Is This Horse Lame Or Working Long And Low? Bobbing Head

newforest

newforest

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Mar 15, 2008
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Forward to the ridden part, i am not sure if this is a lame horse because of the nods in trot or this is a movement i haven't seen before. The length of the contact, is this allowing the horse to seek down and you get the bobbing?

I haven't posted this video to be critical of the rider, i am genuinely interested in replies. The reason is because i rode two horses who did this bobbing of the head and i didn't like the feel in walk-it felt wrong (to me) both horses were 16hh and i guess longer in the body and this is the first time i have found anything that looks like what i have felt. The poll in my case was the highest point but the flexion felt as if the head was bobbing around and would just drop off! I gave the contact back and stopped, much to instructors annoyance, but i seriously didn't like the feeling.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZALv7mjiSg&feature=youtube_gdata_player
 
TBH the way she's riding him I find it hard to tell. I'd like to see him being ridden properly, or trotting loose. I would probably get his back checked. I definitely don't think he looks as loose and relaxed as the woman thinks he is...

All our horses know how to stretch down and work long & low - but they don't bob their heads like that!
 
The whole picture looks odd to me, not just the head. The horse's paces are very stilted, his hindlegs are trailing, and he looks tense through his back. That and the lack of topline (see the big dip in front of his withers) could suggest a back or saddle problem. I can see how a horse who is very backward and tense through his back might compensate by nodding his head. However, I am totally unfamiliar with this style of riding - I've never seen anything quite like it - so perhaps I just don't know what I'm looking at.

When I work horses long and low, I look for loose, swinging, forward steps. In most horses, this means tracking up or overtracking. I want the horse to reach down and forward a little with his head and neck, not come behind the vertical. I've never had a horse's head bob in trot when working as I've just described.
 
I just wonder if she's asking him to do that... In the last few minutes you can see very clearly that she's sawing with her hands.

The whole thing seems a bit weird; I don't like the way she teases him, and when he's doing the stuff on the block he doesn't seem clear at all about what she's asking for.
 
I think it's her riding. He doesn't seem right much when he moves anyway actually.

I don't like the circus tricks she's making him perform though but hey ho.
 
What i noticed is that he isn't tracking up, but the nodding puzzled me.
I couldn't work out if it was pain issue or something else.

I think i will watch it again as may see something else.

But i have never seen a horse ever do that, it shows up more in the slow motion section.
 
Well a Tennessee Walking Horse 'nods' when it walks in true WH gait. Its fast, its smooth but it doesn't look anything like what this horse and rider are doing! They say in Tennessee...'If it ain't nodding, it ain't walking!' :biggrin: But I don't think this can be applied to this horse's action!:redcarded:
 
Definitely something now right with that horse, I'd say it looks lame on his off fore but that head movement is also very strange. I've seen very lame horses who don't nod anywhere near that. Its a shame she is on You Tube professing to be an expert trainer and her horse is going like that :frown:
 
I wouldn't have said he was sound, he appears to be in bar shoes which may suggest something bad is going on with his front feet, and the lack of activity in front would support this.

Not overly keen on the circus tricks either, but at least they've been taught using rewards rather than threats or punishment, and the dangling willy would suggest he's pretty happy about it.
 
I have become a little fascinated by this. I can't tell whether the horse is lame or just doing what he's been trained to do, so I had a look for more vids to see if they helped - they didn't help me, unless the horse is hopping I'd struggle to spot it!

This vid is interesting though - he's doing the same trot without a rider. He also does a 'trick' where he stands with all four feet together. Doesn't look comfortable to me and I think he looks stiff when he walks out of it. It also gets on my nerves how many treats he gets - sorry, I didn't realise I was so fussy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xpp5uIaobA&list=UUK3z4pqs_1qEBYAJso0fC7A&index=14&feature=plcp
 
So what is a Spanish trot?
She appears to be encouraging an upwards movement with her hands, so yes he has been taught to do this then.

Hum-treats, is this a form of clicker?

The parts i had worries over-the four legs together. The amount of movement from those muscles and the twitching of the front legs indicated imo that there is significant strain.

Personal choice i do not teach rearing, yes its natural so yes my cob has all the time in the world to do it. She can do it, but i would think it is fairly last resort for her based on her size and weight and bulk. If she does i consider her well and truly annoyed!

What stood out for me was the repeated cues, i am quite sure i do this which is why i noticed. In fact i am sure i nag.
 
Yann said:
I wouldn't have said he was sound, he appears to be in bar shoes which may suggest something bad is going on with his front feet, and the lack of activity in front would support this.

Not overly keen on the circus tricks either, but at least they've been taught using rewards rather than threats or punishment, and the dangling willy would suggest he's pretty happy about it.
Click to expand...

Ditto this, you can see he's had what looks like remedial farriery around 1.35seconds in. Not sure if lame, I keep trying to put my finger over the rider so I can look at the horse without my eye flicking to the wifey bobbing about on top. Difficult to say but it looks pretty stilted and uncomfortable.
Don't like the circus tricks either. A little bit uncomfortable to watch.
 
He's been clicker trained to do those things as far as I can see, but they're well established behaviours and he only gets the odd treat now and again.

So long as things aren't harmful I think it's a case of each to their own, dressage and showjumping for two put a lot of strain on horses bodies, and generally for much more extended periods of time.
 
MMMmmmmm,I found that first one a bit of an uncomfortable watch too. Can't quite put my finger on why. Horsey on the move seems a mixture of sloppy/floppy and tight, in different parts of his action/body. Don't care for the 360 spin on one hoof either - if he has an issue with his fronts that strain all round and through the joints won't help.

Having said that he looks in goodish condition, seems to be being trained with affection rather than bullying and looked quite contented if a bit bemused. I dont' exactly :inlove: it, but there is a lot worse stuff on YouTube I guess.

All in all a bit weird.....................
 
I have seen the one foot spin on a few videos and i know the we do turns on front and behind, it do look a bit odd. Perhaps that is connected to the Spanish walk.
 
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