# Bobbing head at the canter



## Sfriedman (Nov 24, 2016)

So I used to lease my gelding before purchasing him, and he is starting to gain the muscle he lost over the winter. He's always been a bit of a bobble head at the canter, but I've noticed it's been getting worse. It's a very rhythmic bobbing, but it's very noticeable, even when he's in frame. I ride him in a hackamore, and I'm positive the saddle fits as I just has the saddler come out and fit it to his back. His trot is perfectly normal, and not at all off. I'm not sure what is causing the bobbing, could it be something with the hacks more? Please help, any advice is helpful!


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## ApuetsoT (Aug 22, 2014)

The head needs to move with each step so there should be a slight rise and dip. Often excessive bobbing in the canter is because they are using their necks instead of their body to move. Usually they are being asked to go slower than they are physically capable of, or they don't want to work harder to do it right.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

What breed is he? Some gaited breeds naturally Bob their heads.


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## Sfriedman (Nov 24, 2016)

Hes definitely still trying to figure out his body, and he is slightly lazy. Also He's a paint


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

ApuetsoT said:


> The head needs to move with each step so there should be a slight rise and dip. Often excessive bobbing in the canter is because they are using their necks instead of their body to move. Usually they are being asked to go slower than they are physically capable of, or they don't want to work harder to do it right.


^^^^^
This


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

I'm not super following but maybe he's just super "rocking horse".

Some examples-
a horse that HAS to use it's head to drag it's body (caution painful to watch!)





When going super slow





They like that sort of movement for Saddle Seat (accentuated due to the position of the horses head)









 (think part of this is due to how the guy is riding)

An interesting example of how it changes depending on what the horses body is doing





Can you post a video? It can be a sign of the horse compensating, or a training/riding issue, but sometimes it's just the way they move.


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

While that is not the best western pl video, being a 'masters', versus open class, meaning something like Jack Benny, the degree of head movement I saw , was not excessive, and the hroses were using themselves. All horses move their head at a canter.
Better video. God, I'm defending western pl again, though not intended!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=30&v=O6aDmSArnig


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

the TW is NOT in a collected canter, as gaited horses are ridden off the hands, to get that slow, but no true collection,
Gaited horses are often started in long shanked bits, getting ahead set, but no true collection by any definition of that term
How can you have true collection, with legs off the horse. I am not trashing a gaited horses, but they have to use that front end to canter, by elevating


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

Also makes a huge difference, if a horse is held with tight rein contact, versus riding with none. You could add tight contact to those western pl horses, then strong leg and even spur, and any head movement would be eliminated, but you sure would eliminate that relaxed way of going , which is rewarded, and even have horse behind the verticle


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Just trying to get some examples for the OP of both "natural" and "unnatural" obvious head motion. Thank you for the better WP video! I admittedly know nothing lol.


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## Sfriedman (Nov 24, 2016)

He seems to just drag his backend instead of having impulsiveness from the hind. Some of it may just be his movement, but he definitely isn't WP


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

Well, unless he has a soundness issue, you will need to work on implusion, so when he starts to use his neck,versus lifting his shoulders and driving from behind, just hold a bit barrier, and then really drive him up from behind with your legs, making him use himself


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Hmm... Idk I'm just not convinced that it's not a soundness issue...not that it necessarily is but it's not necessarily not one either.. All the times I've really noticed that movement is on a lame horse. But that doesn't mean anything as the OP is not me of course. The OP did not describe the horse as rocking but rather that his head is moving more. Agree to push him forward though.


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## Caledonian (Nov 27, 2016)

If everything has else been ruled out, such as health, tack and schooling, have you considered Rhythmic Movement Disorder (RMD)?
There’s a sleeping version but also a version that is triggered by movement such as walking and cantering and the episodes can last a long time. I’m not a vet and I don’t know enough about it, but I remember one of my vets discussing it a while back and described it in a similar way – a regular bobbing of the head when this person’s horse was being exercised.


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## ApuetsoT (Aug 22, 2014)

It's hard to spot lameness in the canter. Painful hocks could be causing the horse to avoid weighting the hind and using the neck to compensate.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

without a video from the OP, it's all speculation as to whether what she/he calls 'head bobbing' is of a natural level or not.


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