back problems... any ideas...

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wench

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just wondering if anyone has any suggestions. One of my horses has taken a dislike to having his saddle put on and girth done up. When you put his saddle on he sort of arches his back, and when you try and do his girth up, its a real struggle to get the buckles done up on the first hole, he walks around the stable. He hasnt always been like this.

Have had his back checked by the vet, and there doesnt appear to be anything wrong. I have run my hands alll over his back before, and he never flinches, or seems to be in any pain.

Dont think its the saddle as it appears to fit nicely (but will be getting that checked to).

Is there anything else I can possibly do to get the the cause of the problem (assuming that there is a problem, not just that he doesnt like being tacked up as he has to do some work...)
 
Get the saddle checked first as it sounds physical it might also be worth getting an equine back expert out as they may be able to find problems that a vet can't.
 
Have you, in the past done the girth straight up instead of hold by hole? This could be why he's suddenly taken a dislike to it if its been cranked straight up? But I would do as Sarah_jane recommended, get a back person out and get the saddle checked as well!
 
My tewwibly sensitive TB mare did this when I first got her two years ago. In fact she still does it, but not as much.

There is nothing wrong with her apart from sensitive skin. It is always worse in the summer.

Current prevention includes:
a fitted sheepskin hi wither numnah
a fake sheepskin girth cover,

Both of these must be washed regularly or the slightest speck of dirt or dried sweat causes the exact same reaction that you are getting.

a split buckle girth

This allows you to do up one hole then another, softly, softly and all that. Some people don't like these and you do have to be careful that you don't pinch their skin or do it up unevenly.

a reward when she doesn't flinch, rear up, break lead rope etc etc.
getting saddle fitting checked once a year
keeping my weight down

I have never had her back checked, but when I do my own check there is no discomfort and no obvious discomfort when I am riding her. My conclusion is that she is barmy and has very sensitive skin and is tickly in the girth area. I could of course have the vet, the physio, the chiropractor and anyone else that would care to offer an opinion, but then I wouldn't be able to afford the horse.

Obviously your horses displeasure at having the saddle on may be due to something else entirely. But I am in the mood to share, so I hope that my experiences are of assistance!
 
If the back/saddle are fine, ulcers can also cause this reaction. Try giving her some Tums for a week and see if it helps.
 
I would say that this is either a current physical problem with the existing saddle or a Psychological problem caused by a saddle in the. It is far far easier to solve an existing physical problem as you can remove the the saddle, have a few back treatments and the problem is over. The psychological takes longer.

While the existing saddle might fit well, what is the flocking like, is it symmetrical, are there lumps on the trees. You would be horrified by the number of well known brands which are absolutely full of tacks, bits of metal , or hardened flocking
 
Before you try anything else I would get her back and saddle checked.

After recently finding out both of mine have problems, and they were fine a few months ago, I cant stress how important it is to regularly get your horse's back checked, and the saddle fit if you dont know how to do it yourself.
 
i should get her back checked. a pony i used to look after had back problems and noone knew as she didnt make a fuss about it, we did notice that under saddle she walked sideways a bit but put it down to the fact she had not long been broken. it was when she was taken into a class in hand and the judge put her at the bottom of the line which we questioned as is a very stunning pony and he told us she wasnt moving free enough because she has something wrong with her back. it turned out she had put her back out in several places so we had an expert come out and soon enough she was back to normal and the walking sideways stopped.
 
It's also quite likely that the problem is neither the saddle nor the back, though I would also get both checked. If a horse reacts to having a saddle on it's usually because of the associations with the saddle - ie, working under saddle is unpleasant. That could be caused by teeth, feet, the sort of work you are doing or the way you are riding.
I would always start with the feet and ensure your horse is comfortable and well shod. My first port of call is always the vet, but you do need one who can give an expert opinion of the horses hoof balance, lower limb soundness, dental health and the state of it's back. If there's a problem with the saddle itself, the horse should be sore, likewise if you are riding unevenly.
I've never know a case of a horse being naughty to tack up that wasn't caused by existing or previous pain, and if horse is objecting to saddle then it is almost certain (in my opinion) due to pain somewhere.
Until diagnosed, I wouldn't ride and because these things do escalate without early intervention I would also get the vet & saddler back.
 
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