Head Tossing: Common Causes and How to Correct Them

Head tossing is one of the most frustrating challenges we encounter, not just in dressage but in any discipline, and unfortunately, the actual root of the issue is not even near where we see the problem. For many people, that can be frustrating at the least to try to work with. However, once you understand what can cause it, the solution often follows fairly quickly.

Root cause: Tension

Head tossing is almost always caused by tension somewhere in the body, and that tension manifests in the head and neck, where the horse attempts to release it by tossing its head. That tension can be caused by a number of different factors, both external (from outside the body) and internal (from within the body). Sometimes, external influences can cause internal problems that don’t immediately go away when the external causes are corrected. However, if you can eliminate external causes, then it’s a lot easier to dig into the internal.

Remember: the horse is never tossing its head because it wants to annoy you or it’s trying to get out of something. It’s trying to self-soothe or communicate that there is a problem somewhere. Some horses may be more sensitive than others, but it’s not our place to tell them they’re being too sensitive. It is our responsibility to respect their sensitivities and boundaries and help them work in spite of them. Doing so will result in a much better relationship with our horses built on mutual respect and trust.

External Causes:

Unsteady Aids

This is the one we have both the most and least control over. We have the most control over it because we can correct it, but we can also have the least control over it because we may not be aware of where the problem lies within our own bodies. Unsteady aids often come from compensation patterns within our seat, frequently tension in the hips that blocks us from moving smoothly with the horse and absorbing the motion in our bodies so our hands and legs can be quieter. These are best worked on in longe lessons where the rider can focus on the seat, but there are exercises that can help reset the rider mid-ride.

There is also purposeful unsteadiness that has become somewhat popular. Riders are encouraged to have “live” contact, where the hands are constantly squeezing and moving to stay “alive” with the horse. However, without good timing and rhythm, this can become white noise or even annoying to the horse, and playing the bit even more to make them quiet can introduce tension in the neck (often mistaken for “lightness” as they back away from the contact), and eventually, they’ll toss the head again to release the tension. Instead, it’s better to be still and then purposeful with the aids. Yes, you will squeeze your fist or move a little time to time, but with purpose to remind the horse to balance and soften its muscles, not just for the sake of a “live” contact. Same goes for the leg; it should have some stillness to allow the horse to move on its own. Allowing this breathing room (see “The Silence Between the Notes“) helps to develop more relaxed self-carriage, and then the rider doesn’t have to work so hard to ride.

It’s important to note that still hands and legs are in relation to the horse. This is physics comes in, namely in relativity (such as how we don’t feel like we’re going fast in a car because we are not going fast in relation to the car). If the horse’s head is moving with its natural gaits, such as how the head bobs up and down at the walk (what dressage riders like to call “oscillation”), the hand should allow for that movement. So the hand should be still in relation to the horse’s head. That means it moves forward and back at walk and canter in rhythm with the head but is quite still at trot. The leg also glides gently up and down or might move slightly back on one side for the canter or another bending movement. This can take a lot of time to develop that relative stillness and feel to be able to find what that is for your horse (or for multiple horses), but it’s worth taking the time to become a more tactful rider.

Ill-Fitting Tack

If your aids are steady and you’re trying your best, sometimes it’s worth looking at the tack. Ill-fitting tack can cause tension through the body as the horse braces against the discomfort. Imagine dancing with a small pebble in your shoe: you’re going to tense up through certain steps to avoid it. The horse has to release/shake out the tension somewhere, and the easiest place is the head.

Saddles that are impinging on the trapezius are especially at fault here. The trapezius muscle connects the shoulder blade to the withers as well as the shoulder blade to the neck (it does basically the same in humans as well). If that is pinched by either the wrong tree shape or size, the tension goes right into the neck. This isn’t the only issue that can cause a tossing head, but it’s a really common one.

However, bridles and bits can also have a strong influence on the mouth’s tension. The wrong noseband can cause the horse to clench its jaw or can interfere with the nerves on the side of its face, and the wrong bit can create pressure points in the palate, bars, or tongue. What the “right” or “wrong” bit and bridle are can vary widely horse-to-horse, and this is why we have more bit fitters than we once did (though custom bits were commonplace in the riding schools of the 18th century and further back). There used to be a philosophy that any horse should go in a simple hollow mouth or something similar, and if it protested, it was all on the rider. While that is somewhat true in that a bit can’t fix a rider’s hands, if it doesn’t fit the horse, it doesn’t fit, and no amount of perfection from the rider will fix that. Most horses go well in fairly simple bits, but there are a few that require more specialized fitting.

Adjusting the bit can also have a profound difference. Play with the height of the bit, both higher and lower, and see if there is a difference. Some prefer it higher, others prefer it lower. People like to try to set a “rule” of lip wrinkles vs no lip wrinkles, but at the end of the day, “the horse writes the book.”

Internal Causes:

Compensation Patterns/Loss of Balance

Once you’ve eliminated external factors, it’s time to look at compensation patterns. This is also extremely common for me to find. Ideally, the pelvis should tuck, the hind legs should reach toward the center of gravity (just behind the girth most of the time), the back should engage and lift the withers, the shoulders should help keep propelling them upwards, and the neck should extend out from there and adjust as necessary to the bend and level of collection/extension. External factors can “kink” the back, such as the saddle or an unsteady seat, but horses can end up dropping their back on their own. This usually comes from A) Lack of training/strength (including because of conformational flaws); or B) Memory of something getting in their way. Most horses fall into category A, but some will fall into B because they went so long with an external factor.

