Help! Is this normal? Nuchal ligament flipping!

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Lilchunk

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I have a lovely 12 month Oldenburg filly and I've recently noticed her Nuchal ligament "flipping" when she moves her head in certain directions. She seems little bothered by it and seems to have full range of movement and still throws her head around like a crazy thing playing in the field.
I've asked my vet about it and it doesn't seem like it's something she's comes across. I know that ligament flipping is used by some dressage trainers to gain suppleness in the neck.
Can someone please tell me if they have experience of this and if it's something I need to be worrying about??!!
Any information much appreciated!!
 
Do you mean that the top edge of her neck flops from one side to the other? If so, I've seen that plenty of times often in horses with deep necks that have lost a bit of condition.
 
It can happen with fat horses then it's a dangerous sign of obesity .
It also happens in well muscled schooled horses with very strong top lines ( my new horse does it often he has got a super top line ) then it's a good sign .
Does the horse have a naturally good top line ?
 
From side to side? That's normal and all horses should get it when they change bend, it's just more noticeable with a crest or lean muscle.
 
Thanks for the replies! She's only coming up to 13 months old. I will try and take a video but I have no idea how to upload on here - if someone can enlighten me???
I have read somewhere that it can sometimes happen in young stock that are going to be reasonably big as the ligament can be slightly looser.
You can actually see it flip over when she moves her head around.
She's increadably well bred with good muscle and carries herself high and proud at the mo so I'm wondering if it's just a youngster/muscle growth thing.
You can't actually find much about in on the tinternet but I do know that flipping this ligament is used in dressage to give softness through the neck. Just not sure it's supposed to do it on its own in a baby???
 
A baby moving at will is exactly the suppleness everyone is aiming towards in dressage! It's more an indicator of softness, than a method to achieve it.
 
Thanks rara007 for the links. I understand now. Seems to be it is a normal thing that horses do naturally when the bend that some trainers like to induce.

Having read all the stuff at the links though it strikes me that making it flip when perhaps the suppleness isn't there might not be a good thing in the long run. There was something about damaging the ligament if not ready to flip.

Just goes to show, there is always something new to learn!
 
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