DAPNET Forums Archive › Forums › Equipment Category › Equipment › collar for short necked horse
- This topic has 10 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 15 years, 8 months ago by
Robert MoonShadow.
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- March 11, 2009 at 4:07 pm #40305
windhorse
ParticipantAfter years of training and working, I’ve discovered that my 7 yr. old gelding has a chronically low grade sore neck because his neck is short. Though he is very willing and an excellent worker and very responsive, I’ve noticed a very small amount of resistance on flexing to the sides which has grown over time. This winter he started working his mouth and jaw quite a lot when I asked him to flex to the sides and it was clearly bothering him and was very distracting. The vet thought at first it was his TMJ because it’s very narrow, but has changed that diagnosis to a sore neck because his neck is quite short. When I ask him to flex his neck, there’s not a lot of room for the vertebrae and it seems to pinch and put pressure on the vertebrae, especially if he’s wearing a collar. We’re doing acupuncture and herbs to help ease the chronic discomfort, but I also need to look into a different type of collar if possible and will be extra attentive to using voice commands only as much as possible and trying to avoid tight situations where he needs to make tight turns. I wonder if anyone has experience with this situation and/or ideas for where to look for collars other than the traditional half sweeney. A collar that might lie flatter against his shoulders. The fit of his collar is fine but one that lies flatter might be more comfortable for him. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
March 11, 2009 at 4:20 pm #50729dominiquer60
ModeratorI can’t give advice on collars but two other things to consider are chiropractic and muscle work, you can do some of the latter yourself. I know with my own back, when I get stiff and sore it takes a good amount of muscle work to loosen the muscle fibers and release some of the built up toxins before I begin to feel better. You can also do a search for stretches that you can have your horse work on using a carrot, here is an example http://www.todayshorse.com/Articles/HorseCarrotPractics.htm. These alternative therapies may help in conjunction with a different collar, and the muscle work can be done with a library book on equine massage and a bag of carrots, so it won’t break the bank trying. Hope this helps a little, I am awaiting to read what the more experienced have to say about the collar.
Erika
March 12, 2009 at 8:14 pm #50722Carl Russell
ModeratorWhen you say “flat collar”, what are you referring to, or how do you see “flat”. Do you mean a thinner collar, in other words less bulk between the shoulder and hames, so that less of the neck is encompassed by the collar?
Do you use a sweat pad that could be removed? Have you looked for a leather faced collar? Also there are lighter collars made for lighter work.However, I’m not inclined to think that a collar should have much effect on a horses ability to move its neck, or to turn. I don’t have my horses turn their heads when I turn them. The tension on the opposite side of the bit should keep their heads pretty much straight forward, with only a slight bend in the neck, which I know is very different that what is expected by riders, but I drive them to step over, not to curve.
Carl
March 13, 2009 at 2:36 am #50731Robert MoonShadow
ParticipantCarl – When you turn them, then, is it more of a right angle/pivot type turn? Do you turn them this way just when logging, or with a wagon, etc.? and why do you choose to do it this way? {Asking as a curious newbie, not as a smart-ass}.
Also, is a short-necked animal at a disadvantage then, with the heavy-duty type collar?March 13, 2009 at 8:55 am #50723ModeratorI always turn them in that manner because that way they learn to have direct forward pull on the load as they turn. It is more of a sweep, forward and sideways, with their neck straight toward the vector of the curve that they eventually make.
This is important on a pole because the pole is not a lever. It should hold the neck yoke and evener and guide the wagon, sled,etc., but the horses turn the implement by pulling it, not by pushing the pole to one side or the other.
I watch my animals break at the quarters, not at the neck. In other words they have to step across the opposite foot in order to make a sweeping turn, or to step over, rather than curving their neck and following their head.
That is why I’m unclear how the collar actually affects this horse when turning.
Carl
March 16, 2009 at 8:30 pm #50725ParticipantThanks for the thoughts. I use an all leather half-sweeney collar with a full pad. The collar the next size smaller is too small even without a pad. This size collar is a bit too big without a pad, so I need to use the pad. The remarks about turning horses with a pole, etc. are interesting — in this case, I’m working this horse single, so a pole is not an issue. My thought was to look into whether there is a collar that might lie a little flatter against his shoulder so that there’s less chance for the vertebra to get pinched against the rigid collar — but I’m really not sure that’s a problem. It was just a thought. Meanwhile, he’s doing well with arnica and some chiropractic work. Some of this may be stiffness from lack of work this winter.
March 16, 2009 at 8:45 pm #50730ModeratorI am glad to hear that there is improvement, keep up the good work.
March 16, 2009 at 11:08 pm #50724ModeratorYay for homeopathy!! Glad you’re getting some improvement.
Just for clarification, I always turn my horses like that even when ground driving. I square my shoulders to the bit, and drive the rectangle. I never bend the horses neck to turn him, so there is very little resistance to the turn from the collar. Just the way I learned, and practiced.
Carl
March 17, 2009 at 1:02 am #50727Ira
ParticipantHave you tried a full sweeny collar on this horse?
March 17, 2009 at 3:32 pm #50726ParticipantThat’s just what I’ve been thinking — I’m now in search of a full sweeney to try. The more I think about it, the more I think the half sweeney is pressing right where he’s sore, so I believe that is the problem. Even bending his neck a little will put pressure on that point (pretty much the point of draft) and over time cause the soreness. Slowly but surely getting to the root of the problem. Gary Langdell is away in Florida for a while longer — does anyone have any ideas where to find an all leather full sweeney collar? Many thanks!
March 17, 2009 at 5:02 pm #50728ParticipantNot sure where your located but;
Meader Supply Corp.
Rochester,N.H.
Their phone used to be 1-800-4horses….. Haven’t had occasion to use it in a while.Shetlers Collar Shop
5819 Flat Iron Rd.
Conewango Valley, New York 14726……. Their amish so you’ll have to write to themCoblentz Collar Shop
3348 US Route 62
Millersburg, Ohio 44654
330-893-1166……..They are also amish, so that phone no. is an answering service - AuthorPosts
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