# My mare tosses her head too much



## bradels (Feb 1, 2011)

Horses can be silly sometimes are you sure it's to much?


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## caballero (Jan 31, 2011)

bradels said:


> Horses can be silly sometimes are you sure it's to much?


When I ride her she's fine walkin. When I go into a trot it's when she starts being silly. Which is fine by me, I know they are not machines, but she does it constantly which makes it hard for me to keep her under control. She seems to be reluctant to work sometimes. I wondered if she doesn't like the bit, but as I said, she's fine with the girl who broke her in and rode her till like half a year.
When I do groundwork with her she starts working with me, after a while she starts tossing her head and not doing anything I want her to. 
I just learned that she shouldn't toss her head, that's why I ask...


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## RedTree (Jan 20, 2010)

Testing you maybe??

Could you ask to have lessons on your mare instead of the gelding?


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## caballero (Jan 31, 2011)

RedTree said:


> Testing you maybe??
> 
> Could you ask to have lessons on your mare instead of the gelding?



Yeah I thought that too. The testing bit. Also I started my lessons on her, however we stopped it due to the weather. I can ride the gelding no matter what weather, not the mare though. I'll be having lessons on her in like a month or two, but I don't want to just leave her doing nothing...


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Mares tend to have more attitude in general and are more expressive about it.
In the horse's language head tossing can be a sign of irritation, impatience, resentment or just feeling high.
Do you have any sense of when and why she might be feeling any of those ?
If the saddle doesn't fit well, when it comes time to trot it will be more apparent to the mare and she'll have feelings about that. OR maybe you aren't as smooth on her mouth as you think you are. If you've only been riding a year and a half, you may still be lacking some finesse there.
If she does this while also slowing down, I would kind of wake her up with a good sharp kick (not punishing, but surprising) and abruptly change her thinking to something else. The minuete she starts head tossing, ask for more forward movement.
I think when ou take a lesson on her, your trainer will give some ffedback. I know it can be very annoying. I used to ride a warmblood who would incessantly shake his head on a trail ride. He was insanely sensitive to the midges and flies, so I had to ride him in a full face (nose too) fly mask for all outdoor riding.


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## caballero (Jan 31, 2011)

tinyliny said:


> Mares tend to have more attitude in general and are more expressive about it.
> In the horse's language head tossing can be a sign of irritation, impatience, resentment or just feeling high.
> Do you have any sense of when and why she might be feeling any of those ?
> If the saddle doesn't fit well, when it comes time to trot it will be more apparent to the mare and she'll have feelings about that. OR maybe you aren't as smooth on her mouth as you think you are. If you've only been riding a year and a half, you may still be lacking some finesse there.
> ...


She is a big attitude-mare ! When she's on heat she's basically impossible to ride (for me at least). The saddle is a custom fit, so that shouldn't be a problem ! But I have thought about me making a mistake quiet a lot, as it's my worst fear to do hurt her and not realizing it.
About the 'when' questions, she's done it all the way through the last times.
But even though my teacher wasn't around, I had someone watching me who's been riding for way longer than me and she can't see me doing a mistake. But still, it might be me ! I think I'll have to wait for more lessons on her.
Yesterday I was at the stables though, and she's been nervous for a while, which I put down on her being on heat but I think the other horse she's with is very bullying which makes her a little more aggressive when being ridden or worked with in general. Maybe that's a problem. She's a great horse, I can't wait to work with her more !
Wow, I didn't know full face masks exist ! Thanks everyone for the quick replies !!


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## cascanastargazer (Jan 20, 2011)

Hi caballero, 

I didn't read anybody else's responses so my apologies if I cover something somebody else already said, but..

