His canter!? Help pls

H

Hollyhorse

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My new horse has clearly been 'propped' up! In the canter he is either bouncing on the spot with his head in the air or rushing with his head on the floor. I think his last rider held his head up so he's never actually learned to balance himself and hold himself with self head carriage. Any tips on how I can get him to do this?

Interestingly the bit seems to have a significant impact - when I rode him in a loose-ring french link with a lozenge the other day his head was lovely and high, he was really soft in the mouth and he felt much more uphill. Yesterday I tried him in a fixed-ring cheek/fulmer french link (doctor bristol type) and from the very start his head was a lot lower and he was really strong on my left rein. Does this make sense?!

Many thanks!
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His dentist is booked! I haven't had his back checked yet and he's only young (4 years old) and the saddle is brand new and has been fitted so can't help but feel there can't be something wrong with his back - no pain or sensitivity when prodded, saddled, rugged, ridden.
 
OK, Well I guess the next bit of advice I would give is find yourself an instructor who is very good with working young horses.

Do you have access to lots of knowledgable peeps?

If not, I wonder if someone on here is in your area and could perhaps help you?

Sorry, I am trying not to sound patronising, yet I am sure I am coming across that way
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It's just with so little info we have to ask all the obvious questions.
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I would keep him in the loose ring with the lozenge if he went wel in it and work from there. I second the lessons too- they make such a difference but remember u r nly gettign to know him so dont expect miracles too soon! If he has been showjumped he proabbly hasnt had mcuh work done on the flat anwyay beofre!
 
I'm sorry I'm not being very helpful - it's hard to give you more info when I hardly know the horse myself! I have lots of experience with young horses and breaking them in - this forum is just so helpful I thought someone might suggest something that I've never tried or thought of! I have a brilliant instructor but I want to get him to know him a bit better first and get all the basics established before I have a lesson so it can be truely productive.
I plan to do lots of lunging with him, using the pessoa too so he hasn't got a rider holding him. I've been cantering off his back to let him balance himself and to be honest he's improved so much already and I've only ridden him twice!
 
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If he has been showjumped he proabbly hasnt had mcuh work done on the flat anwyay beofre!

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Yeah I think you're right - there's a distinct lack of schooling! Fortunately he's a TB type and a very quick learner, plus is too young to have been messed up
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If you can eliminate the possibility that he is in any pain, I would continue with the french link but work in more bends and lateral exercises to help him use his hindquarters and back, there by taking the pressure off thinking about his head - if that makes sense
 
See, I was being patronising!! LOL
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Sorry, I have very little experence with this kind of problem. No help at all, after all. heheheheheheee
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i agree with lunging. My horse carrys himself very naturally, however he is also quite 'dependant' on the rein if you see what i mean.

i lunge him once a week with just his bridle on, and do lots of cantering so he carrys himself, i also do pole work (canter and trot poles) to help him balance himself too.
 
Though its hard to comment on a horse I havn't seen/ridden my initial thoughts would be to work him long and low for some time to give him a chance to develop his back muscles. Don't worry at the moment about head carriage or being on the bit and don't be in a hurry to move the pessoa up a position. Although it may feel like a backward step it will build the foundations of your future work with him!
 
PS re the heavier left rein feel; my horse (who I backed/ schooled myself and competes at novice dressage) has always given me a bit of a dead right arm; it's never been picked up by judges, my instructor said its in my head, physios havn't found anything. By chance I heard of Roy Cole the backman, asked him to check my horse over without giving any history of his problems and he spotted straight away he's got a problem in his left pelvis. A bit of treatment and the horse is so elastic he pings about feeling really light!
 
After eliminating back and teeth problems concentrate on loads of transitions up and down from trot and walk to canter to improve his balance and this will then improve confidence to enable him to relax in his canter. Try keeping him on different sized circles to start when his balance improves canter some straight lines away from the school fence (3/4 line). If he runs on and takes the bit, gently but firmly bring him back to a halt and sometimes rein back this will teach him that he cannot use the bit to balance himself. When he is improved you should be able to give and retake the reins without him changing his rhythm! Lunging in a pessoa type aid really improves canter balance. Horses who have been cantering in this way need to change their muscle development, this is also helped with lunging in a pessoa (only a little at a time to start with) It is a long slow job but you will get there in the end!!
 
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See, I was being patronising!! LOL
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Sorry, I have very little experence with this kind of problem. No help at all, after all. heheheheheheee
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Not at all!!! I really appreciate your input!
 
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