Steady head??

AleutianArabian · 10-14-2008, 04:52 AM

My Arabian has a neck that he can easily touch his chin to his chest with. It is very flexible. When I ride him at walk he tucks it under and goes slowly up and down with his tucked in frame. We have tried some things like letting him reach down to the ground with his head to stretch out and that works.And at the trot he tends to bob it up and down. I can't give him too much rein because he does it even more, but I cant have a tight rein because then he will tuck in his head and his head will be behind the vertical.

Any tips?

Thank you!

JBandRio · 10-14-2008, 05:11 AM

This can be a very, very difficult problem to fix. The last thing you want to do is lunge him in side reins.

You say

Quote:

We have tried some dressage things like letting him reach down to the ground with his head to stretch out and that works, but I can't do that in the Arabian Show ring.

but that's exactly what you're going to have to do for a while. A long while maybe. It's not a "dressage thing", it's a part of teaching the horse to go forward, into contact, wherever you ask him to put his head, so that over time you can ask him to carry his head higher and higher. It may take you months of riding him forward, into no contact, so he learns to stretch out and down. Then you start taking very light contact and ride the same way. Then a little more contact, riding the same way, so that he learns to accept the contact.

Argonaut · 10-14-2008, 05:28 AM

I horses head will not be consistent unless they are pushing through from the back end and engaging. Drive the hind and forget about the head. As JBandRio said just go on a lose rein anc concentrate going forward from behind.
You will need a contact eventually and then use your leg and seat to push him up to the bit and not let him get too deep. I think you may need to go down the route of geting him infront of the bit instead of behind as it is better IMO to be infront than behind and then you can work on getting him on the vertical from there. It is not going to happen in a few days it's something that will need to be worked on regulary over a period of time.

AleutianArabian · 10-14-2008, 02:11 PM

JB- Thank you. I understand it is not a dressage thing but I was in a hurry writing it so that i just what came to mind when in dressage classes I let him do the extended walk and trot with his head nice and forward.But with the side rein thing, I heard it was good advice from another fourm, so I wanted to know another opinion about it. We have been doing things like circles,circles,circles and more circles while having his face and next nice and relaxed. And I think that has helped a ton.I have plenty of months to keep doing this for the next Arab show. The time I got him I didnt really ride that well and I just thought it was amazing that he could tuck in his head but now it is not so great when it comes to shows. I have been doing these things for a year and a half now and I can see that he is doing way better. I actually have been working on getting his hind end moving up under him and pushing from behind by doing circles, lots of circles, and bending and many other things like that ( haunches in and out, ect.) So I have posted to just kinda get an opinion on it to make him even better with keeping his head in one place. I think I need to really focus on walk right now.

Argonaut- Thank you very much with your advice.

Thank you very much everyone!

dvineequine · 10-14-2008, 02:36 PM

I agree with JB the horse needs to stretch to find his balance point with and without a rider. Your hands play a big part in this issue.
Arabians are masters at avoiding contact, they will trick you and lead you to believe they are light when they are behind the verticle then they will pull and toss their head when there is too much contact.
the fine line of communication is what you are aiming for.

10-14-2008, 04:52 AM	#1
AleutianArabian Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 11	Steady head?? My Arabian has a neck that he can easily touch his chin to his chest with. It is very flexible. When I ride him at walk he tucks it under and goes slowly up and down with his tucked in frame. We have tried some things like letting him reach down to the ground with his head to stretch out and that works.And at the trot he tends to bob it up and down. I can't give him too much rein because he does it even more, but I cant have a tight rein because then he will tuck in his head and his head will be behind the vertical. Any tips? Thank you! Last edited by AleutianArabian; 10-14-2008 at 02:12 PM.

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10-14-2008, 05:28 AM	#3
Argonaut Full Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: England Posts: 223 Images: 3	I horses head will not be consistent unless they are pushing through from the back end and engaging. Drive the hind and forget about the head. As JBandRio said just go on a lose rein anc concentrate going forward from behind. You will need a contact eventually and then use your leg and seat to push him up to the bit and not let him get too deep. I think you may need to go down the route of geting him infront of the bit instead of behind as it is better IMO to be infront than behind and then you can work on getting him on the vertical from there. It is not going to happen in a few days it's something that will need to be worked on regulary over a period of time.

10-14-2008, 02:11 PM	#4
AleutianArabian Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 11	JB- Thank you. I understand it is not a dressage thing but I was in a hurry writing it so that i just what came to mind when in dressage classes I let him do the extended walk and trot with his head nice and forward.But with the side rein thing, I heard it was good advice from another fourm, so I wanted to know another opinion about it. We have been doing things like circles,circles,circles and more circles while having his face and next nice and relaxed. And I think that has helped a ton.I have plenty of months to keep doing this for the next Arab show. The time I got him I didnt really ride that well and I just thought it was amazing that he could tuck in his head but now it is not so great when it comes to shows. I have been doing these things for a year and a half now and I can see that he is doing way better. I actually have been working on getting his hind end moving up under him and pushing from behind by doing circles, lots of circles, and bending and many other things like that ( haunches in and out, ect.) So I have posted to just kinda get an opinion on it to make him even better with keeping his head in one place. I think I need to really focus on walk right now. Argonaut- Thank you very much with your advice. Thank you very much everyone!

10-14-2008, 02:36 PM	#5
dvineequine Full Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada Posts: 80	I agree with JB the horse needs to stretch to find his balance point with and without a rider. Your hands play a big part in this issue. Arabians are masters at avoiding contact, they will trick you and lead you to believe they are light when they are behind the verticle then they will pull and toss their head when there is too much contact. the fine line of communication is what you are aiming for.