Head Tilting

[VAlocalhunter]

Wasn’t sure which category exactly to put this under, so if anyone thinks it belongs elsewhere, let me know!

I have an 11 year old OTTB who is absolutely wonderful. Jumps amazing and is a cute mover on the flat. The only thing is he tilts his head a lot under saddle. Sometimes to the extent that it is parallel to the ground instead of perpindicular. He also does it to both sides. We’ve tried a whole host of bits and none seem to really make a difference. We tried a hackamore, and there was a little less head tilting, but he was super backed off in it and did not seem to be happy with it otherwise. He’s had his teeth done, has no obvious soundness issues. I’m just worried that as we start showing, he won’t pin well because it’s hard to focus on how he is going if he’s constantly fussing with his head. He currently goes in a waterford with a crank noseband. Anyone ever dealt with something similar? Any suggestions? Thanks!

[IPEsq]

A friend’s OTTB is like that. He goes in a fat hollow mouth snaffle, which he seems to like best. He may still tilt though. I found it was his go to evasion when he was behind the leg. It also didn’t help to try to pull his head out of the tilt but rather encourage flexion on the high side. YMMV

[CindyCRNA]

My TB does this although it is much better with him being in 5 day a week dressage training. He has kissing spine that is well managed. My vet, trainer and chiro do not think this is a factor. He also mouths the bit a lot. He does his head twisting/chewing when he is thinking the most. My trainer has me correct his head position every time he does it and it slowly improved to where he only tilts it now. I don’t care about the bit chewing. I have tried riding him in a halter and he still does it.

[BroncoMo]

I have one that twists his head around and it turned out that his neck was all sorts of out of whack. Granted he’d had a bad trip and fall in an under saddle class and landed on his head. But after the chiropractor adjusted him a few times, he stopped twisting his head. I can tell when his neck is out of adjustment when he starts twisting again. He too is very mouthy with his bit, but I think it’s more of his personality. Maybe have a chiropractor take a look at him.

[zakattack]

My TB gelding (now retired) used to do this and as IPEsq said, it was an evasion that usually cropped up when he was behind the leg. Pushing him forward into a circle while riding and overall putting him into more consistent work help minimize the behavior

[Lord_Helpus]

My horse used to do this. Then I discovered that it was a result of being lunged with the lunge kin through the near ring, then over his poll and fastened on the far side. As soon as I started using a Y under his chin, the tilt started to go away. Could this be affecting your horse? It was the first time I had come across this cause/effect.

[goodmorning]

Mine head tilts when it’s not forward and on the aids. Evading the outside rein. Kicking it forward helps. Never been out in the poll or reactive there which amazes me, but reinforces that it’s simply an evasion.

I wouldn’t personally ride this type of horse in a Waterford as that’s a difficult bit to teach connection in. But that’s just me, I don’t have all the facts. The horse needs to be willing to take the bit and lengthen his neck while moving forward, a Waterford isn’t where I’d go to address this issue on the flat.

[LookmaNohands]

It sounds like neck tension to me. It could still be teeth.

Just because he has had his teeth done, doesn’t mean he has had them done correctly. I use Dr. Hyde in Purcellville, VA He has the American School of Equine Dentistry. He is very good.

[Vieve]

We had an OTTB (he’d been off the track for years) who started tilting his head like you described. However, he also would start moving sideways if the head tilting went unchecked long enough. Turns out, he had ulcers. I have no idea why head tilting was a symptom but once we treated his ulcers, the head tilting and side stepping stopped entirely. I hope that helps!

[mst]

This is going to sound really silly but I have experienced it and it worked. One of our horses used to tilt his head and the vet told us to clean out his ears. Sure enough, he had a huge waxy dirt clump down in his ears. Once we got it out, the tilting was gone. Weird, I know!

[SuzieQNutter]

[QUOTE=Lord Helpus;8776211]
My horse used to do this. Then I discovered that it was a result of being lunged with the lunge kin through the near ring, then over his poll and fastened on the far side. As soon as I started using a Y under his chin, the tilt started to go away. Could this be affecting your horse? It was the first time I had come across this cause/effect.[/QUOTE]

I would say you forgot to knot on the ring closest to you when lunging. It is not supposed to be a pulley system. It is supposed to be a way that the bit is not pulled through the mouth while lunging.

[Simbalism]

My mare did this when I first got her. I found that she did not care for the bit I was using. I tried a few different types and found that she preferred a double jointed bit. She is currently ridden in a loose ring French link.

[mbp618]

I had a mare do this and vet said she had fluid in her ears and we treated it ,…could be a long shot but maybe have them give the ears a look