How to Get a Good Head Set for a Pleasure Horse

Western pleasure is one of the most popular horse show classes in the world. Although pleasure classes are offered in English and saddle seat riding styles, they do not require the horse to have a specific head set. The first Western pleasure classes were dangerous as horses tried to race each other in the small ring. According to "The Official Horse Breed Standards Guide," competitors and judges discovered that if the horse had a low head set, then it would not be prone to bolting.

Things You'll Need

  • Western saddle
  • Bridle with snaffle bit or bosal bitless bridle
  • Halter
  • Sidepull with training fork
  • Lunge line
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Instructions

    • 1

      Choose a Western pleasure horse than naturally carries its head so that the top of the head is level with the backbone. When horses walk in a pasture or stand at rest, their heads are often in this position. Horse breeds with short necks that naturally carry their heads high include the Morgan and the Friesian. Horse breeds that often carry their heads low when at a relaxed walk include the Quarter Horse, Appaloosa and Thoroughbred.

    • 2

      Tack the horse up with Western saddle, sidepull with training fork, a halter and a mild bit such as a snaffle or a bosal bitless bridle placed over the halter. A training fork is a martingale that attaches from the bit to the girth. The sidepull is a light halter-like piece of tack that places pressure on the nose. They ideally help a horse stay balanced by keeping the top of the head nearly level with the spine.

    • 3

      Lunge the horse about a half hour per day in the sidepull and training fork. This helps the horse develop balance and flexibility. Walk jog and lope 15 minutes going one direction and 15 minutes the other. If you have a helper, you can ride the horse as it is being lunged. But if you are alone, it is best to lunge the horse without a rider so you can see how it is moving and where it seems to be off-balance or if the sidepull is still needed. Sidepulls or training forks are not allowed in competition.

    • 4

      Ride without the sidepull. Vary what the horse has to do every day to make riding interesting for the horse. It's more important to keep the horse moving smoothly forward than jerking at its head to keep it down, according to "101 Western Pleasure and Horsemanship Tips." A natural low head set will come to horses that are balanced and move off of the hindquarters instead dragging themselves foreword with their forelegs. This can take up to three months or more of practice to accomplish.