He could be just playing with you or it could be a sign of evasion to reduce the pressure on his bit and reins or are you riding him bitless?. Interesting to know what others think.

To get a better idea of what is going on, is he twisting his head at all or is he keeping it straight as he does this?

He only does it in the pasture not while I am riding. and he twist his head while doing it. He mostly does it during feeding times and also when he know I am going to let him out into the bigger field. I look at hims and call him silly boy when he does it. I will try to get video of him doing it sometime I hope.

my turn to ask a stupid question!! I know TB is thoroughbred...what is the OT bit?

OT means Off track race horse. Ex race horses are also known as Off track thoroughbreds OR OTTB... And there is never stupid questions...

About lowering the neck and swinging his head back and forth, my youngster did that a lot too. Esp. when asked to trot, either on the line or in hand, but also the one time I rode him. It was usually only when I asked for trot the very first time in a session.
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My impression is that he was partly excited to move at a higher speed, partly trying to see if he could get away from my demand. Like "I'd love to start running now but not in this boring controlled manner". ;)
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He stopped doing it when he shook himself enough to lose his balance and almost fell over. (That was due to his Wobbler's disease - the hind legs got away from him when he shook like that.)
BUT, considering his problem did affect the muscles in his back a bit (getting tense etc) I have to wonder if he was in some sort of discomfort when changing gaits, and that was why he behaved like that? Maybe having a physio or vet check out your horse just to be on the safe side of knowledge?

Thanks Kicki. He sees the vet 2 times a year and we have a vet assistance here at the ranch that has also looked him over. So we ruled out medical. They all tell me he is just being silly. with the good weather out today I will hope to get some video of him doing it so I can post it.
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Also Kicki you said it right it was kind like him telling me "Im tired of this game lets do something else."

After reading the description, Beamer does the same thing. His head starts up in the air, comes down with a single twist as he passes the center of his body, and comes back up. And Beamer usually follows it with some excited burst of energy. Also interesting to note, Beamer is half Thoroughbred half Quarter horse.

Hi Kicki - I am interested in your mention of Wobbler's Disease as I have not heard of it before. I will check it out on the internet now. The Of the Track (5 years ago now) ex race horse thoroughbred (Cash) which I have been helping to quieten and re train goes all wobbly in the legs at times and looks as if he is going to fall over. It usually happens when we are grooming him and he is relaxed. We have been trying to work out what is wrong with him and I am now wondering if he too has Wobbler's Disease. Can you tell me any more about it and how it effects your horse. Cash is doing so well - I am riding him now in his field/paddock - just walking and trotting so far but he is a real gentleman and so responsive to legs and has an extremely soft mouth. Yet to canter as I fear that is when we will hit problems as he still tucks his tail in and occasionally takes off when asked to canter on the lunge. When I am riding him he does trip a lot on his front hooves and also occasionally slips on his back legs which worries me. Just not sure how sound he is and do not wish to push him until I know more about him. A vet did check his back casually and claimed it appeared OK. He apparently broke down when being raced and he appears as if he may have had a back injury.

The horses body language - I am lately just learning about the body language of my myself and the horse when we are together. Actually I like to comment on the question from the person in this weeks newsletter. Starting to ride again at age 42. I have started with horses in my early 30 ties. That was after growing up in Berlin Germany and than coming to Canada, a land with lots of space and horses. I am now 74 years old and was just introduced to the Parelli method after following Monty's training for 20 years. Since now I have to board my horse at a stable after selling our property, and this is what the people there do. I am a bit in a conflict in my way of handling my Icelandic and in what the "Patelli " people are doing. But what I find very interesting, is the way I learn how to control myself, the way I move and how the horse reacts. I like this part of the Parelli work, or maybe it is the way the people at this stable are able to show it to me. I am learning to really watch myself how I move and than see how the horse follows me. When I left the stable yesterday, it was the first time that my horse was standing in the pasture looking at me when I passed by to leave. Usually he would walk away toward his friends when I took off the halter, but this time he just stood there and watched me going. I had several days of work with him and me just from the ground, watching myself as much as him how we move about. I know this is all also in Montys training , but I probably have not given it too much attention in the past. Maybe I am more than ever now convened about my safety, ( I guess you get that way when you are older), that I am getting aware of it. Anyway I am still with Monty's method and am in the process of getting the dually halter because the Parelli rope halter is alright for a well trained horses and my Icelandic is very alright for my pleasure riding but he has his own ideas how to live and sometimes behaves like being a bit spoiled and needs a firmer approach. I still enjoy my riding, but I have started to do a different dismount since my knees give me a bit of trouble. It probably looks funny, I let go of my stirrups, lean forward and put my arms around Stjarni ,s neck and let myself slide down and out of the saddle, to avoid jumping on my feet. Well, I hope this is a bit encouraging for the person of 42.

