I love my 4 year old 14.3 hand horse I love him I got him a year ago and I trained him myself he wasn't broke when I got him he is doing great exept for he will get perfectly round at the trot but not at all at the cantor he shakes his head nonstop and i just don't know what to do we have an event soon and he isn't getting any better please give me some advice
First of all, this is a young horse, so you will need to make certain allowances with him. Since he is still a green horse, he has not had much instruction with roundness. You have to remember that he is still questioning what you're asking of him. He's not sure of what to do yet. Also, many times young horses have not yet developed the ample balance and strength to hold a frame at the canter. Assess his build. Are his muscles well-developed, or is he still weak? He might not be physically capable of carrying himself at the canter this soon. Relax, he's still young, and you don't need to push him too far too soon. The shaking of his head suggests that he's trying to evade contact with the bit. What sort of bit are you using? At this stage, he shouldn't need much more than a snaffle, maybe a D-ring depending on his background. I never put young horses in anything too harsh, because it encourages them to fight the contact rather than except. Also check your position at the canter. Are you hauling on his mouth trying to get him to lower his head? Keep a light contact, but let him find his own rhythm. Don't insist on perfect roundness yet, let him become comfortable at the canter. The worst thing you can do right now is fight with him. It will only lead him to thinking that riding is punishment and then you'll have a real problem on your hand. He's a young horse, there is plenty of time for him to learn roundness in the future, but for now, just concentrate on letting him become comfortable at the canter.
Thank You for your imput I am riding him in a rubber D ring snaffle and I really don't think i am hauling him around I am giving him but i just want it a little lower he caries his head a little to high but i have a martingale on him.He is doing great and in out first event we got first place in our first event ever although we did do the lowest level there is but I was so proud of my baby Quizno.
Has he been floated and what not? Sometimes head tossing can have a lot to do with the way the bit sits in the mouth... maybe he can tolerate it at the trot and not the canter? My horse head tosses when she's frustrated and it got worse when her teeth were over do.
i ride a beautiful horse though shes a lil heavy on the forehand, but shes nice n round at the trot too but at the canter, she bends the wrong way n she canters with her head way up in the clouds. her teeth are fine but shes i lil young tho, so time n training hopefully will fix that
When I want my horse to round up Istart by tugging gently on the reins. This gets her sttention back on me. I then tap up with my heels. By this I mean to stretch your legs far down her side while still in the stirrups and kick upward. This will get her to suck up her chest and stomach and she will tuck her hips and bring her hindlegs under her. You must remember to keep pressure on the reins though or this is only a cue to go faster. And as with any cue stop giving it after your horse has obeyed.
When I want my horse to round up at teh canter I start by tugging gently on the reins. I Continue to keep contact with her mouth while I tap her sides "upwards" which is telling her to tuck in her stomach and chest and causes her to bring her legs under her. Always remember to keep contact or this cue will turn into a 'speed' cue. And as with any cue, release after the horse complies.
My horse sounds that way but we're still working on the trot. Unless your horse's head is way too high (like to the point of being dangerous) I'd suggest taking the martangle off. Personally, I would let the horse's headset develop on it's own. Is your horse balanced doing straightaways? Check his rhythm to make sure that it's even and collected, because that helps some. With my horse, I have to give her a lot of inside leg and shorten my reins a lot, so that I have more control over the head. Of course once the horse gets it with short reins, then when you lenghten them out then the horse will still understand it. Anyway, I tried to get my horse to take big circles, but she wouldn't bend her body, so my trainer told me just to circle her not really watching for an even circle, but making sure that she kept herself bent the whole time. Once we did that a couple of times, my horse did a lot better rounding out.
