-My daughter's mare, Xena, has been a bad head tosser from the time we got her several years ago. We thought it was the bit, and tried different ones, including the BB and just a rope halter. Nothing ever really "fixed" the problem. Over the years, we had been "giving in" to her, and the problem had been getting worse with escalation to outright bucking.
Until..... some serious lessons started. After 3 months, there is no more head tossing! None. She is in a snaffle. the whole point of the training was to get her to listen to my daughter and to teach my daughter how to be a better leader for the horse who tends to be dominant.
Then a magazine came in the mail this week and had a little article on fixing the head tossing problem. It described it as the horse trying to pick an argument with the rider. The "cure" is exactly what the trainer has been teaching Amy to do - very vigorous circling and work whenever the attitude becomes stinky. I have to agree with this article 100%. We were giving Xena the benefit of the doubt, thinking that she was upset by the bit, but in fact she was just upset at doing anything that wasn't her idea.
Now with some good tools and leadership skills, the horse is much more respectful and willing to comply with what Amy asks of her. We have been having some nice rides now, and the entire mental frame of the horse has improved, and NO MORE BUCKING! It has taken a LOT of hard work, and Amy will have to be very consistent. It goes to show that a horse will take every little bit they can get, and if it is not dealt with early on, you can actually be training a horse to be dangerous and not even realize that is what you are doing.
Anyway, I am very encouraged.
Dixie Mom
"The art of riding: Keeping a horse between you and the ground!"
Boy I never thought of that! Belle tosses her head but has been getting better since we tried the Myler bit, but that has come with more riding time and learning to yield. Hmmm. Something to think about.
I had some issues with Curly, too and moved to the Myler and she is great about it now. However, I think my biggest challenge in being a novice horseperson has been trying to interpret our horses' behaviors. Sometimes I'm still not sure what response to give. Is she irritated, frisky, uncomfortable, bored, etc.? I'm learning more as I go, but I'm always concerned that I try to give the appropriate response. I don't want to let them get away with behaviors that shouldn't be tolerated. On the other hand, I don't want to punish them for reacting to something that is uncomfortable. What a responsibility!
Brewben, that is it EXACTLY! And as kind, compassionate people, we are quick to forgive and give the benefit of the doubt. I think what I am seeing now, however, is that horses have much more basic needs - safety, food, play (sometimes) - in that order. All their fights involve the first two: for leadership (which translates into safety), and food (which is also about leadership.) The common denominator is leadership - who is the boss? Yes, they have emotions and are exquisitley sensitive animals, but their needs and arguments are about pretty basic stuff.
Doesn't it make sense that their issues with US would also be about the same? We make things so complicated. I know lots of times when horses and mules have had ill fitting gear, had to work in uncomfortable conditions, haul heavy loads over long distances with little food or water. Just read the journals of the pioneers or the history of the American migrations west. The photos of the old Army pack mules show anumals with the hair rubbed off their backs and calluses where the pack saddles rode. What made these animals do it? Leadership. I'm NOT saying abuse or starvation or ill fitting gear or overwork or any of those things are good or acceptable. But those animals did their jobs in spite of their discomfort or the conditions.
So why in the world should our mare be in sooooooooooo much pain from a snaffle bit with loose reins or a saddle that may be sitting a little crooked for a short ride? No, her behavior was purely out of disregard for my daughter, because the same mare acts like the most well behaved, perfectly trained horse in the world when my son rides her.
The head tossing had nothing to do with discomfort - it was purely a leadership battle, which she always got to win by getting release. Now that she gets some work to do, the head tossing is gone.
So what I'm getting at is to keep it simple. Other than an actual burr under the saddle, I think 99% of these behavioral arguments are about leadership. I'm thinking through all this, mind you, and I will be testing it out now, but I think we are sometimes tooooo forgiving of behavior.
PS: That being said, I feel really bad about riding Dixie home yesterday and she was trying to tell me that something wasn't right. She can be willful at times, so I kept her on task until we got home and then found the cactus thorns in her front legs. Boy, did I feel like a heel. BUT..... I guess it sort of proves my theory. Even though she was uncomfortable, when I asked her to keep on walking and get home, she did. There was no head tossing, bucking or bad behavior. She stood like a statue while I tweezed them all out. ----------
Dixie Mom
"The art of riding: Keeping a horse between you and the ground!"
My boy used to do that head toss/ head snake thing when he didn't want to move out. My trainer gave him a good spank and he was cured. Since my fall, he has started doing it again with ME, but when I gace him a good cowboy kick he moved into a trot. He must sense my nervousness now.... With my boy, he is lazy and does NOT buck. I guess what works for one horse does not always translate. ---------- http://www.youtube.com/user/autumnbreezeTB
Iroquois used to head toss all the time. Now in the BB he only does it when being reversed or being made to do something he doesn't want to do. I guess there may be more than one reason at a time. I like the idea of tight circles if he does it. I do that for not standing still but hadn't thought about it for head tossing. As we gain knowledge and confidence we can all be stronger leaders, it makes sense to be so. It's just that when we're stuck in the fear mode it's so hard to be the boss. I'm so much better now. I don't take any s..t from him - couldn't have done that a while back! ---------- Bitless - not witless!
Wish doesn't toss his head - as in throwing it up in the air. However, when he gets irritated and doesn't want to do what I ask, he will shake his head from side to side (almost like a dog). I understood it was temper but was never really sure what to do about it. In reading these posts and thinking it over, the trick is to make him MOVE and do something. Just standing still shaking his head at me is not acceptable.
