Young horse advice please

[Myhorseeatsmoney]

I am extremely lucky with my young horse. He is a 4 year old Irish Sports with a very willing temperament. I had no intention of buying a youngster but he is the best behaved horse I have ever ridden without being a plod.

When I bought him he was ridden in a full cheek snaffle but lately has started to lower his head and then shake his head up and down but he is not snatching the reins. So I changed his bit to a fixed cheek snaffle that had thinner bars but also a flat lozenge and he is so much happier. But whilst out on a hack yesterday towards the end he started again pulling his head up and down but I don't believe it is caused by an allergy.

I have had his teeth done, back checked, saddle fitted etc etc.

We do lots of transitions and bending around the leg exercises and I am ensuring that he is working forward off my leg before I even ask him to work in an outline for a few minutes. I am slowly increasing the time I am asking him to work this way and I also let him have time to stretch out.

My trainer will be back to work in a couple of weeks time so will be able to help me then but I don't want this problem to become worse in the mean time. Any suggestions please?

 

[soulfull]

just a thought but Is it always towards the end of the ride? He could just be getting tired or at the end of his attention span.

 

[Ilovefoals]

It sounds like just greenness to me. I'm at a slightly further on stage than you with my Irish Draught and he did the same when I started out with him. I think it was a little bit of being green, misunderstanding and a bit of mischief thrown in. It will just take a bit of time for him to learn to accept the contact. It sounds like you're doing everything right so when he does it, just keep a nice steady contact and push him forward into your hands. Give him a scratch on the neck when he's steady in the contact and praise him with your voice. Mine only took a week to stop doing it. Oh, a it could also be to do with balance which will of course get better over time.

Any pics for us to see this handsome lad?

 

[Littlelegs]

My first guess is that he's tired & stretching down. I'd work on the basis that he just doesn't have the muscle yet to do the work you are asking for, for the time you are asking for. Or given his age, its possible he may have a tooth that is under the gumline, or was when dentist last there, that is bothering him now.

 

[wench]

When did the dentist last come out?

 

[Wheels]

I would get the dentist back as the first point of call

 

[millitiger]

Sounds like tired back muscles to me- happens quite often when hacking on young horses and you are sat on their backs for a long time walking.

Try getting into the 2 point position and getting your bum out of the saddle to give the muscles a rest and give him his head to stretch out.

 

[LouiseG]

My 5 year old ISH does this too. Mostly it's at the half hour/45 minute mark of a lesson if a lot has been asked of him and he is tired. He also does it at the end of a hack. He also sometimes does it out of cheek, or when he's trying to avoid something... also when he's excited! Depends on the situation but it usually stems from tiredness in his case.

 

[Myhorseeatsmoney]

Thank you for such great advice.

Yes he always does it towards the end of a session of training or hacking. So it
probably means he is getting tired, as he is such an honest horse. I usually school him for 20-30 minutes because he is so willing to work and learn new things and I want him to enjoy his schooling not put him off. But I lost track of time the last time so that is why he did it.

The dentist came to see him 9 weeks ago and he did advise me to have his teeth checked at least every 6 months.