Kallibear
Well-Known Member
Any suggestions please?
My nearly 4yr ISH is being such a good boy under saddle. We hack gentle once or twice a week and get a half hour lesson once a week. He's doing great except for his head shaking. He flips his head up and down (not in an attempt to rein snatch tho) sometimes quite violently but doesn't snake it.
He has had his teeth recently checked and his saddle has just been professionally fitted.
His head shaking seems to be an annoyance at things on his head. He does it violent if his headcollar is left on in the field. He's esp bad if he's got hot and sweaty.He is better when I've got a contact and def worse when left to his own devises on a long rein. He does it rarely when concentrating hard but he finds it hard to concentrate when he's started head shaking!
He finds his bit annoying and is better with a fairly loose fitting noseband (Grackle or drop) because once he starts to play with it he becomes obsessed, starts to rattle it about with head shaking then really upsets himself. We tried him without a noseband in a lesson and he got himself so upset that he was dripping with sweat, violently head shaking and didn't calm down until I got off and put his Grackle back on (loosely). It's a very odd reaction that my instructor couldn't explain other than the noseband holds the bit stiller in his mouth and stops he rattling it about in the first place. I suspect he started head shaking first (not due to the bit) then hurt and upset himself as he was able to gape wide open and smack the bit off his palate/teeth etc
.
He now wears a Micklem bridle and is a little better than a normal bridle. It is never done up tighter than a normal cavesson would be.
He wears a NS Starter bit but has also tried a magic bit, curved single jointed and a Team Up. He takes a good contact normally and doesn't seem uncomfortable with his mouth specifically, just finds the whole thing annoying.
I tried him bitless (Dr Cook) and he was AWFUL as soon as any pressure was applied. He's not much better in a headcollar with reind which is why I don't think it's specifically his bit.
Current strategy is to entirely ignore it and push him forwards when he starts. However it's not really improving so I need to think of something else!
Any thoughts much appreciated!
My nearly 4yr ISH is being such a good boy under saddle. We hack gentle once or twice a week and get a half hour lesson once a week. He's doing great except for his head shaking. He flips his head up and down (not in an attempt to rein snatch tho) sometimes quite violently but doesn't snake it.
He has had his teeth recently checked and his saddle has just been professionally fitted.
His head shaking seems to be an annoyance at things on his head. He does it violent if his headcollar is left on in the field. He's esp bad if he's got hot and sweaty.He is better when I've got a contact and def worse when left to his own devises on a long rein. He does it rarely when concentrating hard but he finds it hard to concentrate when he's started head shaking!
He finds his bit annoying and is better with a fairly loose fitting noseband (Grackle or drop) because once he starts to play with it he becomes obsessed, starts to rattle it about with head shaking then really upsets himself. We tried him without a noseband in a lesson and he got himself so upset that he was dripping with sweat, violently head shaking and didn't calm down until I got off and put his Grackle back on (loosely). It's a very odd reaction that my instructor couldn't explain other than the noseband holds the bit stiller in his mouth and stops he rattling it about in the first place. I suspect he started head shaking first (not due to the bit) then hurt and upset himself as he was able to gape wide open and smack the bit off his palate/teeth etc
.
He now wears a Micklem bridle and is a little better than a normal bridle. It is never done up tighter than a normal cavesson would be.
He wears a NS Starter bit but has also tried a magic bit, curved single jointed and a Team Up. He takes a good contact normally and doesn't seem uncomfortable with his mouth specifically, just finds the whole thing annoying.
I tried him bitless (Dr Cook) and he was AWFUL as soon as any pressure was applied. He's not much better in a headcollar with reind which is why I don't think it's specifically his bit.
Current strategy is to entirely ignore it and push him forwards when he starts. However it's not really improving so I need to think of something else!
Any thoughts much appreciated!