# Putting head down when riding!!!!!!!!



## cecillover (Aug 7, 2010)

How do you get your horse to stop putting is head down every time you ride him. Or if he doesn't want to turn to his left.Also how do you make your horse to walk on the way their and on the way back?


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## Caitlinpalomino (Nov 16, 2010)

i am not sure if these things will help you but they helped me:
tie a bit of bailing twine from the bit to the saddle so the horse cant put there head down ..
when turning your horse around say your horse wants to go left turn them left but do a 270 degree turn so your facing right?????

like i said i am not sure if this will help you but it worked with my horse!!!


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## Deerly (Apr 18, 2010)

You don't ever want your horse to dictate the direction you turn. If he won't turn one way, hold out your rein and look up in the direction you want to go while using your body and leg to reinforce your hands. It won't be pretty but hold out and make sure that the horse turns. 

Tying your horse's head to the saddle sounds VERY dangerous and I would not recommend doing that 0-0

It sounds like you might have a lot of issues that could be helped by taking a few lessons with your horse. Having an experienced trainer evaluate you and your horse and give you instruction on how to deal with his issues is really invaluable. 

You'll probably have a lot of luck starting from the basics and building a solid foundation. You'd be surprised how many of the weird habits and behaviors will go away once you've established the most basic respect and training.


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## cecillover (Aug 7, 2010)

Thank you, My horse is Cecil and he is 24 y/o and he used to be a champion barrel racer. I had a few lessons done by my sister, and he listened for about a week then he just started all over again. I think i might get a new horse soon for x-mas or somthuing because Cecil is going to kentucky with my step sisters dad and he is going to be retired and just be a compainion horse with all of the other horses. But well he is here i think i might work with him so that we he can accually listen to me. But yes tying the string to the saddle horn sounds very dangerous because i know that if that happens and he puts his head down eathier the saddle horn is going to fall off or the saddle will fly off with it. But i will work with him and what you said. But Thank you very very much.


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## Saskia (Aug 26, 2009)

The saddle horns won't fall off - they are made for roping, and if you have your girth and back cinch done up it won't fly off. I ride English, and if kids at PC have heaps of grass-eating problems we clip a piece of bailing twine to the d-ring and the bit. If you do not ride in a snaffle bit do not do this. 

Although by the sounds of it you are not skilled enough to ride this horse, and he is taking advantage of you. A couple of lessons is not enough to learn proper control of a horse. Before riding on your own, I would recommend anyone gets a minimum 6 months to a year worth of weekly lessons from an instructor, preferably on a school horse. That way you can learn how to control the horse, how to have an independent seat and steady hands. 

By your horse putting down its head and not changing direction correctly it is showing you do not have control. You need to maintain a soft contact (snaffle bit) and not let him do these things.


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## cecillover (Aug 7, 2010)

I dont let him he does it himself and he wont turn his head or body. He goes the oppisite direction. But i live with a instructer(Sister) i have been around horses since i was five, And have learned over yeas and i ride western not english, And i belive that back sinches make horses freak out and buck and rear, But that is expriences i have had, My hose is going to be retired soon then i will and i know how to control a hose it is just i got him when he was older, So he is just naughty so yah, But he will always be naughty.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Hi Cecil.
Don't tie the bit to the saddle, ok? Not a good thing to do, especially since you are not an experienced rider. No offense.
Back cinches do not make horses freak out. they should be trained to accept them just as they do the front cinch. If your saddle is a full rigged or 7/8 rigged saddle (must be 75% of western saddles are this) then you reallly should use a back cinch. But that's another thread.
As for Cecil reaching down to graze, well if he gets his head down before you can stop him (stopping it while his head is still up is the best), then instead of trying to bring his head up, Drive him forward!! I mean kicke him or swat him one with your whip to make him go forward!!! And be ready for him to jump forward. Don't jerk him in the mouth if you can avoid it. Just let him go forward and he'll stop and come back to a walk/halt pretty quickly. Next time he starts to reach down for a snack, DRIVE him forward!!! I will say somethin kind of harsh, "Aah! Aah! Aah!" in a scolding tone. Pretty soon, all I have to do is say those scolding words and he will give up that idea of grazing on the trails.

Sounds like Cecil is ready for retirement. I hope thatq with your new horse you will be able to take lessons from a pro. It's virtually impossible to teach yourself to be a good rider without knowledgeable help.


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## JessXxX (Oct 30, 2009)

Firstly I think try and fix the problem without "gadgets" and things however 
I don't know if this works with a western saddle.. but here if a horse is constantly putting his down to eat or to snatch the reins out of your hands (I had a pony that used to do this just as you asked for a canter transition not fun lol) you can buy a tool called a "daisy rein" which attaches to the saddle and then to the bridle I don't know if this helps.


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## cecillover (Aug 7, 2010)

Thank you everyone again. I know i am not an experienced rider... I need some work for myself. But i am going to retire my old boy Cecil, I am hopping to get a younger horse, I will get some proessonal help, for me and my horses help. I know a lot about horses but just not a whole lot. I know basics and how to post and steer i just cant figure out how to control my old boy all the other horse i have rode are easily to steer. MY sisters horse is very nice to handle. He flexs and everything he is amazing but i love all horses no matter how naughty they are. But i am sure to try to get help. I wonder if i should just like ride him a few more times or not? But he use to be a race horse and he is very fast and doesnt like to listen. He likes to travel in packs to and still puts his head down. And like JessXxX said it is very diffacult to ddeal with it and it takes some time. But i really enjoy all the advice you guys have gave me it will make me think twice before i ride. Will it help maybe if i work him beore i ride him or no? 
Thanks A lot For Advice =)


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## Hollybrook (Nov 10, 2010)

Where are you riding him when u have this problem? ie. pasture, trail, round pen?


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## live4myhorses (Dec 4, 2010)

if he has not been ridden alot lately it could be he's trying to see what he can get away with. if you keep up riding him consistently alone in a small pasture area he'll realize he needs to focus on you.


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