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 Expert
Posts: 1612
  
Location: Cocoa, Florida | I have a mare I love but she’s a little butt high and has trouble getting up under herself in her turns. I work on collection all week in just basic riding, I have an English background so that isn’t a problem but sometimes in our runs she still wants to get front endy. I was running her in a short shank broken mouthpiece lifter but, she is a strong free runner so I need a lot of rate, I tried a chain nose (with plastic over chain) beetle nose hack on her last night and I had more rate when I asked for it then with the lifter bit. I understand bits don’t make a horse stop, it’s body work but I’m pretty light handed so I’m playing around with things that will help set her better when I ask. Someone suggested a cloth bonnet that it will keep her more collected and not so hollow in her turns. I’m not a fan of bonnets I think they’re harsh but my friend was the same way and said it has helped her mare stay collected, anyone have an issue like this? Any other suggestions or exercises anyone know that may help? My mare is also very bendy (I do a lot of square work and roll backs on barrel work). She just tends to carry her head high and it hollows her out.
I hope this makes sense and I didn’t confuse anyone. | |
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 Expert
Posts: 1516
Location: Illinois | My gelding isn't butt high, but sometimes he does dump down on the front. I have a little different approach to rate than some people. In my slow work I put an "easy" button on them. So when I'm long trotting around the arena I better be able to sit, squeeze my calves (not my feet), say easy, and they should collect up and rate on the fence or wherever I am. At all speeds. Then when I'm on the pattern I can sit & squeeze & they get under themselves & turn. I don't have to check with my hands or pull unless one is just too hyped up to pay any attention to me, which happens occasionally. That button has helped me more than anything. When I run big pens my horse tends to get more focused on the running than turning, but I use a bonnet then. Not the cable ones, just a leather over the ears one. I don't think they're harsh when they're used properly. I'd throw one on & see what happens | |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 898
Location: Mountains of VA | It's not about whether she is butt high or not, it is about her hind end conformation. In particular, how much angulation she has in her stifles and hocks, also does she naturally want to stand with her hind legs out behind her point of hip or not. She hollows and shifts her weight because she is either can not shift her weight onto her hindquarters comfortably right now or because her conformation will not allow her to really get her hind end up under her and use it. Be careful with her head gear if she is already "bendy", then she will get behind the bit, overbend, etc., to keep from shifting her weight back and getting off her front end and using her hindquarters more.
Do spirals at the lope instead of rollbacks and lots of upward/downward transitions.
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Helping butt high horses use hind end advice