Advice For Girthing Up A Very Sensitive Horse?

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Florrie

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Hi all!
This is Trifein on a new account. If you seen my post on the Soapbox Fourm you'd know why :rolleyes:

Anyway, I hate to say this but I'm stick to the back teeth of my gelding when it comes to girthing up!
He's fine to put the roller/saddle on. Doesn't care.

When he feels the girth under him however, he breathes out heavily and raises his back.

He will also walk around his stable (When there is someone able to hold him I ask, which makes it less difficult) and I feel very on edge doing his girth as when it do it tight enough to keep the saddle in place he will twitch and speed walk off. We've had some scenarios where has has even broced for a full 30 seconds trying to get it off.

I'm baffled on what to do, I take my time doing his girth up. I ensure that it is not trapping him in any way. I'll usually do his girth up loose then walk him to the school and attempt to tighten it there but he is still breathing out and I've had times where I have tried to do it up in the school and if it's the slightest bit tight he will once again broc.

Just to rule out we have had Chiro/Physio, Saddler and Vet out to scope for ulcers. All clear and no problems with all 3. All have said he's just sensitive.
Oh and I'm not trapping the Vegas (I believe its called?) nerve on his tummy either.

I'm thinking of using a sheepskin girth sleeve on him. Has anyone had any luck with this?

I have tried walking him on the lunge beforehand for 5 minutes to relax his tummy muscles but he will just trot as soon as he is on the lunge, sweat himself up and become an idiot for the whole time I ride him.

Suggestions please?
 
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A sheepskin cover might help, it certainly keeps my mare happy. She also prefers a stud girth as it spreads the pressure more, so she has a fluffy stud girth.

I always have kissing spine pop in to my mind when I read this kind of post. If he does continue to behave this way, it would be worth ruling it out.
 
Faracat said:
A sheepskin cover might help, it certainly keeps my mare happy. She also prefers a stud girth as it spreads the pressure more, so she has a fluffy stud girth.

I always have kissing spine pop in to my mind when I read this kind of post. If he does continue to behave this way, it would be worth ruling it out.
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Ah sorry forgot to add that KS has been ruled out too!
To add he did come out of racing about a year and a bit ago and he spent six months of that in a field only doing light hacking and tiny bits of schooling. Old owner said he's always been sensitive to girth.
 
I did get the next size up (50 instead of 48), but her normal girth was possibly a bit short anyway as I needed to ask her to breath in! ;)
 
Prolite girth sleeve is very good - not that my mare objected to the girth as much as your horse, but she got girth galls incredibly easily, the prolite put paid to them.

Had you considered one of the 'humane' girths with the 2 buckles on a single webbing loop, spreads the pressure I believe.? just a thought.
 
Pull one side up then the other, and spend a bit of time on all the preparation. Use the nearest and farthest girth straps, use a breastplate so the girth need not be so tight. Some horses are so sensitive you need to spend a lot of time with them before you start riding, rare, but it happens.
 
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dorito said:
Prolite girth sleeve is very good - not that my mare objected to the girth as much as your horse, but she got girth galls incredibly easily, the prolite put paid to them.

Had you considered one of the 'humane' girths with the 2 buckles on a single webbing loop, spreads the pressure I believe.? just a thought.
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Tried and failed unfortunately. He did seem better with it but after a while he wouldn't have it anymore.

I'm very much considering the Prolite Girth Sleeve as an option to try now, read some old forums that it works wonders with horses that dislike being girthed up etc.

Miss L Toe said:
Pull one side up then the other, and spend a bit of time on all the preparation. Use the nearest and farthest girth straps, use a breastplate so the girth need not be so tight. Some horses are so sensitive you need to spend a lot of time with them before you start riding, rare, but it happens.
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I do spend approx 10/15 minutes girthing him up. Giving him a pat and praise each time he allows me to girth the next hole up if it starts to get tight.

And would a 5-Point or Hunting Breastplate be the best try?
 
I think I read somewhere about a similar horse that lived in a roller at all times to help get is desensitised, the roller comes off and the saddle goes on, it might be worth a try. I have no idea where I read this it just came to mind when I read your OP.
Otherwise a shaped and padded girth has been good for one of mine that was girthy, not as bad as yours but definitely difficult to girth up, he is in a Passier leather girth with no elastic and is no problem now.
 
be positive said:
I think I read somewhere about a similar horse that lived in a roller at all times to help get is desensitised, the roller comes off and the saddle goes on, it might be worth a try. I have no idea where I read this it just came to mind when I read your OP.
Otherwise a shaped and padded girth has been good for one of mine that was girthy, not as bad as yours but definitely difficult to girth up, he is in a Passier leather girth with no elastic and is no problem now.
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Thank you, I'll definitely give that a try!
And by "Shaped and Padded" so you mean a Stud Girth etc?
Sorry I'm useless with tack.
 
My horse used to do this also, as soon as it was fastened she would panic and bronc, to be honest it was a really slow process to get over it, i used to put the saddle on in her stable while i mucked out etc and put it on the 1st hole so it was hardly done up, just so she could feel it and i had to do that every day until she would let me then walk her around, then hole 2 etc and I think it took around 3 months or so till it wasnt a big issue anymore, it had to be elasticated both ends, a fixed girth would have sent her over the edge!

When I started riding her I used to put the girth up as much as I could to be able to get on and let her have a few minutes on the lunge so she could adjust and then get on, I wasnt in any rush with it and it paid off as now she is absolutely fine.
 
