mare with a low head set

[Norah]

Hi ,

I have a new mare that is 3 years old 4 in June, her dams are all moderns , so I would say she is a modern. We have been working on getting her health back in order , and I am pleased to say her health and weight is super . She actually looks very good , except she carrys her head like a quarter horse . Its fine when she is relaxing at home , but I dont really want his look at the shows . Anything i can do in training to keep her head up ? Not ridiculiously "up" just confident "up". . Here she is with her head up , and here she is at her normal quarterhorse impersonation ..lol

She has not had very much training , I will start when the snow melts. I will do some round penning , but i dont want that head at shoulder level... maybe she wont do that while trotting ..I am not sure , as I have only had her for 3 months . I do know that she has no muscle tone , and just in the past few weeks she has built up her chest muscles by going up and down the slopes . any info would help ease my mind , as I dont want to go in the arena with a cuttng horse ..lol

 

[Minimor]

I don't think you have to worry that she will show in that "quarter horse frame" she is showing in that second photo. One cannot judge from these two photos but thinking back to side view photos I have seen of her-- I don't think that she does have a low headset. However, that doesn't mean she will always be upheaded. Even horses with high neck sets will extend their necks out and down when they are at home and relaxed--mine do. Get them revved up a bit or out in an unfamiliar place or ask them to set up & show and they will do just that--set themselves up and show! When you work with her at halter, get her walking energetically, don't let her just dawdle along. Same with trotting work--get her moving with some energy and her head will surely come up.

 

[Norah]

Thanks Minimor : ) you always seem to be the one to help me . so many many thanks to you . Your right , I just forgot about that part of training . I been working so hard to calm her down as she came here very spookey ... I guess my calm environment worked for her ..lol Cant wait till the snow melts and we can do a bit of work : )

 

[muffntuf]

I have a modern pleasure mare and she is always in the 'low head set' frame, until we go to shows. Then she is fine and upheaded. Be Thankful your pony is quite at ease and happy in her environment!