Why are racehorses ridden with their heads high?

Darraxi

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Watching racing videos, I’m never surprised as to why my ex-racer has back problems... but is there a particular reason for their head carriage? I imagine there must be, unless a whole industry is somehow missing a trick.

Surely if the jockey were to give the horse its head rather than maintaining such a strong contact, the horse could let its neck out and run faster? Just seems to me that the constant bit pressure, discomfort and/or pain keeping their head up must surely inhibit how fast they can carry themselves??

I ride mine bitless and it’s like riding a donkey, but any time he’s worn a bit and someone’s taken a contact his head just SHOOTS up and the ready-to-go-or-blow racehorse comes right back; I just can’t figure out why that would be desirable.

Sorry if this is the wrong topic or posted before, I just can’t seem to find anything on Google about it!

Thanks :)
 

Mule

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Do you mean with their heads up as opposed to in an outline? They ride them in the way that's most efficient for speed.
 

ester

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You don't always want a horse to go faster, timing of acceleration is pretty key to winning races not just going as fast as you can all the way round.
 

Darraxi

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You can't figure out why "ready to go" racehorse mode would be more desirable than donkey mode in horse RACING?

Seriously?!

Okay I maybe could have put more thought into that part! I still mean more the head carriage than the attitude, as of course I don’t ride on a busy racetrack; isn’t pulling back on the reins to keep the head there inhibiting the horses freedom of movement? I suppose the head would probably be there anyway due to the intensity of the environment and situation, but there’s really no way to know that as the horse has no choice with how tight the reins are kept.

Do you mean with their heads up as opposed to in an outline? They ride them in the way that's most efficient for speed.

I guess I’m struggling to figure out WHY that’s the most efficient way? I would have thought letting the horse have its head and be able to really stretch out would have been the most efficient, as it could cover more ground and would have the freedom to use its head and neck to balance? But as I say, I doubt an entire industry has been getting it wrong this whole time!
 

Mule

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Okay I maybe could have put more thought into that part! I still mean more the head carriage than the attitude, as of course I don’t ride on a busy racetrack; isn’t pulling back on the reins to keep the head there inhibiting the horses freedom of movement? I suppose the head would probably be there anyway due to the intensity of the environment and situation, but there’s really no way to know that as the horse has no choice with how tight the reins are kept.



I guess I’m struggling to figure out WHY that’s the most efficient way? I would have thought letting the horse have its head and be able to really stretch out would have been the most efficient, as it could cover more ground and would have the freedom to use its head and neck to balance? But as I say, I doubt an entire industry has been getting it wrong this whole time!
Tbh I don't know anything about racing but I thought the horses have more neck freedom than most other disciplines. The rider doesn't dictate that they keep their neck in a particular shape.
 

Leo Walker

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With a racehorse taking up a contact means GO! They are trained to run into the contact. They all seem to have their necks long and flat to me though, although I will admit to never watching racing so maybe I'm completely wrong?
 

SEL

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When I was younger and braver I used to ride a lot of recently retired racehorses that were in for retraining. You can teach them how to take a contact quietly (in the traditional non-racing sense), but it takes time and patience.

Jockeys need to control the pace so they aren't going to gallop flat out on the buckle. In fact one of things I knew back in those days was to drop the reins if anything started to tank because that was their signal to slow.
 

SEL

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They all seem to have their necks long and flat to me though, although I will admit to never watching racing so maybe I'm completely wrong?

That was my first thought too. OP - are you talking about in the actual race itself (when they tend to be all stretched out) or on the way down to the start when heads are everywhere whilst the jockeys try and persuade them that it isn't actually time to GO yet?
 

Darraxi

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That was my first thought too. OP - are you talking about in the actual race itself (when they tend to be all stretched out) or on the way down to the start when heads are everywhere whilst the jockeys try and persuade them that it isn't actually time to GO yet?

I suppose I probably am talking more about the initial part, which definitely explains things; it’s not something I watch, so I guess I was basing things more on them prancing around at the start and then slowing up at the end! Upon watching properly they do actually have a lot more freedom to stretch out than I’d thought - my bad!
 

Keith_Beef

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My instructors have often told me that in canter tension on the reins is a signal for the horse to go faster and into full gallop...

I went to the races for the first time a few months ago. Most races were for yearlings over quite short distances. From the showing ring down to the track the horses were all jumping about excitedly with their heads held high, but when they were set free from the gates, they galloped full pelt with their necks stretched out.
 

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They are not ridden with their necks high, that is where they choose to have them - in other words the jockeys aren't "placing" the horse's heads, they are letting them run where they are most comfortable. The horses prancing around at the start with their heads stuck up in the air are being contained, and they're not trained like dressage horses to respond to the bit in any refined sort of way.