Farma said:
My horse used to do this also, as soon as it was fastened she would panic and bronc, to be honest it was a really slow process to get over it, i used to put the saddle on in her stable while i mucked out etc and put it on the 1st hole so it was hardly done up, just so she could feel it and i had to do that every day until she would let me then walk her around, then hole 2 etc and I think it took around 3 months or so till it wasnt a big issue anymore, it had to be elasticated both ends, a fixed girth would have sent her over the edge!

When I started riding her I used to put the girth up as much as I could to be able to get on and let her have a few minutes on the lunge so she could adjust and then get on, I wasnt in any rush with it and it paid off as now she is absolutely fine.
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I think at some point in his life that he may of just had his girth belted up to the top hole in one go and now it's a psychological issue when he feels the girth underneath him?
I'm glad to hear she is fine now. This method sounds very effective. He's going to be like a little girthing experiment with all this trying and testing, bless him!
 
Florrie said:
Tried and failed unfortunately. He did seem better with it but after a while he wouldn't have it anymore.

I'm very much considering the Prolite Girth Sleeve as an option to try now, read some old forums that it works wonders with horses that dislike being girthed up etc.



I do spend approx 10/15 minutes girthing him up. Giving him a pat and praise each time he allows me to girth the next hole up if it starts to get tight.

And would a 5-Point or Hunting Breastplate be the best try?
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I would think a 5 point, but best to ask a saddler, I use a padded endurance one which attaches to D rings and girth.
 
Put saddle on. Wait, whist chatting and talking. Titbit if it's your thing.

Do up on loosest hole. Wait. Repeat as above. Muck out. Stroke horse. Slowly do up another hole. Keep doing it 'till suitable tightness.

Once at optimum tightness, wait.

Make sure he's tied up whilst you're doing this. Headcollar over bridle.

Also, try a heat lamp or a massage pad or a magnetic pad before you tack up.

If not already done so, get your saddle fitted with a sheepskin saddle cloth.
 
Miss L Toe said:
Always use a mounting block, always be very "soft and light"
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That's what I always do. I'm generally not very good at mounting so when I get on from the block it's one foot in stirrup and hop over slow and light so I don't cause him fuss.

MrsMozart said:
Put saddle on. Wait, whist chatting and talking. Titbit if it's your thing.

Do up on loosest hole. Wait. Repeat as above. Muck out. Stroke horse. Slowly do up another hole. Keep doing it 'till suitable tightness.

Once at optimum tightness, wait.

Make sure he's tied up whilst you're doing this. Headcollar over bridle.

Also, try a heat lamp or a massage pad or a magnetic pad before you tack up.

If not already done so, get your saddle fitted with a sheepskin saddle cloth.
Click to expand...

I'm a bit nervy about tying up whilst tacking/girthing up. As my Welsh B stresses when he's tacked up when tied up. I had a bad experience where he stressed and reared up, snapped the headcollar and fell backwards so I'm a bit nervy about the thing in general but I will give it a try.
Also the only place i can tie him is in his stable, otherwise it's being tied up outside his stable (in a busy barn) and I can't afford him to throw a possible paddy.
Also will try the suggestion :)
 
The first line of what Mrs Mozart said worked for us. My youngster was a bit nervy to saddle, so I took it slowly, one hole at a time, nearside then offside, tidbit and chat inbetween. After three sessions she couldn't care less and the treats are reduced to one after I'm in the saddle.
I'm inclined to think the problems stem from your fears rooted in your earlier incident, it might be useful to get some professional help for this (for saddling he horse - not suggesting you need a shrink!)
 
digger66 said:
The first line of what Mrs Mozart said worked for us. My youngster was a bit nervy to saddle, so I took it slowly, one hole at a time, nearside then offside, tidbit and chat inbetween. After three sessions she couldn't care less and the treats are reduced to one after I'm in the saddle.
I'm inclined to think the problems stem from your fears rooted in your earlier incident, it might be useful to get some professional help for this (for saddling he horse - not suggesting you need a shrink!)
Click to expand...

I have had bad experiences girthing up. My mare has a very prominent Vegas Nerve (I believe its called?) and when girthing her up the off few times she should fall to her knees or bolt around the stable. On one occasion I was walking her out of her stable when she suddenly collapsed and tried to steady herself (she was sqating on all 4's and somewhat cantering?) and she squashed me in-between the door of the stable and her.
Thing is I take my time with my horses, I can understand it must not be pleasant having something tight around your tummy but these bad experiences really did knock the s**t out of me.

I will try Mrs M's sugegstion first time around, with a girth sleeve :)
 
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This might sound totally mad, but I had a lad just like yours and had everything checked in his back, x rays the lot and all came back clear. In the end I had thermal imaging done to see what areas were brought up and funny as it sounds, his teeth were the only area which showed a problem. Since that day he's never done it again. I would never off thought teeth but it was in his case. 3 yrs later and not 1 funny day since
 
thatsmygirl said:
This might sound totally mad, but I had a lad just like yours and had everything checked in his back, x rays the lot and all came back clear. In the end I had thermal imaging done to see what areas were brought up and funny as it sounds, his teeth were the only area which showed a problem. Since that day he's never done it again. I would never off thought teeth but it was in his case. 3 yrs later and not 1 funny day since
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He had his teeth rasped around 4 months ago and he was showing no other problems in the mouth area.

:confused:

I'm honestly baffled! Glad your horse is fine now though.
 
Mine had his teeth checked as well so would never off thought off having them looked at again if it wasn't for the thermal imaging and honestly my lad didn't show any problems with his mouth at all.
Have u thought about thermal? It's worked for me a few times now and there was no way I would ever of said it would be teeth with my lad.
 
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