head throwing when excited or held back

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saskiahorsey

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Mare is fit and well and has a well fitting saddle...have tried a few different types of bits to see which mouthpiece she went better in and have settled on a ns verbindend. When hacking(don't have a school) she will take a nice contact in walk she salivates nicely and seems happy and relaxed however once we start trotting she tries to get quicker so I ask her to slow the pace using seat aswell as voice commands and half halts and she just throws head up and around and does little bunny hops ? Also if riding in a group and she gets excited or the other horses are starting to trot infront unless I let her go off at her own pace she throws head up .... I did put her in a standing martingale for a couple of weeks but with that on she kept throwing head and doing mini rears.... so what is she trying to tell me? Im not sure if its the bit... (teeth are fine and shes regularly seen by dentist) she is young shes 5 and so still green and a little unbalanced but im not asking a lot of her when out...just hacking out in walk and trot. Shes currently just in a plain cavisson but she does stick her tongue out a lot and try and get it over the bit...hence trying lots of different ones but shes the same in them all however much worse in anything with a link in ! Any thoughts ??
 
She's trying to tell you she needs more basic training and obedience to the aids. It's not the bit, it's the schooling.
 
My lad is about 13, and well schooled (western). Most of the time he looks like a plod, hacks alone or in company happily in all weathers However, he's always done this when excited. He's in a western curb and ridden on no or very little contact, including when he's chucking his head around. In him, it's impatience...he wants to be going faster and he knows I'm not letting him. It just pops out in the head throwing. Irritating, but as long as I sit back, I'm fine.
 
Cortez said:
She's trying to tell you she needs more basic training and obedience to the aids. It's not the bit, it's the schooling.
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This.

Had exactly the same with mine as a 6yo, having had no schooling at all up until I got him (when he was about a month away from turning 6), he'd just hunted and been razzed everywhere. Took a lot time and an awful lot of work to teach him basic aids, plus we had the added complication of the "why should I?" temper tantrums at that age. He'd been used to going upside down, head in the air and had an enormous muscle under his neck which he used against you to bog off. If he was tense he would canter on the spot, bunny hop, throw his (and himself, on a bad day) around. He needed to go right back to the beginning and learn everything correctly. He also did the getting faster and faster thing - it was partly general rudeness and partly that he didn't really understand fully. You'd get a reasonable trot for a few strides then he'd decide it was hard work, stick head in the air and trot faster and faster til he got his legs in a knot (if left to his own devices). We also had spinning round, rubbing you up against the arena fence, refusing to go forwards, everything.

I think it's a case of making sure she fully understands the aids. I gave mine to my instructor for a month to establish the basics properly, and she still rides him at least once a week now (he is 7) to ensure things are going well. Now he understands what is expected of him, he is far more rideable and obedient, all gaits are rhythmical and adjustable, and the sticking head in the air has stopped (unless something really spooks him).
 
I agree she needs a lot of schooling lol shes only 5 and only done the basics hacking...however we have hired indoor arenas and had a couple of flatwork lessons and done some pole work with a local instructor and funny she does not do it then....she even went lovely when cantering for the first time in the school its just when hacking or in company.
 
sometimes hacking they are a little keener, especially in company. I would agree with cortez re: schooling but also look to your own riding - you need to find the right balance between hand and leg, this changes between horses, between disciplines, whether it's a schooling session, jumping session etc.

I would suggest that she is not happy with your hands when hacking (even if she is in the school). I would suggest using more weigh and leg in your half halts and less hand and also applied in that order.
 
Cortez said:
She's trying to tell you she needs more basic training and obedience to the aids. It's not the bit, it's the schooling.
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I've not thought of it like that, but Saf used to do this all the time when we only hacked. Again, it was pure excitement 'let me go' sort of thing. Since she's been doing more schooling over the last couple of years, I've realised she doesn't do it at all now, how odd!
 
SaffronWelshDragon said:
I've not thought of it like that, but Saf used to do this all the time when we only hacked. Again, it was pure excitement 'let me go' sort of thing. Since she's been doing more schooling over the last couple of years, I've realised she doesn't do it at all now, how odd!
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Odd? No, it's TRAINING. Works!
 
Wheels said:
sometimes hacking they are a little keener, especially in company. I would agree with cortez re: schooling but also look to your own riding - you need to find the right balance between hand and leg, this changes between horses, between disciplines, whether it's a schooling session, jumping session etc.

I would suggest that she is not happy with your hands when hacking (even if she is in the school). I would suggest using more weigh and leg in your half halts and less hand and also applied in that order.
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Funnily enough this was the first thing I thought of too...however shes had 4 different jockeys who ride quite differently to me and eachother and she still does it
 
Well I cant spend hours in a school I don't have so we have to hack or she would be a field ornament... during summer moths its easier and can hack to use an outdoor arena but for now I have to try and work through it out hacking...so any suggestions on the best way to deal with it without the safety of the arena walls ??
 
I would do the same out hacking as in the school be using lateral work to engage the back end and give her something else to think about.
 
I had a similar problem and like you I didnt have access to a school. All I could do was hack. I got a book, think its called "schooling as you hack", pretty cheap on amazon. I accept it was not a long term solution but I used some of the excersises in there while I hacked and it worked extremly well. Still use the excersises now as my mare just wanted to rush off around the woods, this made her silly but occupying her mind with lateral excersises worked a treat :) I appreciate not everyone has top notch facilities and access to an instructor 7 days a week or the funds for expensive training etc. Hope it helps, certainly worked for me and a bouncy tb :)
 
My horse does this when he's excited, I just give him his head and let him go haha. But of course this is my 18 yo who knows his job. For yours I would deff start schooling on hacks to give her something to concentrate on, and also could you hack more and goes for more canters? Maybe doing it more often would stop her from being so excited at the thought. I know my horse has calmed down a lot since I moved to somewhere with more hacking so I went more often. Also he used to be like yours when in company, now he still likes to race in company but since going out with more people he deff doesn't get so wound up.

Its easy for people to just say 'needs more training' but thats not exactly helpful advice, obviously op IS giving the horse more training, she does that each time she rides, shes just asking for advice.

Good luck op! :)
 
Maria13 said:
I had a similar problem and like you I didnt have access to a school. All I could do was hack. I got a book, think its called "schooling as you hack", pretty cheap on amazon. I accept it was not a long term solution but I used some of the excersises in there while I hacked and it worked extremly well. Still use the excersises now as my mare just wanted to rush off around the woods, this made her silly but occupying her mind with lateral excersises worked a treat :) I appreciate not everyone has top notch facilities and access to an instructor 7 days a week or the funds for expensive training etc. Hope it helps, certainly worked for me and a bouncy tb :)
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Thanks for this...have just ordered the book off amazon!
 
EmmaB said:
My horse does this when he's excited, I just give him his head and let him go haha. But of course this is my 18 yo who knows his job. For yours I would deff start schooling on hacks to give her something to concentrate on, and also could you hack more and goes for more canters? Maybe doing it more often would stop her from being so excited at the thought. I know my horse has calmed down a lot since I moved to somewhere with more hacking so I went more often. Also he used to be like yours when in company, now he still likes to race in company but since going out with more people he deff doesn't get so wound up.

Its easy for people to just say 'needs more training' but thats not exactly helpful advice, obviously op IS giving the horse more training, she does that each time she rides, shes just asking for advice.

Good luck op! :)
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Yes im planning on getting her out much more this year so hopefully it wont be so exciting....well weather depending ! Thanks for the advice
 
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