Horse lowering head in canter

["Budler,Cindy" <Cindy.Budler@afrox.boc.com>]

Something in one of the posts just clicked a button in my mind, and maybe I
have a problem I didn't know about. My newbie horse has recently started
lowering his head(like 2 inches off the ground) when trotting and cantering.
I thought it was when he was tired and would always immediately slack off. I
remember my first endurance horse doing this early in training, but MAYBE it
is a saddle problem! Especially when I think of something else that has
started bothering me. This horse will pee 3 times on a trail of 20km's. I
normally have to give him time to urinate immediately after I mount! The
urine is clear always, copious amounts and has no strange smell or anything.
I have palpated his back and check saddle fit after each ride and have not
seen or felt anything sore. The sweat marks are consistent and large with
gaps in all the right places.I recently had my son ride him in a different
saddle and he peed once only, but maybe he just missed the cues. The horse
always wanders off the trail and will stop and stand for a few minutes
before he drops and urinates. A person not used to this behaviour will just
probably think he is being lazy(he can be a lazy horse!) Maybe the saddle is
pressing on his kidneys?
Any ideas out there?


Regards,
Cindy Budler
Tel : 011 876 1179
Cell : 0824641809
E Mail : cindy.budler@afrox.boc.com



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