Lola13
Well-Known Member
The horse's skeleton is built for it to carry its nose in front of the vertical. Horses at liberty spend very little time with the face at or behind the vertical. I doubt if it's damaging, but I'm not sure anyone has proved that being mildly overbent is either, and it is now part and parcel of modern dressage, rightly or wrongly.
Nose out does not automatically mean hollow. Showjumpers are not normally hollow as they bascule over a fence but you won't see them jumping well and overbent.
It is true that it is not natural for the horse to be behind vertical, and it is true nose out doesnt mean hollow back, if the hind end in engaged well with a head sligtly in front of the vertical it is a great collection. But the extent of how much the head should be in front of vertical depends on types of movements.