To ester: long yearlings are in training yes, poor buggers.
 

ester

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Yes I know they are in training, not competitively racing until 2 though here/most places? But I don't know what happens in france!
 

Keith_Beef

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As far as I know there are no yearling races.

I'll have to go back and check on that.

I thought I remembered that they were yearlings. Of course, I might have misunderstood the term, and it could have been that the hoses were not a year old, but in their first year of racing...

Some races, I think, were for three year olds that had not won in their previous year, so they would have been raced at two...
 
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Yes I know they are in training, not competitively racing until 2 though here/most places? But I don't know what happens in france!

It will probably have been breeze up sales or the likes. You hack canter for a furlong or so then go for 2-3 furlongs to see what the horse is made of. The fastest sell for the most money.


Op in answer to your question - at home in training most horses will be asked to canter/extend with their heads down to build up back end and back muscles to help them power along. When asked to properly gallop the head is allowed to stretch out where the horse is most comfortable. Some yards put horses in various bungees or draw reins to encourage this more long and low style for the steadier work. This is not to be confused with working 'on the bit' as a normal horse would. On the but to us is having them holding onto their bit pulling us along.

During a race all head carraige goes the way of the horse and where it feels most comfortable. Some put their heads right down, some up high, most have it at an average height. You keep a hold of them at the start of a race to conserve their energy. You cant just let them bomb off. That doesnt even work jn 5 furlong sprints! It would be the same as you saying you are going for a 2 mile run and setting off like a bullet out of a gun. You can not sustain that pace and that style of running for long. You will very quickly become tired and you will end up almost jogging the last bit.

There is no need for a racehorse to have its head down looking pretty. They have a job to do that is unlike any other.

As for how tight the reins are kept - depends on how hard the horse is pulling! A horse that is overly keen to get on with its job will be kept on a tight rein to keep the same gallop tempo and to conserve energy. A horse that knows its job and relaxes into its bit will only have a small hold taken of it. Enough to let them know the human is there and to contain the stride a bit. Some are inbetween. I ride a lovely big horse that you have to grab a hold of and put your leg on to get him to work properly. If you just dropped him on the buckle end he would lob away without a care in the world. By picking up the rein I am telling him its time to work. By relaxing the rein its his signal to chill out, work is done. Another I ride is keen as mustard all day long. He likes getting on with his job so he grabs his bit and pulls you everywhere. If I gave him a long rein when cantering I would very, very quickly be off in the distance! So I keep him on a short rein.
 
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I'll have to go back and check on that.

I thought I remembered that they were yearlings. Of course, I might have misunderstood the term, and it could have been that the hoses were not a year old, but in their first year of racing...

Some races, I think, were for three year olds that had not won in their previous year, so they would have been raced at two...

It was probably newcomers races that you saw. For unraced horses or horses in their first few ever runs on the track. Most of these races on the flat are for 2yos. Over jumps you get newcomers Bumpers which are usually 4-6yo but some go 3-6yo.
 
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Keith_Beef

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It was probably newcomers races that you saw. For unraced horses or horses in their first few ever runs on the track. Most of these races on the flat are for 2yos. Over jumps you get newcomers Bumpers which are usually 4-6yo but some go 3-6yo.

It was at Maisons-Laffitte, so only flat racing.
 

Bellaboo18

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Head up? As in not on the bit?
Racehorses are bred on a slope so actually they naturally have a low head carriage. Obviously when they are eager and alert in the parade ring the head will go up.
Unlike other disciplines you want them to stretch in to a flat stride and literally poke their nose out in the lead. They run in to the contact so you wouldn't want to 'give them their head' and there's also a race plan so they don't run out of steam.
In showjumping you want to collect the horse and get their weight on the hocks so they create a bascule over a fence. This means a more accurate jump. Basically racing is the opposite - long and flat.
It sounds like your horse doesn't understand what you want from the bit as an aid, this is normally part of the retraining.
 

tristar

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i always understood that the racehorse in motion uses its head as a fifth leg in the sense that the centre of balance or equilibrium is so far forwards it is often leaning on the bit, you should have seen ruby walshes ride at cheltenham this afternoon, klassic thingy, he had his head on the floor half the time but still won and must have pulled rubys arms out nearly.

but also they are very young and growing, so have not the benefit maturity which brings balance, racing between 2 and 8 years is young, a lot of the older horses can be seen to have improved in the head carriage department.

also they are changing their teeth, mouths are in a developmental state as is the rest of their body so overall its not surprising, bum high, shoulders not developed etc
 
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