I've had my mare for 2 years now...she has this habit of throwing her head around when riding (acting like flies hitting her in the face)...I'm careful to be soft with the hands..and just can't seem to get to the bottom of this...I've tried a regular snaffle, a curb, now a snaffle with a twist(they use this for training?)....Could this be a tooth problem or resistance and how do I deal with this? It's driving me nuts...!
head tossing
- Thread starter lady
- Start date
hello!
Is this a recent thing that your mare has started to do or has she always done it?
HEad tossing can be caused my several things. the first, as you suggested, can be pain in the mouth. If hse has grown hooks onthe back of her bottom jaw back molars, when she lowers her head her lower jaw can't slide forward as the teeth lock it into place. this caused discomfort. Also, if her teth are jagged, she could have some ulcers. In general horses need to have their teeth looked at at least once a year, usually every six months.
A twisted snaffle is (potentially in the wrong hands) a very severe bit. the twists are very thin and it is that surface that transmits pressure to the tongue and bars of the mouth - so a tiny pull from the rider gives a large sock of pressure to the mouth. Seeing as changing the bit has not made any improvement, why not go back to a normal snaffle or try a pelham with two sets of reins. She may be uncomfortable with the nutcracker effect of the snaffle and may have a very senstive mouth so the curb may work on her when used with the snaffle.
Head shaking can also be caused by allergies - often to pollen in the summer. Seeing as you are in Canada, I somehow doubt that it is a pollen allergy at this time of year! If you email me your fax number (or postal address) there was an article in a British riding mag called Your Horse about this two years agao which i can copy and send you.
Are you having lessons with a trainer? If she rides the hores does she still head shake? If not, it may be an evasion that your horse is using.
I hope that has helped
bye!
Is this a recent thing that your mare has started to do or has she always done it?
HEad tossing can be caused my several things. the first, as you suggested, can be pain in the mouth. If hse has grown hooks onthe back of her bottom jaw back molars, when she lowers her head her lower jaw can't slide forward as the teeth lock it into place. this caused discomfort. Also, if her teth are jagged, she could have some ulcers. In general horses need to have their teeth looked at at least once a year, usually every six months.
A twisted snaffle is (potentially in the wrong hands) a very severe bit. the twists are very thin and it is that surface that transmits pressure to the tongue and bars of the mouth - so a tiny pull from the rider gives a large sock of pressure to the mouth. Seeing as changing the bit has not made any improvement, why not go back to a normal snaffle or try a pelham with two sets of reins. She may be uncomfortable with the nutcracker effect of the snaffle and may have a very senstive mouth so the curb may work on her when used with the snaffle.
Head shaking can also be caused by allergies - often to pollen in the summer. Seeing as you are in Canada, I somehow doubt that it is a pollen allergy at this time of year! If you email me your fax number (or postal address) there was an article in a British riding mag called Your Horse about this two years agao which i can copy and send you.
Are you having lessons with a trainer? If she rides the hores does she still head shake? If not, it may be an evasion that your horse is using.
I hope that has helped
bye!
hello.
just a couple things to add to Sarah's very complete post.
the horse i lease occasionally has a sore hock from an old injury, and he'll frequently toss his head when he's off-balance due to soreness. that's his way of letting me know he's not very comfortable. in Raven's case, usually all he needs is to loosen up his hindquarters, so we'll do various things to get him moving in the right way, and he's usually fine after that.
so, in addition to the very-likely possibility of pain in her mouth, it's possible that your mare might be uncomfortable somewhere else, and is using the head-tossing to signal that to you.
maybe a vet check is in order? as well, like Sarah mentioned, try having a trainer or instructor ride her and see if the head-tossing continues.
good luck with her!
-cyn
just a couple things to add to Sarah's very complete post.
the horse i lease occasionally has a sore hock from an old injury, and he'll frequently toss his head when he's off-balance due to soreness. that's his way of letting me know he's not very comfortable. in Raven's case, usually all he needs is to loosen up his hindquarters, so we'll do various things to get him moving in the right way, and he's usually fine after that.
so, in addition to the very-likely possibility of pain in her mouth, it's possible that your mare might be uncomfortable somewhere else, and is using the head-tossing to signal that to you.
maybe a vet check is in order? as well, like Sarah mentioned, try having a trainer or instructor ride her and see if the head-tossing continues.
good luck with her!
