Tilting at the poll?

[Heinz 57]

My mare, a 4yo TB, seems to have an issue with tilting her head and poll during work - always to the left (with her nose tipped to the right).

She does this under saddle and on the lunge line, with and without sidereins. I am able to straighten her under saddle when I can get her nicely in front of the leg and into the outside rein, however, being four and only a few months under saddle she is inconsistent and is only truly straight for 3-5 steps (trotting, of course). It is most pronounced at the trot, less so at the walk and canter.

Thoughts on this? I can't be the only one with a poll-tilting greenie!

[frisco1]

I have one that does the same. He sees a chiropractor and the improvement has been dramatic.
good luck

[Mr.GMan]

Ditto on chiro. Also, I had a gelding who tilted like you say and turns out every now and then his TMJ gets out of whack, so chiros are great!

[MoonRiver5]

Yup, call a chiropractor. My 7 y-o Dutch horse was tilting his head and I thought it was a training issue, but then I started getting him adjusted every 6 weeks and he hasn't done it since. And after he gets adjusted, he feels like Gumbi! It's great.

[billiebob]

My horse does this when he's nervous. I've done a lot of slow work with him--trot/walk transitions, everything done with a loop in the reins, frequent walk breaks--and he's getting much better. Most rides he doesn't do it anymore. He did do it yesterday, but we were riding with another horse in the ring who was pretty fired up AND there were random downpours/thunderstorms. So while he's super duper sane, he's still a 6 y.o. OTTB. :)

Just something to think about (along with having your girl checked for any physical issues).

[caddym]

I have a mare that tilted when I first started riding her (she was started late at 6). I was working with a BNT who said the head tilting didn't bother her and would go away - and it has. The mare is now 9. No vets or chiro just correct patient work.

(actually, I JUST got back from a show where she was 3rd level champion:))

[Hilary]

" I am able to straighten her under saddle when I can get her nicely in front of the leg and into the outside rein"

Ding ding ding ding - there's your answer. While she may need an adjustment of some sort to make the work easier, she's green and doesn't know how to be straight and this is hard work for her.

My mare does all kinds of garbage with her head until she's through in her back and solidly coming from behind evenly with both legs. Then, voila, the head is perfect.

Keep working her forward, straight and correct and she'll come along. Don't try to correct it with your hands.

[Valentina_32926]

If Chiro and teeth don't fix it you can use a series of small upward (NOT back!) tugs on left rein - this will bring her nose left.