This takes a bit longer to fix and a more personalized approach depending on the horse. However, the results are solid, and often the head tossing will be gone for good (though it may pop up time to time). Usually, we start from the back end and work the way forward, using exercises and patterns that show the horse how to carry itself. Over time, we only need to remind the horse time to time with maybe a touch of calf or a slight movement in the seat to raise its back and engage its hindquarters, and it will maintain that posture. However, remember that just as we cannot hold one posture for an entire workout, we also have to give the horse breaks on a long rein to prevent tension from building up due to muscle fatigue.

Mental Tension

This is another common cause of head tossing, and it’s a bit trickier to work with and takes a more personalized approach. Some horses are more anxious or excitable, what we call “hotter.” Some are that way because its their nature, some because of something that has happened to them. That doesn’t always mean abuse; it can just mean riding that didn’t take the time to develop mental relaxation. So, we have to work through this mental tension. Sometimes this is through movement, sometimes this is through stillness. Usually, longer patterns with frequent but predictable turns and changes in direction help settle horses down. Erratic patterns with random turns will make things worse, so take care that what you do is predictable but occupies the mind enough that they’re not as easily distracted. Over time, the horse will remember that it can be calm, and the time it takes to get there will decrease more and more with each ride.

Be aware, however, that mental tension can be from medical or physical causes as well, so it can become a vicious cycle if you can’t find the root of the problem. Compensation patterns can lead to poor physical balance, which can make the horse more anxious. Poor tack fit can cause pain and therefore cause mental tension. Stomach ulcers are a common catch-22 with mental tension; they can cause and be caused by mental tension. Sometimes, mental tension can even come from a nutritional deficiency, most commonly vitamin E or magnesium. This is why most calming supplements have magnesium in them: because so many horses get deficient in it. Vitamin E is also deficient in most areas of the US, so it’s important to ensure your horse is getting enough. It’s worth looking at the whole picture when it comes to mental tension, as it is so often influenced by other factors.

Medical Issues

This is the rarest cause of head tossing but is the most discouraging. Let’s say you’ve worked on the biomechanics (yours and your horse’s), you’ve gotten the right tack, you’ve worked on mental tension, and you still are struggling with head tossing. This is when you have to start digging. There are a few causes that can lead to the tension that causes head tossing.

Spinal issues, such as ECVM and kissing spine, can lead to more head tossing. There’s some debate as to whether kissing spine is inherited or developed from faulty riding, but it’s still a medically diagnosable factor. ECVM is congenital (ie, they’re born with it), and therefore is harder to work with. However, it is still workable in most cases. Other musculoskeletal injury or dysfunction (like arthritis or scar tissue) can inhibit the horse and lead to head tossing.

There are also infectious causes that can cause neurological issues and joint pain, and these are also frustrating to deal with. These include Lyme’s Disease and EPM (Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalits), but there are others. If caught in time, horses can often return to work with no long-term effects, so it is worth putting this high on the list for testing.

Metabolic conditions are also a potential cause, particularly muscle disorders like PSSM. This is a frustrating condition that can lead to abnormal muscle tension as well as nerve pain, and it is common in many popular breeds (warmbloods, thoroughbreds, quarter horses, and even Iberians). This can be nutritionally managed, but it can take time to find the right mix for your horse, such as how much vitamins E and B, magnesium, protein, etc.

Other internal issues can cause discomfort or tension. Stomach ulcers are common in performance horses, and while they don’t always result in head tossing, they can result in the tension that leads to head tossing. These are luckily treatable and mostly preventable, though some horses are prone to them no matter what you try. Other internal issues can occur, particularly in mares with painful follicles (or, heaven forbid, tumors on the ovaries). However, that’s not a terribly common cause and doesn’t go high on my list with a horse that chronically tosses its head.

Nerve pain can also be a nebulous but frustrating cause of head tossing. Trigeminal neuralgia has been found in horses, but treatment, just like for people, is difficult and not always successful. However, this is much rarer than other causes, so this should go toward the bottom of the list if you’re concerned about your head-tossing horse.

These are just a few of the medical causes that can be present if you’ve ruled out other factors, and if you suspect a medical cause, it’s important to involve your vet to start testing. Your vet should be able to identify or rule out most of these fairly quickly, but some may require a specialist’s involvement, especially where ECVM and nerve pain are concerned.

In Short…

Head tossing almost always comes from tension, but the key is to figure out what the cause is: rider error, tack fit, compensation patterns, mental stress, or medical causes. Most of the time, it can be solved by addressing the first three potential causes, and often solved for good! It takes time to implement these solutions, so while it’s not an overnight fix, it results in a more permanent solution.

Be aware that while tack is a common cause, the wrong solution is a gadget that mechanically forces the horse to keep its head still, such as draw reins, side reins, or martingales, or harsher bits that make it painful for them to toss their heads (they’ll toss it anyway, but more violently because the mental tension is worse). Anything that forces them will only make the problem worse, even if it feels like it’s better immediately.

Have more specific questions? Join us at our regular biomechanics events or sign up for lessons either at our location in Remsen or at our trainer’s other location in Hillsdale at Bridlewood Dressage! Virtual lessons over Zoom, Discord, Facebook, and Pivo available as well. Courses and course packages in progress with some already published!