Suggestions for horse who sets through the neck??

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Imonone

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I have a super gelding who has big forward paces but anything above a walk he takes hold of the bit and sets through the neck and charges.

I have worked for quite a while on improving the suppleness and encouraging the relaxation and moderation of the speed. This is much better but he still takes hold and sets the neck which makes the turns and circles very stiff. Ive tried lots of flexion and counter flexion but it doesn't improve things.

Im feeling exasperated and hope that someone may have some advice on ways to soften the neck. Hes in a snaffle with a copper roller mouthpiece, after trying innumerable number of snaffles incl, full cheek, verbindend, KK Ultra, Myler, hanging cheek.

Help??
 
You don't say how old he is or what stage his training is at but two things spring to mind.
Is it possible that due to his big paces you are shutting him down? This could cause him to set. Another possibility is that his paces are bigger than his strength atm putting him a little on the forehand.
 
PaddyMonty said:
You don't say how old he is or what stage his training is at but two things spring to mind.
Is it possible that due to his big paces you are shutting him down? This could cause him to set. Another possibility is that his paces are bigger than his strength atm putting him a little on the forehand.
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Thanks for your reply. Essentially its the latter, he is 6 and is stuggling to balance the paces. Once the neck is soft he is amazing but I cant unlock it very often and then more by luck than judgement and only for seconds. The walk is so much better.
 
In that case it you just have to keep doing what you are doing and have patience. For building muscle strength canter is the most effective pace ;)
 
At 6 even if he is big I would expect a little more, what is he like on the lunge, loose or long reining ? Can he work at all on a long low outline even if it is on the forehand? how is he out hacking, trotting uphill should enable him to push from behind while you work on softening him.
It sounds as if you have tried the obvious so you need to think outside the box, first I would get him checked by a physio, if you haven't already, then go back to lunging to soften him without the rider on, get him really moving forward and stretching before getting on to ride, it needs to be kept short if he is big but may help cut out the time and energy spent being tight, then do plenty of transitions walk to trot, trot to walk, ensuring he remains soft through them, especially the upwards ones, using the transitions as the main part of each session so he never gets set through the neck before coming back to walk, soften then trot again, just a few steps, then walk, as long as each upward transition is coming through from behind it should enable you to keep him soft and thinking forward, then gradually start to extend the period of trotting but be ready to walk before he sets against you.
Use a small circle to assist the downward transitions once he gets going for longer, this should enable you to keep him soft and the turn to bring him back to you rather than being stronger with him and him tightening in resistance to slowing down, as he gains strength it should all get easier, plenty of hacking would help with that, possibly some polework to encourage him to focus on where his feet go, I would be careful spending too much time in walk in case that is tightening him up a little before you ask for the first trot, trotting round on a long rein if you don't lunge may help him stretch and relax before you pick him up and again at the end of each session so he can learn to balance without much help from you.
 
PaddyMonty said:
In that case it you just have to keep doing what you are doing and have patience. For building muscle strength canter is the most effective pace ;)
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Thanks Pm been 2 years since baking so Ive realised Im in for the long haul, but will be worth it, keep telling myself to be patient!
 
Great advice Be P, along the lines of what I think we need to try next. The work has been pretty frantic but is starting to settle. Its great to have the forwardness and its always from behind but it does all become like a tug-of-war at times which is not pleasant.
Hes great in draw reins but I don't want to use them very often, however they do remove the support from the hand and encourage a bit more carrying.
 
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