Head Shaking in canter

[Trinket12]

I'll be seeing my trainer tomorrow to chat about this, but I was hoping to get some opinions in the meantime.

I went for a little ride yesterday to practice walk to canter transition, as I sometimes feel sloppy in my ask. She is stiffer on the left rein than right and when cantering on the left rein she started to put her head down and shake it, and also root the reins a little. It wasn't immediate, maybe a minute into the canter, and doesn't do it on the right rein. I was doing some Googling and saw a thread from a few years ago with a similar problem, and some of the suggestions were it could be a balance/stiffness thing.

This is the first time she's done it, we had a lesson on Tuesday and wasn't doing it. We did a good 20 mins warm up in walk and trot with bending lines etc. before we did canter.

If it is a stiffness thing, should I look at getting a physio maybe? Any thoughts welcome!

 

[Sir barnaby]

Hi, I have a pony on loan and when I first rode her she did this and when I spoke to her owner he said she had done that before so he sent me her bridle to try her in and she was much better, I had her in a sprenger ultra long cheek snaffle when I changed to the owners bit she was loads better. He had her in a micklam bridle with a western bevel copper in lay myler style bit. We found out she has very sensitive nerves in her head and also needed more tongue room. The bit moves in the mouth when contact is taken. The shaking has now been eliminated. There is a similar bit on eBay if you want to take a look at it.

 

[Trinket12]

Thanks! She is due her teeth to be done so I am also wondering if they're annoying her. We tried a Micklam bridle a while ago (before the head shaking) but I can't use it for Hunter shows and I am hoping to do my first show next year.

 

[tallyho!]

To be fair to her, if she's just starting canter work with a rider, it is hard. Just make sure you're helping the balance and you have enough feel to be able to help if she goes slightly off. Don't rush a canter. It takes time and definitely - if you think it's the bit, change it but also check your hand position and what effect that is having. Too low and you'll invite the horse to overbend which will hurt the back - some horses will brace so allow a length of rein and have your hands where they should be.

 

[Sir barnaby]

Yes could be the teeth, I’m not sure whether my pony needed the micklam , as that is just what owner sent and I can keep it till she goes home again one of the other ladies uses a similar bit on a normal bridle but not sure whether the bit can be used for hunter classes. Might be worth borrowing a simple myler if the teeth are okay and that not the cause, I had never come across that sort of head shaking before, but my mare is very sensitive around her head so in my case seemed the right solution.