Jumping into canter, flinging her head up

[Meadon]

Just seeing if anyone can give me some advice!!

When I take my mare hacking she has a tendency to jump into canter, fling her head back and cross her jaw. She doesn't always do it but I know when she does it really makes me feel nervy and I feel like she's going to bolt.

Last year she did it and bolted in a field and all brake systems went out the backdoor and if it wasn't for me falling off (luckily it made her stop, she had the decency to nuzzle me in the nettle bush after) we would have ended up on a country road.

I've really worked on this and she's much better in canter and will listern now. If I make her trot before hand, rather than go from walk to canter and make her go into an outline she isn't as bad. She doesn't like being left behind in canter with other horses so will turn into thunder hooves, but I don't like her to be in front at the mo because she needs that horse in front to steady her.

Any further ideas please?

It's annoying because in the school she won't go from walk to canter

.

Thanks

 

[mememe]

you could possibly try having her back looked at? if not it might just be that she is excited!

 

[RachelMcTimoney]

Hi, have you had her back checked? If there were misalignments in her spine this could lead to those symptoms. To me (as a Mctim therapist) this could indicate there is a problem.

or it may be excitability, does it only happen when with other horses?

 

[cyberhorse]

Hi, I found this with a horse I started riding belonging to someone else and straight away thought it was a being caused by an ill-fitting saddle and resultant back problems. I tactfully encouraged a new saddle and he was significantly better almost immediately.

The head throwing was worse for the first few canter transitions - really throwing his head up in the air, it calmed down as he losened up but never really subsided. As I say following a change of saddle 3 months on he is A1.

Definitely get the back and saddle checked, if you have not already.

 

[Parkranger]

Ifhe has had an ill fitting saddle then you'd probably need a physio out to loosen him up again....

 

[Meadon]

Thanks for the replies. Her back and teeth are fine, she had them checked a week ago.

I think it's just complete excitement with her. As soon as she's in a field she starts squealing and dancing about with joy. I'm making her walk in fields, it does tend to happen more when she's not with a friend's horse who she gets on with. Agree with you cyberhorse it's the first few strides of canter she fling her head back and then bring it down.

Thanks again!