Am I covering everything?! Advice please

[Riverboy]

Well - we had the saddler out last night - I tried to mount which was just laughable (knee injury from previous fall) so the saddler had just come down from riding his horses and said he'd jump on. We'd lunged Lu and he'd seemed fine, and apart from 2 weeks ago he's never put a foot out of line.

Saddler jumps on - all well - I turn round to answer a question from my friend standing by the gate - when I turn back Lu is bronking (head between his knees style) and finally flings the saddler off.

We rechecked the saddle - and according to the saddler, seconded by experienced friend, it fits. He tried putting pressure on his back which caused no reaction. So my course of action is this:

- Vet - going to get back, teeth etc checked
- Feed - have already reduced his feed significantly but going to cut out all hard feed
- Work - I can't ride atm due to injury and can't with my job risk getting hurt again - I am going to continue with ground work and then when we have ruled pain reaction (which I think it is) I am going to send him for schooling to grow up a little. I would have this done at home but my instructor who helped me break him in is refusing to ride him until I've fixed this...

Am I missing anything guys? I need to make sure I get everything right as he's such a star - and you are always all full of great advice...

Nice hot coffee to all with a shortbread biscuit...

 

[Lobelia_Overhill]

I'm old skool when it comes to these things, and tend to put these things down to temperament, or it being one of those days ...

 

[MrsMozart]

Well...., have heard of things sticking through to the horse's back when pressure applied, i.e. rider on.

Also, my last mare's saddle fitted according to three Master Saddlers. Mare would turn her bum on me when she saw it coming. I changed the saddle. Mare was happy to be ridden again, no more chasing round the stable when the saddle appeared.

Have you tried a different saddle?

Hope saddler okay!

 

[ironhorse]

Try a different saddle - my mare was lashing out when the saddle was put on, trying to bite when girthed up and generally pretty tense when ridden.
The saddler lent me a Thorogood T6 cob while she tried to sort my saddle out and I suddenly had a different horse.
When the original saddle came back, despite being reflocked and confirmed as a good fit by this very experienced master saddler, the grumpy behaviour resumed.
I have now bought a Thorogood T6 and she is much happier.
Horses have their own preferences, it seems!

 

[Riverboy]

hmm... not thought of that! This is the saddle we broke him in with and he's always been fine with it before, but perhaps he's taken a dislike to it!!

MrsM - yes the saddler is fine - though I do think I now owe him another bottle of wine!!! Lol...

I did buy River a new saddle last night as well - so if the vet can't find anything we could adjust that (though there is 2 hands difference in height they are a very simliar fit in saddles Lu's is Rivers old Kieffer reflocked and the saddler said a perfect fit!)...

Thanks guys... I don't think it was just 'one of those days' as he's normally so good - and two of them two weeks apart?!

xx