting especially the different balances in different environments.
It’s not hocks, he had a full soundness assessment 23rd December, trot up, flexions, lunge on hard, lunge in soft, repeat flexions, joint assessment, lameness / soundness gait analysis.

Strength and knowing how to carry himself makes sense. He’s 12, but more like 5 in terms of life experience.

It seems to come and go a bit, I think his carriage at speed out hacking is improving ??