Pulling on reins

[Cornish on the Cob]

After about half an hour of hacking, my girl starts pulling her head down constantly. I don't ride with a tight rein, in fact I ride quite loose. She is only 4 so do you think her neck muscles may be aching or something else? I ride her in a roller bit so I know its not harsh but it is starting to bug me! She tends to start after we have been trotting. Any ideas peeps?

 

[highlandponygirl]

When a horse trots their head and neck carriage shortens, so it might be that her muscles are a bit sore if she hasnt been in work long with her being quite young.
Also it would be worth getting her teeth checked just to make sure there isnt a problem there.

 

[dominobrown]

Its when she is tired, loads of youngsters do it, though it is an evasion and rude. Best to nip it in the bud.

 

[Cornish on the Cob]

Its when she is tired, loads of youngsters do it, though it is an evasion and rude. Best to nip it in the bud.

How would you suggest going about nipping it in the bud? Sorry I am a newbie and not very experienced!

 

[xRobyn]

Phil is 11 and still does this. I tend to give him a walk on the buckle for a lap of the school a few times during our schooling session (he is still building muscle).

If she's not working hard, make sure you've got your leg on so even if she tries to evade you can push her on and prevent her from slopping about.

 

[Miss L Toe]

Yes, it is rude, but also you have to ask yourself are you asking her to keep contact for too long?
I like to have light contact out hacking, with the head relaxed but downwards, holding my hands either side of the withers, but I try to give five mins every so often on a loose rein, I hold the reins in one hand and rest it on his mane, so he can feel me there but is walking naturally.
This will also encourage a free forward walk, you have to break down all your work in to little short exercises. There is nothing worse than seeing girls coming back from a hack, with the poor thing held in a vice like grip, they should be walking home the last five minutes on a long relaxed stride.

 

[Miss L Toe]

I see that you are not used to youngsters, so I suggest you find a good trainer to help you, otherwise you will find your horse will not progress as much as he can, and you will also feel a bit frustrated, I like to read up on the schooling of youngsters, and develop a program of work.
Paddock to Saddle by Hartley Edwards is old fashioned but covers everything!

At this age the horse is developing rapidly mentally and physically so it can easily get sore and or upset if you send out any confusing messages.

 

[Miss L Toe]

Apart from allowing the horse to stretch its neck out,... if it gets in to the habit of tugging on the reins you will have to either fiddle the bit back and forwards in the mouth, to get his attention and bring him back "on the bit", or lock [bridge] the reins together and hold the lock against the neck so he can't pull the reins out of your hands.
I think there is only so much you can do without someone there to advise at the time, as it is easier for your instructor to see what is happening

 

[figgy]

Hi , I was in the same boat as you two weeks ago my 4 year old started to do this hacking he was doing it for about two months, two weeks ago my horse had a bowen treatment and he had one sore spot , no riding for 5 days after treament and wow he hasnt done it since , so i put it down to the sore spot, he feels the best ever now . might help you ! xx

 

[Cornish on the Cob]

Thank you all for your sound advice. I feel stupid sometimes asking questions but we all had to start somewhere I suppose! xxx

 

[CBFan]

My boy was doing this yesterday - again just 4... the final time he did it, he yanked me out of the saddle and put in a whopper buck which sent me flying. I suspect his saddle is causing a bit of discomfort so I'm getting that checked but I also noticed a rather large blister on his lip yesterday evening which could go part of the way to explaining it... One thing I have to say is that 4 seems to be a very common age for youngsters to start questioning your every move.

I'm looking at getting some help with mine. There is no shame in asking and we all have to start somewhere. This is my first youngster too!

Good luck!

 

[Miss L Toe]

My boy was doing this yesterday - again just 4... the final time he did it, he yanked me out of the saddle and put in a whopper buck which sent me flying. I suspect his saddle is causing a bit of discomfort so I'm getting that checked but I also noticed a rather large blister on his lip yesterday evening which could go part of the way to explaining it... One thing I have to say is that 4 seems to be a very common age for youngsters to start questioning your every move.

I'm looking at getting some help with mine. There is no shame in asking and we all have to start somewhere. This is my first youngster too!

Good luck!

At the age of four, the horse has another three years before he is mature, therefore his teeth and his back and his muscles are most likely to hurt, especially as we have decided that he is the right age to come in to work, when it is more likely that the timing suits us!
It is vital to work steadily to build up the horse, it takes six month to condition muscles, twelve for ligaments and twenty four for bones.
Once horses have done certain work, development of those muscles takes less time, it is probably better to keep going in light work rather than a complete six months off period.
Add temperament and maturity to the mix and you will soon see that problems are almost bound to occur with a spirited animal, also there is the rider/trainer who is still learning horsemanship, so all in all it is amazing we all come out of the process in one piece.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Thank you all for your sound advice. I feel stupid sometimes asking questions but we all had to start somewhere I suppose! xxx

Never feel stupid asking questions - no matter how daft they may seem. Everryone has to learn to help progress with their horse in the correct way and not a single person in the horse world will withold advice as it they all want whats best for the horses at the end of the day.

Ask away!

 

[Shantara]

This thread has been very interesting
I've ridden 2 youngsters and they both did this!
Unsure if the first has stopped as he was sold shortly after being backed, but the most recent (Backed this year) is doing well and starting to stop.

 

[Tickles]

I don't agree with MrsD123 on a lot of threads but can't agree enough with her(?) on this one!

Yes, it isn't polite but you're almost certainly 'forcing' the rudeness by not giving regular breaks for stretching and building up work slowly enough. I used to do this when first hacking a (previous) new horse on roads becasue he was spookier than I was used to and we always rode alone which was also unfamiliar for me. As soon as I got into the routine of offering regular stretches he stopped trying to 'snatch' them. Both of us got happier and more comfortable.