I just bought my mare 3 weeks ago and she does exactly the same thing (literally to a T. She's fine walking, but tosses her head when I ask her to do anything else). Hate to say it to you, but she's probably messing with you to see how much she can get away with. It's kind of like throwing a little tantrum! My trainer told me that it's unacceptable behavior. If she throws her head, yank her back into place using the reins. She needs to know that what she is doing will not be tolerated and that you are boss. Also (and sorry if you already know this -- I just want to cover all my bases) if she fights you when you want her to trot or canter, push her ALL THE WAY into the pace you want her at. Don't give up because she's being a pain. That means she wins, and you don't want that. I don't know exactly what movement your mare is making because I can't see it for myself, but what Lil does is she'll turn her head around and kind of get at my lower leg like "I don't want to and you can't make me!" to fix that, I have to use my opposite rein and yank her head back around. After going through that a few times, she stopped. Now she very rarely pulls that move, and if she does, I do the same thing to remind her that it's not okay. 

Hope that helps a little! Good luck!


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## Creampuff (Dec 1, 2010)

I agree with cascanastargazer, this sounds like it could be a respect issue. She can sense you aren't a weathered rider and wants to see what little behavior quirks she can get away with (all of our 24 horses do that with their riders, even customers). 

You need to let her know the behavior isn't going to be tolerated. Pushing her, though, could have its limitations; you want to be _safe_, so don't push her until she's fussing because you just peed her off! 

Also, don't worry about hurting her. These are massive animals and it takes a lot more than us (its normally the gear) to hurt them. If you've ever seen horses play, they often get rough. Their "play blows" could shatter us! 

Tiny is also correct. Distract her from the behavior. When I'm behind a kicking mare on the trail and I notice she's showing signs of "a kick is coming," I tell her rider to kick her, turn her a little -- anything _except _stop her (young children ride this horse, so she gets away with a lot). 

For Creampuff and Ben I use the "one rein method," using one rein to pull their nose toward me and then I work them in a few circles (not too many, just 3-5). After a time or two they learn that "x action leads to y boredom." The behavior stops. My co-worker got her horse to stop rearing and whirling using this; now tiny 11-year-olds ride him.

_However_, you lease this horse. Any training you do, check with the owner. Ask if she's had her teeth floated, if you have to. Some of our horses toss their heads when their teeth are bothering them. 

When it comes to horses you have to be concise, consistent, and assertive (not abusive, assertive). Think of it this way: 

_If you don't understand it, your horse won't understand it._ That it why you have to be clear in your cues; don't pull back to stop and kick for "go" at the same time, for example (and it's something I see a lot in my pupils).


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## cascanastargazer (Jan 20, 2011)

Creampuff said:


> You need to let her know the behavior isn't going to be tolerated. Pushing her, though, could have its limitations; you want to be _safe_, so don't push her until she's fussing because you just peed her off!


Hi! Sorry! Love your advice, Creampuff. Just to clarify what I meant by "pushing" -- What I meant is this, for example: Say you ask her to trot, and she starts tossing her head and trots a couple paces and then goes back down to a walk. That's not okay. It's her way of saying "I'm not going to do what you want," which is why you need to get her into a full trot (which is what you asked her for in the first place) and keep her there until YOU decide she can walk again. Whatever you do is fine, and stay within your comfort zone of course, but whatever happens ultimately has to be YOUR decision, not hers (even if you want to stop too--get her speed back up again for even a couple of paces, and THEN let her walk--the point is just to not let it be HER idea). Otherwise, she'll think she's in control


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## caballero (Jan 31, 2011)

To both Creampuff and Cascanastargazer; thank you for the detailed advise ! 
What I meant by not hurting her... I guess I phrased that wrong. I know I won't hurt her unless I really mean to. Which I would never. But I meant that I wouldn't like her to desensitize. I do hope that's the right word... I mean I've learned from a friend who's been riding all her life which is about 20 years, that when she keeps her head up too high or tosses her head to keep the reigns very tight and not lose like you usually do when western riding and hold one close to get her in circles, basically like Creampuff explained. 
I think you are right with the guess that she's playing with me and it is a respect issue. As I'm still rather new to this, I find it hard to find the right way to show who's in charge. But I'll get around it with a teacher !
Thanks everyone for the replies, it really helps !!
http://www.horseforum.com/members/20858/


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## dashforcache (Nov 2, 2010)

my gelding used to toss his head really bad after cutting his tongue so i had to stop riding until it healed but even after he still tossed his head. what i had to do was every time he tossed i would hold one rein tight and push him into a circle or change of direction or whatever. it only took 2 or 3 rides to fix and he hasn't done it since. as for on the ground when i have him loose in the ring or even if he's in the field or walking from one end of his run to the other he kindove does a sort of head toss every once in a while as well. i have had him for 7 years and he has always done this. i don't worry about it.


