*why* do horses overbend?

[NickeringNotions]

Is it purely an evasion tactic? Or created from the rider...e.g too strong of a check from the rein? Or can it be a sign of something else e.g lack of balance/weakness etc?

[Claire]

I think it often is an evasion .... certainly for my mare it is (when she isn't trying other tactics) but with her at least if she's doing that she's not got her stress head on!

[Heather]

I do think some breeds are more prone to doing it too- I find that Iberians have a very natural tendency to overbend, probably due to their 'round' conformation.

Heather

[Camacoona]

Sometimes its conformational.  horses with a very fine jowl find it easy to overbend.  And it can often be as a result of being ridden too forward with the hidleg straight and being pushed too far under the body.  Without the bend and flexion of the hidleg joint system, the horse then lowers his head and curles it back to try and balance himself. General Decarpentry Talks alot about it in his book.

[Jeanette]

I suppose evasions are an attempt to get away from something the horse finds uncomfortable....rather than  meaness of spirit ....maybe a lack of balance in the rider and hollowing away from the rider..or historic defense system against previous riders.

Does the horse that overbends also overbend when prancing around in the field?..would be food for thought if that were not the case.

[Heather]

Thats just it Jeanette, they do prance around overbent in the field, especially stallions or those gelded late. They seem to be quite happy doing it, although as it is considered that being in this position prevents them from being able to see properly, one would wonder why, especially as flight animals!!

Mind you there are degrees of overbending, there is the aforementioned type when horses do it by themselves, and then there is the rollkur type forced by the rider.

Heather

[christuris]

Thats just it Jeanette, they do prance around overbent in the field, especially stallions or those gelded late. They seem to be quite happy doing it, although as it is considered that being in this position prevents them from being able to see properly, one would wonder why, especially as flight animals!!

I think that we have to remember, too, that horses overbend for a a very short time.  They overbend, then they go back to normal, unlike the rollkured horses, right?

Christina
Indian Hills, Colorado
www.AlphabetRanch.com

[Heather]

Very valid point, Christina, it will only be for a short time, when overbending 'naturally'- and by the horse's own volition, not with muscles forced as in rollkur.

Heather

[shoveltrash]

Without the bend and flexion of the hidleg joint system, the horse then lowers his head and curles it back to try and balance himself. General Decarpentry Talks alot about it in his book.

oh i like this Camacoona!  i don't have any of Decarpentry's work......yet another book i'm now wanting!

also with overbending you have to keep in mind the type of bit being used.  the curb action of some bits could cause overbending simply by too much rein contact, right?

[issywizz]

Missed this! 
That is so true camcoona,absolutely spot on,and its the reason why many Iberians tend to overbend imo-they are asked to 'collect' either too soon or simply by people who havent figured that out.
You can actually see how the biomechanics are working too.
Lots of other reasons for overbending too of course,including misuse of the hands/curbs etc,but that really pinpoints the least obvious one for me. 

[visconde]

this is interesting to me-Vico doesnt overbend when we are schooling other than very fleetingly, he also only fleetingly overbends at liberty when playing in the field but he does do it out hacking. sometimes when pootling about on a hack, he will overbend on the slightest contact or even no contact and hold himself there and he'll do it if he gets stressed about something.  its due to my riding (or lack of it, am terrible for daydreaming on hacks) in both cases!

[NickeringNotions]

V interesting replies   

Woodz tends to overbend a lot more when other people ride him than me, although he will still overbend with me but I guess because Im consciously looking out for it and will raise the hands...?

Got some photos from when my sister rode him so I could look at how the saddle was from the ground and he is scarily overbent in some of them 

Re the hindleg joint system bending...can this be affected by bonespavins decreasing mobility at all?