Neck muscles and head raising

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Moonbeam

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I think my horse has developed large neck muscles just at the top of his shoulder/wither area and I think this makes it difficult for him to raise his head in any gait faster than walk!

I've had his teeth, back, saddle fitted and all is ok so I'm presuming schooling will help, I would just like to hear some thoughts please. He is lunged and schooled and is 5years old. He is snaffled mouthed. He has improved massively in the last 12 months but I could do with some advice to bring him on.

Also would feeding his haylage from the floor rather than a net benefit?

Thank you
 
There will be a reason for him to have built up muscle in the wrong place, I am thinking it is at the base of his neck just in front of the withers, this will block him from being able to flex and possibly lift up correctly in front although he may not be ready to take the weight behind enough yet to do this.

Feeding from the floor will help, carrot stretches, a good physio can loosen up any tension and correct work flexing, stretching and encouraging him to work from behind. A good instructor can give you more pointers as to how he is going and what will really help you make progress.

I would also look at his feet, poor balance can make a horse hold itself in a tense way long before any other signs are apparent.
 
Yes haynets are notoriiious for developing the wrong musclesin the neck. Hacking over varied terrain will also help him to develop the muscles to carry himself. Please don't ask him to work 'in an outline' until he is better balanced.
 
You sound like you are talking about the trapezius muscles which actually need developing in order to enable to the horse to carry itself properly. You want lots of muscle at the base of the neck to stop the horsehaving a bendy, weak neck, you want your horse to give you a nice firm feel in your hand which it can't do if it has a weak neck.
Check out diagrams and if you have a well developed trapezius then, in fact you are doing a good job!

It is the trapezius muscles which enable him to lift his front end. If you ask for engagement before he has these muscles developed then he will simply pull his head in which is highly undesirable.
If you want him to start to elevate his front end then get going with transitions. He needs to learn to sit and carry more weight behind. You sound like lessons would help. If your instructor isn't pointing out the importance of developing your horse along the right lines - ie by building the the correct musculature, then get another one.
 
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Yes it's the trapezius muscle!

As he is a little heavy in the hand and low in the head carriage, all things being checked and ok, what exercises can I do in the ménage to encourage him to engage his quarters and lighten his forehand? Would raised poles ie cavelletti style help?

Thank you!
 
If he is 5 then heavy is the hand and on the forehand is ok but you need to be encouraging him to carry himself before he just gets settled there!. It is really hard to tell you here what will work best, Can you get lessons regularly?
In brief I would be doing 20 mins to half an hour 2 or 3 times a week in the school and doing some schooling on hacks.
When hacking practice transitions at markers on the road, and practice leg yielding up the road..
In the school, you need to work him from your inside leg into your outside hand. lots of transitions and spiralling in and out.
 
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