Locking neck...and bend

M

mikh

New Member
Jan 3, 2008
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My new boy is a babe. But he has been very used to going in a straight line and leaning in round corners, so lacks flexion.

Any tips for this, am currently doing serpintines/circles etc.

His other habit is to brace his neck against you, usually in canter (he doesn't bolt) just takes a bit of time to pull up... anything to try and encourage him out of this habit?

Ta!
 
start with carrot stretches ...

to start around to hes side,

then up towards hes back

and lower down.

also bring the head down between the front legs.

do it all in stages, start with 2 times each side and increase it to 4 each time bringing the head/neck back round to a normal postion...
 
Lateral work, initially at a very slow walk (collected walk or counted walk) and then moving onto a slow trot when the lateral work is more established is the best for suppling the horse. Start with leg yield and shoulder in, probably in hand to start with so that you can teach it from the ground and then transfer it to saddle.

Being able to move the back and front ends around independantly will help with all your work.

If he's leaning in on corners check how you're riding them. If you're doing them the way that they're taught (shoulders rotated into the circle) then you're 'telling' him to fall in. Try advancing the inside hip with every stride and see if that makes a difference. The shoulders stay neutral. Advancing the hip puts you in the right position for having your outside leg slightly behind the girth and also puts your weight in the correct place to ride the circle.

Good luck :)
 
Agree with Bay Mare, but initially as a starting point I would be flexing his neck to either side at the halt.

Ask for a prompt, square halt.
Flex the neck right - rotate the right hand so that the fingernails face upwards, and lift the hand. You may also need to vibrate the rein a little.
Repeat to the left.
Walk on.
Halt again after several steps & repeat.

Initially your horse will only be able to move his nose a little to either side. You don't want him to move his legs, just his nose in isolation. In time, with lots of repetitions and patience, he will become more supple and be able to bend his nose round further without moving his legs.
 
Mine does that neck locking thing when she's about to explode!! So I tend to release all contact and give her nothing to lean on or fight against, I no longer hold her up etc, she then has about a minute thinking "oh my god where's she gone??" then will relax and release the lock and we carry on as normal.
 
Hi. I have a 4 year old gelding that’s about 16 hands. He pretty strong and intelligent. He went from being in a pasture with occasional riding (bare back and a hack more) at a little over 3 years old to training for about 6 months. He was in poor health at the time but I was not aware. He’s been in my care for the past 3.5 months. He’s in better health and has put weight back on. My daughter who is still young has started riding him again but now is at a stopping point because her trainer has informed us that he’s locking up his neck , pushing out his nose, and tries to scrape her off when he can. She’s not strong enough to take any kind of control. So for now, she’s not riding him, but my husband and I would like to. He’s in a D ring snaffle, no chain or strap for the chin, split reins. He’s knows some pressure and release. He’s not always keen to work. Does great on ground. Is a little stiff on the left side. But we do the neck stretches. What do y’all think? How can the riding part be worked on? He doesn’t need to be a show horse but would like to be able to ride him around for leisure.
 
Hello @ShashD . Welcome to the forum! That's an interesting question you ask, but just FYI I think you'll get better responses if you post your question as a new thread, rather than attaching it to an existing, very old thread.
 
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