Posted by Katie Horses can start to toss their heads for a variety of reasons - sometimes it can be very hard to pinpoint, and it's even harder to do so online without actually seeing your horse. Getting his teeth checked is a good start though. From my best knowledge, I don't think anyone is allowed to ride in a hunter class without a bit, though you'd be better off to check your local show rules. If the rules don't mention anything about bits, you should contact the show officials. There would be nothing worse then arriving at a show, getting ready and entering the ring only to be disqualified for improper equipment. In my opinion, side reins and a martingale are only a blanket for this problem. They will stop your horse from tossing his head, because that's what they were designed to do (at least the martingale, anyway). Once they come off, he can start to toss his head again because he's not being restrained. Has his tack changed? A new saddle perhaps, or a pad that fits differently? New boots or a new girth? Any of these can affect his way of going, as he gets used to the new equipment. Have you checked saddle fit lately? Depending on how much he's been worked, or his feed schedule, he could be changing weight or muscle, resulting in a different saddle fit. Were his hooves done recently or differently? Are there lots of bugs out? Could it be possible that he has a sore back? I know I've asked a lot of questions, but really, as I said before it's hard to determine what is bothering your horse without actually seeing him. If nothing obvious has changed that might be making him shake his head, you should call your vet to give him a good look. Take care and good luck! Katie
on 8/21/2006, 7:55 pm, in reply to "Head Throwing"
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Hi there,
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