Overbending

["dns" <dnsranch@syix.com>]

Hi Cathy:

I have a mare that when I started her kept her head very low.  I have been
told that it is a sign of a very strong back.  She did it even before any
training was started.  After starting training she would lower her head
down to the ground going down hill.  It was very unnerving to have her go
down a steep hill with her nose to the ground.  She also has naturally low
head and neck carriage.  She also insists on smelling anything she
perceives as a danger.  She can lower her head to the ground at a full trot
going downhill.  She never had any back problems and I was sure that was
not the problem.

I did get her out of bit and into a bozell which helped considerably. 
Luckily she is a very quiet horse and responds well to a bozell.  Also Deb
Bennett recommended the bozell for the most natural form of restrain to
keep a horse collected.  It worked for me.  One hazard from keeping her
head so low was she tripped frequently and fell with me on one occasion. 
No such problems after getting her into a bozell.  She did however, develop
some shoulder soreness from her rider pressure on her shoulders because of
it.

Her head carriage was considerably higher with the bozell and she seemed
genuinely more comfortable.  Also when in a bit I actually had less control
because she would bend her nose to her chest with ease and I had less
control than with the bozell which made her bend at the pole instead.  Good
luck!

Sheila