When transitioning my horse puts her head up what can I do?

A horse that throws her head up during transitions is one of the most common and most misread problems in everyday riding, and it almost always gets treated as a training or attitude issue when the real cause is frequently physical, equipment related, or rooted in how the transition itself is being ridden. The head coming up at the moment of a transition is the horse's way of bracing through her back and neck in response to something that is uncomfortable, confusing, or poorly timed — and until you identify which of those categories applies to your horse, the problem will persist regardless of how many transitions you school. Physical causes deserve the first look every time a horse develops a new or persistent way of going that involves resistance or tension. A mare that throws her head at the canter departure may have hock soreness that makes the engagement of the hindquarters uncomfortable. Poll tension, dental issues producing bit discomfort, and ulcers that cause overall sensitivity and defensiveness all present as head raising in transitions. Before you make this a training conversation, have your veterinarian evaluate the horse and have an equine dentist check her mouth. Saddle fit is the second check. A saddle that fits poorly creates pressure points on the horse's back that become most acute during transitions — the moment of the upward transition when the horse rounds her back and engages, or the downward transition when she collects and shifts weight rearward, is exactly when a poorly fitting saddle causes the sharpest discomfort. Have a qualified saddle fitter evaluate the fit before concluding the issue is purely behavioral. Assuming the horse is sound and the tack fits, the head raising is almost certainly a response to how the transitions are being ridden. The most common rider cause is hand pressure at the moment of the transition — either pulling back to initiate a downward transition or grabbing at the rein when asking for the upward transition. A horse that meets a fixed or restrictive hand every time she transitions learns to brace against that pressure with her neck and back. The fix is to ride transitions with your leg and seat first and your hand second — using leg and seat to create or contain the energy and allowing the hand to be soft and following rather than restrictive. Long-term, the horse that raises her head in transitions needs a program of gymnastic work that builds suppleness through the topline, strength in the hindquarters, and trust in the rider's hand. Transitions ridden correctly hundreds of times — with soft hands, driving leg, and a following seat — gradually replace the brace reflex with a relaxation reflex.