Any good tips for coping with a cold backed horsey ??

Porkie

Porkie

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Does anyone have any helpful hints or tips for making life with a cold backed horse a bit less stressful ??

My friend's 14yr old grey Connemara x TB has always been 'cold backed' but seems to be getting worse the whiter he is getting! back checked, saddle checked etc. etc. and no problems.

He doesn't seem to have a issue with the saddle going on but its the girthing up that causes him to hump his back, rear and generally go really tense and bounce around like tigger! It's not bad all the time but definitely worse now the weather is colder.

My friend is getting quite depressed as she feels he is hurting and unhappy, but she does everything we can think of and is really paitent - she rides in a wool exercise sheet and uses a fluffy girth sleeve, walks him in hand, girths one hole at a time........ Once she manages to get him moving and warmed up he works lovely but the other night it took over 30 mins before she could even think about getting on! Not only is it frustrating for her but upsetting too
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Someone said to us the other day its not necessarily the back/saddle, more something to do with the nerves under the girth area being really close to the skin which is why he is so over sensitive? he is really sensitive there when being groomed but not over his back so makes a lot of sense.........
 
my only instant suggestion is putting the saddle on over a rug - or use a rug with a roller so the horse is used to the sensation of having 'a belly strap'.
Not much help really - sorry.
Has she tried lunging him before she rides?
 
A cold-backed mare I used to own turned out to be unable to eat various foods. She had been a nightmare to rug/brush/saddle until we worked out what was causing the problem and stopped feeding her cereals & sugar. She always appreciated a saddle with a flock/serge or synthetic underside rather than leather. She went very well in a side-saddle which was much heavier than her ordinary saddle but softer.
 
how about trying magnetic rug as it gets circulation going. also i have had a horse who was the same as this and i found a thick sheepskin numnah with fluffy girth helped and no elastic on girth unless its almost too big for horse and a breast girth so girth doesnt have to be mega tight. also try giving arnica incase there is bruising.. hope this helps..
 
I would suggest a magentic rug/massage pad first as that may help. My horse can be quite sensitive tacking up and when first getting on, and last year I bought an equilibrium massage pad so he has that on for 20 minutes before taking up and has really helped and made a difference.
 
i ride a cold backed horse. we found with him that if he can walk around as i do up the girth he is alot better. bit tricky as we also use a girth sleeve on him. but he doesnt seem to notice as much if hes moving
 
A friend of mine uses one of the massage pads but it does mean hanging around for half an hour before you can ride.

On my cold-backed horse I use an air flocked saddle and a sheepskin half pad. I also try and keep his back really warm. He is noticably worse in winter. My horse is not too bad to girth up though. His bad bit is not standing/kicking out when being mounted and then bucking once aboard. Normally one or other though, not both.
 
Massage does seem to help, I do it by hand (keeps me fit!!) Also, maybe some gentle advance and retreat work in girth area? Maybe work on putting the saddle on without girth for a while, just taking it off again without girthing up but after long enough for horse to relax first? I would do this on and off and work up to normal tacking up over a period of many months.

May not be much help, but worked well with mine
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Perhaps trying different girths might help? ie. elastic ended ones may be more suited. My one used to be cold backed - NAF Superflex somehow sorted him! He used to do it when I got on him though so not really the same.

I'd probably just do up the girth very very slowly, so do it up loose then do it up hole by hole every few minutes whilst finishing off grooming him or something.
 
Someone on here posted a link to a study on nerves etc in that area but I can't remember where it came from?

What sort of girth does she use? I've found that the Wintec chafeless girths (elasticated all the way through) or the Stubben string girths (no elastic at all) can be good for horses with sensitive girth areas.

Also has she tried physio in that area (if he will tolerate it?), I was shown some gentle exercises that can help too.

Other thing that springs to mind is maybe ulcers?

Hope she finds something that works for him.
 
Keep a roller on him in the stable, he then gets used to having something round his tummy, tack up a good 20 mins before you want to ride, make sure he stays warm with a rug on, when ready to ride lead him round for a few minutes then get someone to give you a leg up, keep your weight off his back and let him walk on straight away, gradually ease yourself into the saddle whilst he is walking. Years ago I had a dreadful cold backed horse and this routine suited him. I know it is a long drawn out process but rather that than turn himself inside out! Best of luck x
 
Massage pads are known to help horses with cold backs, maybe worth having one on trial and then investing in one if you feel your horse benenfits from one.
 
Cold backed horses can be very tricky to deal with!, I used to have one, agree with using a warm exercise rug until he is warmed up, and like your friend is doing:do the girth up very gradually start with it loose, then up a hole, walk around for a bit, do girth up the repeat the walking. Don't get straight on them but lean over them until you can see they are relaxed, and if you can have a helper on the ground holding them whilst you get on board that can be useful. A physio once said to me sometimes but not always, cold backed behaviour can be a cause of tight muscles under the chest/elbow area. Does your friend have access to a Solarium to warm her horse up before he is ridden? that may be a try- also could try different thicknesses of saddlecloths and pads. good luck.
 
I have a cold backed horse who is currently undergoing physio in that area to loosen the muscles off. I find using a sheepskin thick numnah helps (cheap ones on PE site atm) as well as leaving the saddle on for 20 mins at least before mounting.
 
put the saddle on as a first stage, using a nice soft warm feeling girth, then brush do feet etc, tightening girth as you go. tighten again and walk and turn 2 or 3 circles each way then get on and allow to move off! sit lightly when first on. good luck. the humpy bumpy movements are not good so best to avoid if poss!!!
 
my 4 year old is cold backed but with him its more a mounting issue- altho now he is clipped he tends to do one buck when his girth is first done up and he has to walk off! have got an equissage and really rate it- i use it to warm up muscles before tacking up
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Is he shod and does he tuck his legs right into his girth area when he is lying down? Could he be bruising himself in his girth area?

She could try a pastern boot on him to stop him tucking his legs in so tight and see if that makes a difference, needs to be big enough to actually stop the hoof curling in to his sides though - a sausage boot isn't going to do it.
 
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