Head tossing

nofie

nofie

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Is there a simple solution?

My girl tends to do it towards the end of a hack, I have been advised to take and maintain a contact as soon as she starts doing it, and that she should stop.

I don't know if this is related but she has started to molt and has been quite itchy. After a ride, she tried to rub her head on me, which I am discouraging as she can be rather pushy.
 
I think you are doing the right thing, I would do a little more than take contact, ideally the contact should be there already and if she does it I would do a short sharp corrective pull of the reins such that she knows it's unacceptable behavior. I doubt it's itch related probably just high spirits as she knows she'll soon be home.
The pushing you with the head is dominant behaviour and should be stopped straight away.
 
Thanks. I do ride her with a contact although often I'll admit I am a bit more relaxed on the way back. I guess I need to be careful not to give her the opportunity in the first place!

I am definately working on discouraging the head rubbing, she has been getting better lately, but I was just wondering if it might be related.

Thanks again!
 
My mare does this towards the end of a ride and I put it down to wanting to stretch her back out, I do ride her with a contact all the way until we are almost home. The rubbing I would say is from the contact itself and rubbing her mouth as a result. A bit like us having a scratch for whatever reason when you are no longer doing the task.
 
It might be worth thinking about the lower end of the headshaking spectrum. Headshaking can be as little as stopping occasionally on a hack to wipe a sweaty nose on a foreleg to all out dangerous behaviour that can make a horse unrideable. If it is low grade headshaking, the horse will need more understanding than just a firmer contact.
 
goldanas49 said:
I think you are doing the right thing, I would do a little more than take contact, ideally the contact should be there already and if she does it I would do a short sharp corrective pull of the reins such that she knows it's unacceptable behavior. I doubt it's itch related probably just high spirits as she knows she'll soon be home.
The pushing you with the head is dominant behaviour and should be stopped straight away.
Click to expand...

I'm sorry, is that like a 'jab it in the mouth if it's not doing what you want'?
Pushing with the head could also be due to 'I only wanted to stretch my head and now you've finally let me'.....dominance? questionable.
I agree with Izzwizz - maybe (if you already have a contact, nofie) she is asking to be allowed to stretch and relax? Does she still continues once you give her a longer length of rein?
 
box_of_frogs... that's what I was initially thinking, that she was perhaps irritated. I wanted to try thinking from her perspective. I know that she is most comfortable in a contact (not necessarily always firm), but thought perhaps because it's towards the end of the hack it could be sweaty/itchyness, which might explain the head rubing.

1life... I wouldn't jab her in the mouth. I think that would just make her cross and more irritated. She does still continue the shaking if I give her a longer length of rein, which is why I considered the possibility of needing a scratch. I do like to encourage her to relax on a longer rein, and sometimes she is fine but can start the head tossing if you give too much.
 
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