Wiggly head, any ideas

[Agent XXX999]

When I ride Bruce he is not very still in his head, he moves it from side to side like I have been soaring on his mouth (I havent!) I ride with a still hand and he does it most of the time, its from side to side, not like headshaking, more like he is saying no?

Happends most in trot, he is working well but this side to side thing is really annoying, he does it with me and my instructor and we are both stumped.

The thing is he is really relaxed when he does it, almost like when pro dressage riders do the dressage nod thing!

He is ridden in a hanging cheek french link, but does it in the straight bar rubber snaffle I used to ride him in, and the winkie bit I jump in!

Teeth are done every 6 months, all up to date?

Any ideas?

 

[kerilli]

i'd get his atlas/axis/back checked by a mctimoney chiropractor.
i'd try him in a single joint fulmer snaffle, with a loose drop noseband.
i'd try taking a slightly more constant contact on the inside rein and teaching him to trust the still hand, and only using the flex in my outside hand's fingers to send him messages.
if none of this worked, i think i'd accept that he wasn't going to be a dressage horse!

 

[Agent XXX999]

Thanks, I was thinking back. It is only very subtle, but when you are riding it you notice it. It is like he is overly fussy, but with no reason to be.

I might try a frop noseband...but why the fulmer? Just out of interest.

He shoves his head in your face with single jointed bits. I think it may be psycological as in a past life (as in not with me) when he was being broken he had his jaw clamped shut (and has the scars to prove it where the nose band rubbed if you look very carefully on first pic in my sig you can see the scars)

 

[Shilasdair]

Could he be unlevel at all in trot?
Does he do it on the lunge with side reins attached to the roller?
Does he do it when he is trotting with a rider but no rein contact?
Does he do it in a Hackamore?
S

 

[Agent XXX999]

No not unlevel, it is not like he is nodding, it is like he is going from side to side.

No not with side reins, only when ridden

No he is better on a long reig

I might try him in his hackamore...

 

[kerilli]

i love the fulmers as the sides (with keepers) keep the bit so still in the mouth, allowing a really precise aid. also, the sides help give baby horses a little bit more steering, and if you have a real loss of steering, there's no way the bit can move sideways in the mouth. (nothing worse than having a bit in your hand and rein in the mouth, and yes, it has happened to me once xc a very long time ago, eww.)