HORSE HOLDS HIS HEAD DOWN ON CANTER

Question
HELLO,
I AM 44 YEARS OLD
I HAVE ABOUT 2 YEARS EXPERIENCE WITH HORSES
MY HORSE IS ALONE
MY HORSE IS IN A PASTURE
I HAVE A 8 YEAR OLD QUARTER HORSE GELDING. WHEN HE GOES TO A CANTER HE MOVES HIS HEAD UP AND DOWN. AT TIMES HE SHAKES HIS HEAD. HE USE TO BUCK WHEN HE WOULD GO TO A CANTER BUT HE DOES NOT DO THAT ANY MORE. HE HAD BEEN IN A PASTURE WITH OTHER HORSES FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS AND KIDS RODE HIM WITH SOMEONE LEADING HIM. I HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH HIM FOR ABOUT TWO MONTHS NOW AND HE IS NOT THE SAME HORSE. HE WILL BREAK AT THE POLE AND HAS GOOD VERTICAL FLEXION. YOU CAN MOVE HIS HIND QUARTERS. HE DOES GOOD AT THE TROT AND WALKING.ANY IDEAS?

JIM

Answer
This could lots of things, could be eyes, ears or bit pressure.  Horses need to move their heads up and down to see things and to focus their eyes, so some movement is normal.  Ears could be throwing off equilibrium and he is trying to compensate, not likely but possible.  Since kids rode him, they may have been heavy on bit and horse is used to pulling to get release of pressure.

I would try and ride him in a round pen or enclosed area that horse is comfortable in so he will not be concerned with his footing or focusing on anything, then ride him with lose reins and no pressure in reins at all, if he is in a confined area he can not run off so let him canter with no pulling or pressure and see if he head settles down.

The last option would be to try and control the head with reins, not good and if not done with a soft touch, good timing and good release, will only make the problem worse, so I would not do this as this is what probably caused this in the first place.

Read my site so you better understand horses, you have to think like a horse to understand horses so you can understand what to do to help them be better.

Rick