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## Northern (Mar 26, 2010)

OP, I suggest that you ask the gal who horse didn't toss her head with about it!

She knows the horse, has interacted with her, so is by far in the best position to help you!

If she's unavailable to help for some reason, please get an experienced horseperson to take a look at her in the flesh & to watch you ride her! 

Something's making horse unhappy & it needs to be fixed asap. (Usually, with a new rider, it's holding the rein too tight! I'd go down to the buckle with her, in a smaller arena if needed, & just develop your independent seat, starting at a walk. Let her walk where she wants, take your hands off rein & V them over the base of her neck.)

She'll probably still toss her head at first, due to the emotional baggage, but when she no longer feels you on her mouth, she'll stop tossing. 

If it happens this way, you'll know what the problem was. Good Luck to both of you!


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## lovemycowboy (Feb 23, 2011)

I haven't really read any of the other posts so I may be saying the same thing as someone else! I've rode a lot of horses that toss their heads and when I loosened the reins that always helped! So maybe your riding with a tight rein and it is bugging her. Good luck!


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## HeroMyOttb (Dec 28, 2009)

I don't have many details about how your mare acts and this is proably has nothing to do with the tossing but I just want to add my gelding started tossing his head back in the summer leading to many yanks on the rein..It just made everything worse and he still would not stop. One day the Vet came out and watch his head tossing and diagnosed him with Equine Head Shaking Syndrome..I did research on this syndrome before the vet came out and watching videos and researching I thought it was this but then the vet finally also said that....but the problem is this syndrome is caused by more then 60 causes being neurological or even sensitivty to wind and light. How old is the mare? The average age for a horse to develop this is at 8-10...which my gelding was 8.... But like I said your horse proably does not have this but I just wanted to add this information.


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## caballero (Jan 31, 2011)

Hey Hero,
this is a very late reply but... Thanks for your input, and to all the others, thanks as well.
My mare isn't my mare anymore, which was pretty hard on me but she's in good hands. So it's ok 
I've been riding different horses in lessons, one mare did the same things but I just had to keep to reign lose like 'love my cowboy' said. I've become more and more confident and my riding's improved and I don't have that problem with any of the horses. I can only assume that that might've been the problem with lizzy, but I don't think so. Doesn't matter too much now I guess ! Thanks for your reply though, it'll help me and readers in future


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## BrewCrew (May 12, 2010)

Just wanted to ad, sometimes a horse will toss their head because of the bit fitting poorly or if they need their teeth done. I would double check both those to be sure you aren't accidently making your horse 'smile' with your bridle/ bit, or that there aren't any barbs on their teeth.


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## Northern (Mar 26, 2010)

caballero said:


> but I just had to keep to reign lose ... I've become more and more confident and my riding's improved and I don't have that problem with any of the horses. I can only assume that that might've been the problem with lizzy, but I don't think so. Doesn't matter too much now I guess !


Yes, you just had to keep your reins loose.
Yes, your riding's improved.
Yes, that was the problem with lizzy. No assumptions, no guesses.
Yes, it matters totally. You need to understand what you did wrong with lizzy, or you'll do it to another horse(s).


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## touchofsleep (Mar 9, 2011)

Have you had her checked out? Something could be bothering her. SHe may not like the bit you have. My horse would test me and toss his head, he stopped very fast after I made it clear that it wasn't ok. He still tosses his head whenever I pull back on the reigns with a bit so I just use a hackamore.


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