He keeps sticking his head down when I'm riding?!?!?!?!?

Question

i was riding today,but before i rode him i freelunged him. and he was showing all he signs of a submissive horse, head down, ear concentrated on you and all the l*****g and chewing. but, once i got on, and started trotting, he kept trotting with his head down like he was when i was frelunging him.also he was being quite sluggish.i was constantly bootin' the S**t out of him to get him movin'. and then i resorted to having to use a crop, and i had to give him a few whacks to keep him movin'. it is the first time i have ridden him in ages though. and it was in a sand round yard. how can i get him to hold his head up without resorting to getting ssomething to hold his head up?and how can i stop him bein sluggish? itts so annoying! i felt like i was working harder than him! i also ride him in a loosering snaffle. and a wintec GP.

Answer 1

I don't know which dicipline you are riding, as you didn't specify, but that is the marking of a very well trained hunter horse.  I realize that it is a lil uncomfortable if the rider isn't used to it, but thats where you want your horses head to be.  This may mean that your horse naturally moves slower, as they are taught that head down is a collected and quiet pace.  THIS DOES NOT CALL FOR PUNISHMENT! No crop smacking, that is ridiculous.  This means that you actually need to RIDE and use your LEG to encourage your horse into forward motion.  You don't want to encourage his head to be up unless you are gaming and need speed and spirit.  You probly were working harder than him, well welcome to the realization that YES! Riding is not just sitting there, you need to use your muscles, and build them up since you don't seem to have them.  Wow

Answer 2

Sometimes horses are trained to put they're head down in round yards so that they stretch and warm up properly. I wouldn't be to worried. if i were you i would lunge him in an arena and not in a round yard if you are worried. I knew a horse that had been trained to do that.

Hope this Helps!!!

Answer 3

Maybe you should start from the beginning. Teach your horse to move off from light cues. If you have to kick and smack him to get him to move, he isn't going to move willingly. If you spend some time asking him to move forward with light pressure then reward him for doing it. Start back at a walk and work your way up. Stand still and then lightly ask him to move forward by squeezing him. When he moves forward, release the pressure. After you spend some time doing this, your horse will become a more willing partner. As far as his head goes.... Is he avoiding the bit? Is he trying to eat? Is he thinking about bucking you off? If he just has a naturally low heaset, you will have to live with it. Figure out what the problem is and work from there. Once you get him moving forward freely, you should be able to push him up into the bit a little better.

Answer 4

cheek if the horse is lame and also cheek his diet. if he doesn't get work much he may be unfit plus if he is a old horse he may be getting old. use a longer whip to support your legs and work on getting him moving more forwards at the work then work up slowly. if this counties get a vet there may be something wrong with the horses neck or back.

Answer 5

honestly when this happends. i just keep exercising my horse and making sure that he is healthy and nothing is really wrong with him.

thats about all i can say. exercise is about the best thing for a sluggish horse!! hope i helped!

Answer 6

he was probably just having an off day. horses cant be the same all the time. next time, instead of free-lunging, i would put him on the lungeline, just to control how much energy he wastes in the arena before you ride him. that will probably help. but if he still does it, ignore how low he keeps his head; its not a huge deal, and he will probably bring it back up eventually if thats always how he's carried it. but again, he was probably having an off day. give him a break and go on a trail ride and he'll probably bounce back rather quickly.

Answer 7

EASE up!, he is most likely mad at you for something, maybe to persistant, f he hasn't been ridin in a while, he will need just a brush up on things first.

Also when he is acting like that, keep his head  up at all costs!

A horse can't buck you if it's head is up, so if his head is down, and liking and acting aggravted, get his head up!.. just relax with him.