How do you improve a horse with a high head carriage?

[Cassy]

Can anyone suggest suitable exercises to address the above? Horse is under weight, 10 years old, hunted but not schooled? I would prefer to do unridden exercises initially. She has never as far as I know been lunged!

 

[Pinkvboots]

If the horse is underweight it may be that you need to wait until a bit more weight has been gained that way it's easier to build muscle diet is also key you need plenty of good fibre and protein, I would start with some long reining just encouraging the horse to seek a contact and build the right muscle to be able to carry themselves, hill work raised pole work raising alternate sides and putting the poles on a circle will all help with building core strength before you want to attempt ridden work, carrot stretches to the hip and hock and between the legs will also make the back strong and neck flexible, I would consider getting a good physio to help you they will give you exercises to do, and make sure you get a good fitting saddle when you start riding bad fitting saddles are such a common thing and make it impossible for a horse to work correctly.

It is possible to retrain a very upside down horse I have managed it with a few star gazing Arabs it just takes time and patience.

 

[Cassy]

Thanks for those ideas.