# Head nodding and tightening in Canter - Help Dressage riders Please!!



## Caritas (28 January 2007)

Please can anyone help me. I have a very talented dressage horse which i am very fond of. He is working at medium level dressage, learning changes, piaffe etc and is quite advanced in his training apart from his basic canter. Between us, we have always suffered a bit with tension in the canter and he holds his back sometimes. Now once I get him to release over his back and cantering forwards, I get a problem with him trying to dive onto the forehand. If i try to bring him up, it then causes tension over the back again and he tightens again, vicious circle. Because of this tension, he slightly head nods in the canter. Please has anyone got any advice how to help me. Many thanks


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## icestationzebra (28 January 2007)

Make sure he is warmed up thoroughly before you ask for canter.  Some horses find it harder than others and it will help him if his muscles are warm and relaxed.  Try cantering a couple of circuits of the school on either rein with your weight out of the saddle.  This shouldn't mean he falls onto the forehand, keep your leg on and keep a contact.  Personally I wouldn't be teaching changes until his canter settles as teaching them too early will create tension.  I also have a WB and they can be quite buzzy and tense if they are rushed.


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## Caritas (28 January 2007)

Thankyou for your reply. I totally agree with your answer, we only do changes in our lesson once we have the canter consistant. I do get up onto my knees and let him canter forwards before sitting on him but we still seem to come acroos the same old thing. i do find it very frustrating, he is a very tense horse and if you dont ride him just so then you may as well not bother. Be interested if you have anymore views, many thanks


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## icestationzebra (28 January 2007)

What bit do you ride him in?  Is he soft and relaxed in trot and it's just the canter that he is tense?


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## Caritas (28 January 2007)

He is fine in the trot, he is ridden in a kk bit and always has been since he was backed. He is 7 now, but we seem to go round in a vicious circle. He'll be fine for a few months and then start tightening again. The head nod is always there very slightly the less tense he is. He has been checked by physio regular and vet also, everyone just says its tension related, so I need to get rid of thr=e tension, but how!!


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## icestationzebra (28 January 2007)

Try lunging him with two lines.  My back lady swears by it for strengthening work - especially the abdominal muscles.  Don't forget that these muscles hold the back up 'so to speak' and if they are strong the back can soften and stretch.  He may find it easier to do without a rider - to find his own balance.  Two lines can be tricky to start with but stay in walk until you get used to it - rather than keep the circle too small - it will be hard work for him.


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## Caritas (28 January 2007)

Thanks for your replys, very kind of you to take the time to help, many thanks. Will keep you informed how he is going.


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## icestationzebra (28 January 2007)

Yes do.  Wish you luck with him.


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## katiejaye (28 January 2007)

I have the same problem with my boy, he also tends to tense in the canter if I ask for him to move forwards and loosten. He tends to drop his head, fall on the forehand and it normally brings me forward too! We are also starting to work medium level. The good news is that the problem has improved quite a lot over the past few months with some good advice from my trainer. We do a lot of work in the canter pushing it forwards and collecting and constantly playing around with the collection to get him sitting more behind and bring him up into the contact. 
Two good techniques (taught by my trainer) that have worked for me have been when he collapses onto the forehand when I push the canter, I tuck my little finger under (like you holding a posh cup of tea!) and lift my hands quickly (only a slight lift) to get his head up and then back this up with a kick or tap of the whip to engage his quarters and then ask for a forwards canter. This has really helped. 

The second exercise is to ride a 20m circle and ask for a bend to the inside by lifting the inside hand up and over the neck and keeping your outside hand low and consistent to maintain the correct bend and stop the inside shoulder from collapsing. Maintain this for a few seconds and then release back to a straight even contact and push forwards with your legs for a more forwards canter. I find doing this on both reins at the beginning of my canter work in each session helps to release Louis over his back and neck and engage the hind more and bring him up infront. It has also helped in the long term to strengthen him up.
His canter is now improving in leaps and bounds and he only tends to drop onto the forehand now when he is tired.


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## Tempi (29 January 2007)

im sure youve posted the same thing a while ago about your horse?

and like i said to you before you need to make sure hes thoroughly warmed up in the trot and walk work before considering canter.  And then canter in a forward seat doing lots of changes of rein and leg through trot in canter (still in a forward seat) whilst keeping him long and low and work from behind.  Also a gentle shoulder fore whilst in a forward seat along the long side will help him to get his hind leg stepping through and under him and help him to get more supple through his back.

I also always do 10mins of walking low and round before i start anywork with either of my horses, it really helps warm them up. I just do things like leg yield and large walk pirouettes to get them relaxed and listening to me, all are done gradually and in a relaxed way.


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