Does your horse feel heavier in one rein than the other?

The poll muscles flex the horse’s head downward toward his chest or they incline the head to the right or to the left. The dynamics of a horse’s motion occur on a diagonal. That means a tightness in the right poll side can reflect a problem in the left rein.

The neck area is small compared to the other muscles in the body but the neck area is key to the horse’s freedom and ease of movement.

Does your horse reacts strongly when you try to touch the poll area (the neck) ?

An indicator of a problem is that your horse reacts strongly when you try to palpate the neck area. The neck area is very sensitive when it is tight. Your horse may raise his head to try to get his neck out of reach or the horse may step away from you. The more severe the tightness, the more dramatic his reaction is likely to be when you try to touch the area.

Does your horse feel reluctant to step through from behind?

Tightness in the neck area and facial nerves compromise a horse’s use of the back or may reflect a shortened step behind. A horse’s motion originates in its hind end and flows through his body and neck. When a neck is very tight the horse can’t step up under himself easily and freely.

Does your horse stop at fences?

The horse needs to be able to extend his head and neck to balance himself as his jumping arc descends. When the muscles around the neck are very tight, the neck muscles are unable to allow the head and neck to extend which makes the horse feel out of balance. Therefore, the horse stops at the fence.