Hi Maggie!
I can tell you LOTS about Wobbler's ;) but the best source of info would be Dr. Barrie Grant's website at http://www.equinewobblers.com/
You can learn all you need there, as well as how to diagnose your horse yourself.
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For those who don't know, Wobbler's disease is a "condition" rather than a disease, or - simply put - a horse with a damaged spinal cord.
Somewhere in the "canal" that goes through the vertebrae there is a place that has become too narrow due to extra bone growth on the inside walls or where the nerve ends leaves the vertebrae to "travel" to the limbs. The electric impulse that travels from the brain to the limbs get cut off. The horse's brain tells the leg to move, but it won't end up in the right place. The brain still thinks the leg is in the "correct" position so when it goes to move another leg, the horse is likely to trip itself up.
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The reason the hind legs are (usually) more affected than the front is that those nerves are closer to the surface and therefor more easily pinched.
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A horse with Wobbler's will start to drag its (hind)toes, get a very "fancy" knee action - esp. in trot - have difficulty making quick stops and turns, difficulty backing up, will be easily out of balance if you pull the tail to the side, when cantering he will look like a drunk rabbit. It may also lose balance and fall over in the stable so be EXTREMELY cautious at all times around a horse with Wobbler's.
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I DO hope Cash isn't affected, although Thoroughbreds is a breed that seems to be overrepresented. It's not easy to pinpoint - there are several similar conditions - one of them is a lyme disease, treatable with penicillin.
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If you want to ask or talk more about it, you can contact me at my e-mail wiboline@yahoo.com

Maybe I should add that Wobbler's isn't treatable in any way although Dr.Grant advocates an operation,. But it isn't that simple and many horse only gets worse and will eventually be so bad they can't get up.
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In a young horse, such as mine, you can only hope and pray that it might grow away again. In my case it looks like we're in a bit of luck since he has improved immensely since the summer of 2011. If my luck holds, he may be among those who are possible to ride and even compete in lower classes. We'll see - I'm not giving up on him now!

Hi Kicki, good info for us all thanks; just to add that it is also a condition that can affect dogs - mainly the large breeds, in particular Dobermans and Great Danes (though technically any can get it). It can be distressing to see and treatment depends very much on extent and whether the animal i sin pain. My clients Doberman has just been diagnosed and he is kept comfortable on medication but his owner is very clear that once he is suffering/in pain he will be put down.

Thanks so much Kicki for this. It is really scary and sad as it does seem that this beautiful ex race horse may have this disease. I have been worried about him ever since we started quietening him as he does have a distinct dip on his back behind the saddle which appears like a past injury. He did break down on the track whatever that means and he was obviously really abused in the past by humans. He is so quiet now and so responsive on the ground and also so responsive to my leg aids with an incredibly soft mouth so he would make a wonderful dressage horse. He has been the best example of the effectiveness of Montys' training that I have ever experienced as he has tries so hard to please despite being so scared and spooked in the beginning. Now I am worried about riding him again in case I make him worse so I have arranged for a vet to check him on Monday - pretty dubious about the outcome as he does have all the symptoms. Still haven't tried cantering when on him as he is still awkward with this on the lunge. I have done quite a bit of trotting and last week we did figures of eights and some small 10 metre circles which he handled OK but his gait is awkward, he trips a lot on his front hooves and slips on his back and he does bunny hops as he goes into trot. Thanks so very much for your help and I am so sorry that you have had to come to terms with this disease yourself. I do hope your young fellow turns out to be one of those you can ride. Cash maybe too but I guess he will always need a light weight which is sad as the girl who has befriended him is on the heavy side and she is the one who wishes to learn dressage on him. I am 51 kilos and he seems to manage my weight better and is much more responsive to me but hopefully that is just because I am more experienced than my friend and he has only had jockies in the past. His wobbles are worst when he is relaxed and we are grooming him. His legs just seem to start to give way and he certainly looks like he is about to topple over. We usually get him to move when he does this and that seems to help him overcome his wobbles.

Hi hfriederike just wished to say - you are an isnpiration to us all! I thought I was one of the oldest in the Uni but you are ahead of me. Yes - I too enjoyed that question in the Newsletter - at 42 you have many years of riding ahead of you so good luck with it! Do hope I will still be riding and enjoying my horses when I am 74 too. It is best to stay on if we can as we get older - I was bucked off a few weeks ago and was very pleased to find that I was OK afterwards. All the best and keep enjoying your horses.

Thank you to everyone about the Wobbler's info. I don't think that my boy has this. When he is swinging his head back and forth he will also sometimes kick up and start bucking. I am wondering if its just his way of saying "Mom, come play with me." Of when I am riding its away of him saying "Can we play now". He is just a silly boy. When I was our ridding today someone said to get a Reinsman Molly Powell Money Marker Chain Bit. Well I looked that up on line and OMG I will NEVER get that bit. I will stick to my snaffle bit. Anyways thanks you so much to all for your information.

Hi again Maggie,
I am sorry to hear that and I will keep my fingers crossed for you tomorrow. Wobbler's is not the only syndrome to have that effect. Do be careful around him!
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My vet assured me there was no pain but advised that mood swings were a common thing in these horses. That tells me there must be *some* sort of discomfort - either from insecurity or muscle soreness. Mine had a lumbar muscle that felt like a tray or a cutting board that first winter and needed lots of massage plus vitamin B and E to help him. That seems to be gone now, but the aggressive mood swings are still there to be handled - even if they are fewer and further apart now.
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Christena,
I don't think your boy had Wobbler's either. :) Sounds like he is just expressing his excitement.
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Looked up that bit you mentioned... Wow, what things people can think of! Any thing called "money maker" makes me highly skeptical, and Gags are not on my list of favorite tack anyway, so I don't think this is something I would recommend.

Thanks so much Kicki - I have my fingers crossed too!

Wow! the vet said Cash checked out OK and he doesn't have wobbler's syndrome. What good news that was. He does however need to have his back muscled up and strengthened before he is ridden too much. Spilled my heart out on a previous comment this morning!

I am sooo relieved to hear that, Maggie!!!!! Great news!!!