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Trouble shooting neck flexes

Posted : 5/10/2010 2:07:27 AM

I was out doing ground work with Masi today and I happened to have her in her headstall with reins. She did fine on her neck flexes on the left side, but when I would work on the right she'd give her head, I'd release my hold and praise her but she'd just stand there with her neck flexed. We worked on some other things and she did fine. I later put the halter and lead rope on her and did a little more work with that. Still the same thing. Any ideas on this one?

Equis54

Posted : 5/25/2010 2:39:20 AM

you might have her checked out by a vet to see if there is any pain in her neck. I had a filly that would do this when I first started flexing her, I would just flex the other direction and she finally understood she could straighten out on her own. It didn't take to long till she started to straighten out by her self. You may have to bump her a little at first to go back the other way.

sdcfish

Posted : 6/2/2010 3:35:48 AM

I had that same problem to the right with my horse. I used cookies to get him to flex and bend towards his ribs, then hand him the cookie when at this side.

I would probably start with one hand on the wither, and the other across his nose, and slowly rock him back and forth looking for softness. Start slow, then larger motions, and then switch sides.

Hope the vet doesn't need to come out, but you might need to if you can't get it resolved like this.

Oh....and you can also put the cookie under his chest, coming from under his belly with your arm, and make him bend down to get the cookie......that's a good stretch for him/her.