Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

I started my AngloArab mare, and she was fine at first, then started getting 
a bit high headed, and throwing her head around.  I used a training fork 
(more or less running martingale) on her for about three or four rides.  She 
got the point real quick, I quit using it, and she's been good with her head 
ever since.  IMHO those things are training aids only, if you have to use it 
very long, there's something wrong with your training approach.  I can say 
this because I had my Arab mare (mom) in the same training fork for YEARS and 
it never did any good. The minute I took it off, up came the head, and we 
constantly fought about her head position.  she had the typical overdeveloped 
muscling on the underside of her neck.  What is working for her (back to 
riding her after 2 years off) is Dressage methods of using outside hand with 
steady contact and inside hand to ask her to lower her head, with a release 
when she lowers it even for a second.  Lots of asking and releasing.  Someday 
she may have a head set.  Until then, I often ride with one hand on her neck 
to give me warning when I think she will throw her head.  Unorthodox, saved 
my nose a bunch of times.  jeri

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