Mystery is lowering his head when we are trotting / cantering..not just
stretching it out but lowering it to the ground. I try to give him a
light contact on the reins and allow him to stretch his neck at any
opportunity. We have no arena and the little arena work I did with him
1-1/2 years ago was when I was still breaking him just to ride. He
does like to scratch his face on his front legs too which concerns me.
This behavior is dominant on the ride out, on the ride in he doesn't do
it...he knows he's going home and wants to get there...
I am only afraid he may be telling me his front legs are bothering him.
No swelling, no heat, no lameness when I check.
Do most of your horses lower their heads to the ground like this? Do
they lower it all the way to the ground or do they stretch them out
horizontally? We've never really trotted and cantered this much
before.
On gaits:
PS, I appreciate all the conversation on the choosing the gaits, I'm
learning tons and can definatly relate to when the relationship with
the horse is advanced enough where the horse tells you he wants to
change and you 'let' him / or her. This happened to me for the first
time this year and I was thrilled! I also don't think you have to be a
top ten endurance rider to be qualified to correctly train a horse.
Mystery was wild when I got him, I was green, but somehow it worked and
he is a willing, spirited horse with tons of personality. (I do realize
how lucky I am and how easily it could have turned into a bad
situation). I totally believe in Natural Horsemanship and I know how
much intelligence these horses have. We need to be dominate, yet
retain their respect.
Thanks again for all your help.