How to Raise the Headset on a Western Pleasure Horse

The days when it was considered fashionable for a western pleasure horse to go around the arena with its nose only inches from the ground are over. Horses that have this type of head carriage are called peanut rollers, because they look as if they are rolling a peanut along the ground. Most horses that carry themselves this way were trained to do so. To get them to assume a more natural headset, you will have to retrain the horse.

Things You'll Need

  • Arena
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Instructions

    • 1

      Get on your horse and ride it in the arena normally. Western pleasure horses with a tendency to carry their heads very low also tend to have abnormally slow, lethargic gaits -- slower than even those of normal western pleasure horses. Allow your horse to warm up as usual and keep a loose rein on it. See where the horse carries its head naturally when you are not asking it to drop its head.

    • 2

      Bump the reins lightly while encouraging the horse to speed up slightly with your legs and seat. In most cases, your western pleasure horse will raise its head up some when asked to move at even a slightly faster pace.

    • 3

      Focus on riding the horse forward into your hands and bringing its head up. Keep your own posture straight in the saddle and raise your hands up slightly above where you normally hold them. If the horse responds by raising its head, praise it. Continue working on raising the horse's head until the horse responds. Try adjusting the position of your hands and see what the effect is on the horse's head set. In a number of cases, the lower your hands are, the lower the pleasure horse will put its head.

    • 4

      Use an over-check. An over-check is a device used in western training to prevent a horse from putting its head too low. This type of device should only be used if you have exhausted all other options for getting your horse's head up. It is most often used in driving disciplines where horse's are expected to perform with a very upright headset. An over-check is a length of slightly stretchy nylon rope or leather that is run between the poll area of your bridle and the saddle horn. Make sure your horse has enough room to move its head normally but not enough length to get its head down below its knees. Lunge the horse in the round pen for 5 to 10 minutes at a time using this device.

    • 5

      Practice riding your horse with a raised headset until it becomes a habit and the horse is successfully retained.