Is she over bent?

xGreyponyx

Bucked off ;] x
Nov 28, 2007
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I would love peoples opinions on wether or not Tess looks over bent here? She looks a little bit to me but im not to sure.
This is how she chooses to hold her head, i would never ever saw her in the mouth or anything (i no that is not the only reason she would be over bent) i would just like some oppinions.
Thanks very much :)
P1060503.jpg
 
IMO yes, she is quite overbent. The front of her face should be on the vertical, ideally with the poll as the highest point.

Smart girl though!
 
i personally would say she is a little as her head is behind the vertical. it is more difficult to correct an overbent horse than it is to correct one who holds above the vertical for example.
 
Yes I think she does look overbent in that pic. Not sure how you would correct that if she is offering it tho - I have the opposite problem....a tendency to giraffe!! I think the ideal head positioning is on the vertical relaxed at the poll with the neck bit behind behing the highest point? And obviously working from behind before anyone jumps on me!
 
She does look overbent, but she also looks like she's working nicely from behind with impulsion ...

Do you have any other photos?

Is she continually in this position? Lucy dips behind the vertical sometimes, even when she's working very hard - it's become less and less as she's becomg stronger but I think it will always her evasion tendency!
 
Yes she is as she is leaning and on the forehand. You want to ride her more from behind and get her to carry herself more.

ETA: she has good hock movement but is not truly working from behind. Some of this is due to her conformation - she is built rather downhill, but you can see she has a well developed shoulder but is weak behind and isnt working round over her back.

I would be working her in the slowest possible trot, thinking more collected than "forward" and then you will find she cant hold her head in this position, nor will she be able to go about on your hands.
 
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Yes she looks overbent.

I would suggest lifting your hands and bringing them forwards a little. This is what I was taught when a horse drops behind the vertical. However you will obviously find it tricky if that is what she offers as standard. What happens if you trot on a totally loose rein? Does she still work like that?

I'd be trying lifting your hands a little, and if she unfolds a little, rewrd her by softening and giving.

She's a nice, smart girly though! :D
 
Thanks guys. I though she looked over bent, but its good to have other oppinions.
Any other suggestions on how i can stop this?
She is normally abit heavy on my hands but tends to settle. In the pic she was very excited as we were at a show, so i was probably holding her tighter then normal, and she was leaning on me quite alot (not sure when the pic was taken).
Agree about confo, she has a small back end and a big front end.
If i trot on a totally loose rein she will either drag her head:rolleyes: or have it out in front of her.
Is this pic any different better? She doesnt look so tucked in to me, but i sont trust my oppinion. I will deffo try and get some pics of schooling at home, as she is much lighter on my hands and far more relaxed, all i have to do is find a photographer:rolleyes:
Btw, her hind legs hasnt touched the ground here
P1060507.jpg

Thanks for comments about her looking smart:D
 
yes :) In both pics she looks like she is bending and not coming from behind ie evading doing proper work, so something to work on :)
 
Yes that photo is much better. I suspect she could still do with unfolding just a tiny bit more, but not hugely :)

As a whole, I'd be lifting and bringing the hands forward a touch, whilst encouraging impulsion from behind (although tbh her impulsion looks reasonably good).

When she goes with her nose poking out, how would you encourage her to bring it in?
 
Yes that photo is much better. I suspect she could still do with unfolding just a tiny bit more, but not hugely :)

As a whole, I'd be lifting and bringing the hands forward a touch, whilst encouraging impulsion from behind (although tbh her impulsion looks reasonably good).

When she goes with her nose poking out, how would you encourage her to bring it in?

Thankyou:)
By doing lots of transisions and circles.
When schooling i start her on a long rein, slowly shortening them up. I tend to do lots of circles, getting her to bend. I use quite alot of leg, and at the begging of the circle gently sponge the inside rein, then relese the rein pressure when she bends. Is this wrong? I would hate to be the reason that i am making her over bend.
Is there anything that would be better to do? Sorry about the questions
 
Are you wearign a body protecter in the pics?

I ask as in both you seem to be very rounded in the shoulders and leaning slightly forwards which wont help her either.
Also when you are sitting straight in the saddle you will be able to apply more leg to make her go more forwards into the contact (not meaning faster, but so you are pushing her up into the bridle)
 
I agree that she looks a little overbent (not so much on the second pic), but I think she looks like she's working quite well - her hind legs aren't trailing and her trot looks quite elevated. As others have said its quite hard to sort out a horse that is overbent. I ride my friend's horse who can get a bit overbent when he's excited and I'm holding firmly. I find that by lifting my hands and pushing them forward, and at the same time sending him forward with my legs, he will come back up. It can be quite frustrating though as this usually makes him come above the vertical! its hard to find a balance. Hopefully she will get the point eventually but it won't be overnight.

Also, I would try moving your shoulders back just a little so you are more upright? I think your position actually looks quite good but maybe by sitting back a bit you will shift your weight off her shoulders and help her come up in front?

And she is very pretty btw!
 
Thank you guys:D Your advice is really appriciated.
Looking at the pics i totally agree i need to sit up more. I didnt realise how tipped i am!
But thankyou very much, i cant afford lessons, but this is deffo the next best thing xx
 
As others have said, if you tip forwards too much that won't help - it puts weight over her shoulders and will encourage her onto her forehand which some horses respond to by overbending. However, there are some schools of thought that say your body should be slightly forwards of the 'vertical' in terms of your back if you like, when you trot, in order to stay with the movement. It's like a maze trying to get it right!

You don't sound like you are working her wrong at all - nice and non fiddly and looking for impulsion from the back end to bring the front end round rather than trying to fiddle the head into position.
Aim to sit up (but don't get left behind ;)!) and then when she gets behind the vertical (might be handy having somebody on foot to help tell you), raise and move your hands forward =]

Good luck, she's lovely and you look and sound a nice rider with a lot of sense about you :)
 
Just a thought: I would ride a couple of times without the flash. When I finally took it off my horse, after using it for many years, I realized I had never actually gotten her to accept the bit, and she overbent too.
 
Thankyou Peches, that is very helpful:D

Just a thought: I would ride a couple of times without the flash. When I finally took it off my horse, after using it for many years, I realized I had never actually gotten her to accept the bit, and she overbent too.

Thanks for the comment. I actually very very rarly use a flash on her. I do normally use one at comps though, so i might try with out next time, thanks :) xx
 
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