Good on you for seeking advice.

 

[midi]

I've been having this problem lately as well.
It's usually on the last stretch of road to home, apart from the horse isn't a baby ( 11) and I would of thought she'd good muscles as she does alot of road work but perhaps she isn't as fit as she could be.

Her head just sinks all the way to the ground, hard to make go forward she becomes very ploddy and unresponsive, I dont' really understand what shes doing.
I put the reins to the buckle to stop her leaning but she doesn't stop, I don't know if shes sore/tired or just being a nuisance and trying to eat.
I do halt her and back her up to get her head again but the minute I ask her to go foward shes sinking towards the ground again? help..I'm not sure what I should be doing

 

[Miss L Toe]

I've been having this problem lately as well.
It's usually on the last stretch of road to home, apart from the horse isn't a baby ( 11) and I would of thought she'd good muscles as she does alot of road work but perhaps she isn't as fit as she could be.

Her head just sinks all the way to the ground, hard to make go forward she becomes very ploddy and unresponsive, I dont' really understand what shes doing.
I put the reins to the buckle to stop her leaning but she doesn't stop, I don't know if shes sore/tired or just being a nuisance and trying to eat.
I do halt her and back her up to get her head again but the minute I ask her to go foward shes sinking towards the ground again? help..I'm not sure what I should be doing

No one has come up with an answer so I will put forward a suggestion, after an hour she is starting to hurt, so she wants you to get off and walk the last mile home [loose off the girth]
If you start to lunge her for a bit every so often this will help to strengthen back muscles, also you may want to give her a real sheepskin numnah for her /chrissy pressy.

 

[Mince Pie]

To the OP: is this your first horse? I would seriously suggest you get a good instructor - preferably one who will come out on hacks with you.

 

[Walrus]

I used to ride a 4 YO that did this, particularly towards the end of the ride. I was told to push her on with my legs to stop it, even if it meant getting a trot for a few strides, just on a loose rein. I also found that the fitter she got the less she did it.

 

[Natz88]

I have a 4yr old that is also doing this, but he does it the minute the bit goes in & does it hacking & schooling. So I have now stopped riding him & he is booked in to have his teeth done, as he never done it when we viewed him & he didn't do it for the first couple of months of having him its only been a recent thing, so we are having everything checked & giving him some time of. Hope you get it sorted

 

[millitiger]

Quite a lot of youngsters do this- I think it is caused by tight muscles through the neck and back.

When mine have done this I get out of the saddle for 5-10 minutes in walk and let them stretch withuot the weight of me on their back- when you sit back down you should feel the back has relaxed and come right up under the saddle.

It is 'normal' but I would keep an eye on how it progresses as it can be a sign your horse is not up to the duration/intensity of the work you are doing.

 

[Spotsrock]

My youngsters, and new boy, have all done this. I gently apply my legs, which brings the head back up, then ON MY TERMS, I relax my contact right out to loose rein. When I get the feeling they are taking proverbial a little, I keep the head up and working for a couple mins then let reins out again ON MY TERMS.

I agree the horse may be asking for a stretch and feeling stiff or tired but horse will never get fitter or more muscled if I stop at same place every time. I try to encourage them to work beyond the request for long reins for a few mins each time, once they have learnt I will let them relax following their request. New boy (13y/o but late backed and very angry to ride) now gently stretches long and low and continues working untill I totally drop contact as he knows I will eventually. This is an improvement to my eyes as he is now slowly building some top line despite his very high carriage, and he no longer slams his head down yanking me forward, he politely requests a stretch!

 

[canteron]

I think there has been some good advice on here, but OP another way to go about it is to make your hacks much shorter and insist on good manners for the whole - but let the horse have a long rein on your terms when it seems sensible.

When I say short I really mean maybe 20 or 30 mins to start with building up by say 10mins a week until you get to your hour - thats a month's work. Its just that if you allow the horse to think it can yank you out of your saddle and go onto its forehand whenever it wants that possibly isn't what you want to teach?

I am like everyone else and feeling my way through the minefield of training a young horse, but I try to be aware of what I think I am teaching the horse and what I am actually teaching it!!! The horse will try behaviours out and its up to you to say the ones you like and the ones you don't - but always try and put yourself in a position to win if you can!

 

[Pearlsasinger]

For goodness sake (I was tempted to be much ruder!). If your 4 yr old horse is tired by what you are asking it to do, how difficult can it be to realise what the answer is?

For those who cannot work it out for themselves;
Expect your horse work for a shorter time, do not expect him to continue working in 'an outline' (most likely a false outline IMHO) past the point at which he is tired. Work out a programme of exercise which will help your horse to develop the correct muscles and stamina. If you teach him bad habits, which is what is happening when riders ride their youngsters past the point at which they are too tired, you will find it very difficult to stop these bad habits at a later date.
It's not rocket science, is it?

 

[canteron]

For goodness sake (I was tempted to be much ruder!). If your 4 yr old horse is tired by what you are asking it to do, how difficult can it be to realise what the answer is?

For those who cannot work it out for themselves;
Expect your horse work for a shorter time, do not expect him to continue working in 'an outline' (most likely a false outline IMHO) past the point at which he is tired. Work out a programme of exercise which will help your horse to develop the correct muscles and stamina. If you teach him bad habits, which is what is happening when riders ride their youngsters past the point at which they are too tired, you will find it very difficult to stop these bad habits at a later date.
It's not rocket science, is it?

Mmm, I think thats what I was trying to say, but a tad more diplomatically. But yes, short and sweet and consistent is possibly the way to go for the moment.