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The tack room

Discuss horse riding and ownership on our Horse forum.

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Original poster

Head tossing

18 replies

annieapple7 · 29/09/2013 20:44

We bought a lovely pony for DD in August and he has been a real peach. But when DD rode him today he was tossing his head and snatching the reins out of her hands. I put some side reins on him (well, baler twine) as a temporary measure, but he kept on tugging at the reins for pretty much the whole 30 minutes we were out which was unpleasant for DD.

Any suggestions on what is going on?

OP posts:

horseylady · 29/09/2013 21:27

Check teeth and back and saddle initially. One of those is probably the reason!

Mirage · 29/09/2013 22:44

Yes,what horseylady said.Dpony did this and we found that her happymouth bit had a sharp bit on it where she had chewed it.We changed to a sweet iron french link,which she loves,and she has never head tossed since.

curlew · 29/09/2013 22:47

Dd's mare does this unless you have the lightest hands imaginable.

Worth trying a martingale?

If it's a new behaviour, what's changed?

frostyfingers · 30/09/2013 09:15

It could just be flies, I've noticed that they've been really bad here for the last week or so while the weather had been warmer. It's not just the ordinary ones either, we've got small biting ones and midges as well. Otherwise, teeth, bit, back as others have suggested.

curlew · 30/09/2013 09:38

You can get little nets to go over the nose-I'm having a mental block about what they are called- that help some head tosses by keeping the flies off them

Butkin · 30/09/2013 10:56

We're having the same problems with our Connemara mare. It isn't resistance so we know we don't need a martingale (have ridden in Market Harborough before but she is very well trained and complient). We've have the vet out and it is either pollen or flies.

We've tried a nose net and even tried putting a pair of tights over her nose (as shown on Youtube!) as tighter mesh.

Not getting any better so we won't ride her for month and see how she is then. If she doesn't get better we'll sell her as a companion/broodmare as it makes riding her impossible.

cedmonds · 30/09/2013 16:53

if it is a pollen thing vasaline can work really well before you work them as the pollen sticks to it. Can look like they have got a horrid virus though
We also gave ds pony some anti histamine which worked really well

Pixel · 30/09/2013 17:11

Dpony only does it when there are midges. They don't even have to be touching him, just a cloud of them hovering in the air near him is enough to start him off. Our old pony used to do it when the Rape was in flower but that's obviously not your problem now!

Original poster

annieapple7 · 30/09/2013 22:01

Thanks everyone. The tack is the same as when we bought him...we bought the tack with him, so nothing has changed there. I wondered about a new autumn-style pollen issue. I haven't noticed any midges. Will get his teeth checked. What a nuisance! He has been such a sweetie up until now!

OP posts:

DENMAN03 · 01/10/2013 20:32

Get the teeth checked. I bet that's the reason. Horses will try and tell you when something hurts! Don't tie his head down as this will just make him more uncomfortable. If its not teeth then check the saddle still fits properly. His shape may well have changed if he has put on weight over the summer or has got fitter. I have my saddle checked yearly.

Mirage · 14/10/2013 17:28

Bizarrely enough,dpony started this again today.She hasn't been ridden for a week due to the weather,and DD2 has only ridden her a few times recently as she is recovering from a broken wrist.We have had bigger stronger riders exercising her for us until the bad weather hit.

Today,from the moment DD2 got on,she was yanking the reins continually.As we were in the bit of the field with long grass,I put it down to that,but she did it for the whole hack.There are no flies around and it is damp and drizzley here so don't think it is pollen.She didn't do it in trot only walk.I'll get the dentist to give her a check.

mrslaughan · 14/10/2013 18:11

could she be looking for more of a contact? having got used to it with the bigger stronger riders?

Mirage · 14/10/2013 20:18

You could be right mrslaughan.She is 23 and a wise old bird and will push her luck and try to get out of work if she can.DD2 has ridden her on and off for about 2 years and apart from having a sore mouth the last time she did it,has been fine,although has tried other evasions.The dentist/back man is coming on Thursday as the new pony could do with a check over too,and I'd hate to think of her being in discomfort.

I'll swap and put DD1 on her if it continues,and see if it makes any difference,and could also try bareback and see if she does it on the lunge.She did have grass reins on as she won't snack with DD1,but DD2 isn't strong enough to stop her and the naughty old thing knows it.

Blooming ponies,there is always something.....

Mirage · 15/10/2013 19:29

Hmm! We rode in the field today and she hardly head tossed at all,but planted and was very reluctant to get going,which is one of her old evasions that she used to do when we first got her.I suspect that she has enjoyed her week off,has realised that DD2 isn't as big or strong as the riders who have been exercising her and is running through her gamut of tricks and evasions.Still,the dentist can give her the once over and check her back too.We have a week of PC next week,so that'll sharpen her up.

mrslaughan · 15/10/2013 21:27

Don't you just love ponies...............

Mirage · 15/10/2013 21:47

Oh yes indeedy.I forgot the lunge whip and had to resort to chasing the wicked old thing around with the poo picker in an attempt to get her into canter,whilst DD2 laughed like a drain.Bizarrely enough,my friend text me to say that their 23 year old pony was head tossing so much today that they had to put a daisy rein on her,where upon she careered over the jumps and became unstoppable.I swear those two ponies have some sort of pyschic thing going on,and are trying it on with the head toss/too slow/too fast evasions.

mrslaughan · 17/10/2013 18:59

ITs funny, as I was riding the horse I share and his owner came to watch. Dhorse put in a couple of head shakes yesterday, which I ignored, but we went through a patch today of quite persistent ones...her comment was "I see he is trying a new evasion..." . I rode him through it, but he is also 19 and knows how to get out of "work".....

Mirage · 17/10/2013 20:43

Well done,I bet he won't try that trick again! The dentist came today and she did have some sharp edges,so could be 6 of one half a dozen of the other.We didn't get to ride today due to one thing and another so we'll see what she thinks up for tomorrow.

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