-cyn
Thanks Sarah...my e-mail is joannela@nb.sympatico.ca
the snaffle I was talking about is wide it is not thin...maybe I didn't explain it right but the piece in the mouth is the same size of a regular bit but as a slight twist in it....When my vet comes because I do have to get her teeth filed twice a year I will saddle her up and show him what she does..and yes she has done this ever since I got her..I always thought it was the flies but no flies and she still does it...
also I forgot to mention she has arthritis in her hock ....some people tell me it could be pain in her hock...?..anyway I'm gonna show the vet next visit..again thanks...
the snaffle I was talking about is wide it is not thin...maybe I didn't explain it right but the piece in the mouth is the same size of a regular bit but as a slight twist in it....When my vet comes because I do have to get her teeth filed twice a year I will saddle her up and show him what she does..and yes she has done this ever since I got her..I always thought it was the flies but no flies and she still does it...
also I forgot to mention she has arthritis in her hock ....some people tell me it could be pain in her hock...?..anyway I'm gonna show the vet next visit..again thanks...
um... arthritis in her hock!?!
read my post again... i'd say you might have found your problem.
she may very well need to be loosened up before she'll stop the head-tossing... she's telling you she's uncomfortable in one of the only ways she can!
do you give her anti-inflammatory injections or tablets? does she settle down a while into your ride?
i know with Raven, i counter-bend him in the corners to get him to engage his hindquarters more if he's feeling a bit sore. again, once he's been given the appropriate "hints" as to how to loosen himself up, he's fine. he also gets injections and butrazin (?) anti-inflammatory tablets as supplements.
definitely have the vet check her again, and talk to her about the pain in her hocks.
-cynthia.
read my post again... i'd say you might have found your problem.
she may very well need to be loosened up before she'll stop the head-tossing... she's telling you she's uncomfortable in one of the only ways she can!
do you give her anti-inflammatory injections or tablets? does she settle down a while into your ride?
i know with Raven, i counter-bend him in the corners to get him to engage his hindquarters more if he's feeling a bit sore. again, once he's been given the appropriate "hints" as to how to loosen himself up, he's fine. he also gets injections and butrazin (?) anti-inflammatory tablets as supplements.
definitely have the vet check her again, and talk to her about the pain in her hocks.
-cynthia.
Thanks Cynthia....
No we don't have those injections here in Canada....the only thing we have access to is Glucosamine which don't make much difference and very expensive and bute(which I do not want to put her on unless swollen)....and magnetic therapy.....someone on another post suggested Apple Cider Vinegar....have you heard of this...?
No we don't have those injections here in Canada....the only thing we have access to is Glucosamine which don't make much difference and very expensive and bute(which I do not want to put her on unless swollen)....and magnetic therapy.....someone on another post suggested Apple Cider Vinegar....have you heard of this...?
My horse head shakes - much worse in spring but she still occasionally does it in winter. She suffers from mild mud fever and I sometimes wonder if that is what is bothering her in winter but one day she'll do it and the next be perfectly OK!
Sarah, Hope you don't mind but I have emailed you with my address in the hope that you would be able to send me a copy of the article - I would be very grateful if it isn't too much trouble.
Many thanks
Clairev
Sarah, Hope you don't mind but I have emailed you with my address in the hope that you would be able to send me a copy of the article - I would be very grateful if it isn't too much trouble.
Many thanks
Clairev
Lady and Clairev, i have faxed and posted the article to you. I hope the fax arrived ok as i don't know your proper name Lady!
Clairev, i tried to email you to say i had posted you the article but ran into the 'address unknown' problems we had before. this time you weren't at kiwinet.easynet but at satsumamail.easynet! All a bit fruity if you ask me!
bye!
Clairev, i tried to email you to say i had posted you the article but ran into the 'address unknown' problems we had before. this time you weren't at kiwinet.easynet but at satsumamail.easynet! All a bit fruity if you ask me!
bye!
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