Head Lowering
It’s not that I haven’t been working with Harvey. It’s just not as often as I would like. Here we are working on a head down cue. Harvey is so nervous and tense. He goes around with his head in the air and his back hollowed out. There’s not a drop of muscling on his top line. I like a high head carriage. With the withers lifted and back round. High and hollow is what gives upright horses a bad name.
We’ve been working on relaxing and standing with his neck level. He also needs to know how to lower it on cue to be bridled and haltered. Instead of putting my hand on his poll and trying to make him bring his head down I rested it there then offered the target for him to reach down towards. Hand on head, say down, offer target, until he starts to anticipate and lowers his head to the touch or word. He’s getting there.