cold back - horse hunt continues

[Magicmillbrook]

Has anyone had experience of cold backed horses? Have been to look at a lovely horse today - fits the bill in all ways, hoewever it has saddle issues.

The owner puts saddle on & girths up loosley, walks around, tightens, then walks around, then gets on and walks around. The horse is supposed to be very sensitive. Today it had a different saddle on because its old one was a medium and now it needs an extra wide.

The horse was a bit strange when the owner rode it. Every so often it tenses up and its back end goes under as though it was about to jump or bolt off. The owner said she just relaxes and the mare is fine after a second or two - its tension due to the strange sadle/not being ridden for ages due to the weather/new rider. The horse didn't buck or do anything nasty and is having a saddle made to measure (not part of the sale price. She did put her sacro illiac area out once but is supposed to be ok now.

Owner has been honest and said we can ride as many times as we like - good home important to her as the as she is a bit quirky and is a very one2one. We are on a budget (£2 - 3K including tack) so expect something less than perfect. The horse is a beautiful 15.3 TBxwelsh mare, nice conformation, 7YO.

I have never dealt with a cold back. Does this sound like cold back or more of a bad back. Is cold back something that can be got over once a good fitting sadle (regularly checked) is found or should I not touch with a barge pole.

The horse is a fairly good price £2500 with bridle and rugs, however the sadle is going to be best part of 1k, even if I do some serious negotiang I would be at the top of my budget - advice pleeeeeeze

Ps - i would have a vetting, if I felt it was worth persuing.

 

[RachelB]

My old pony used to do that - when it looks like she 'loses' her back legs under her. Of course, being a Welsh Cob, she had to be melodramatic and actually bolt (then buck and buck until I came off). We had the vet out (useless, didn't see anything) so then we put her on Cortaflex as we thought it was more of a hocks issue, and it all but went away. So I suppose it is just a reaction to pain in the hind end (legs or back)...??
We have a horse that is cold backed at work and I swear he's got worse this year, he is very grumpy with saddles and rugs but he has now progressed to backing up when the saddle is on (with or without the girth done up). they are awkward, but I suppose can be managed (like vices - if you found the perfect horse that weaved or windsucked or had a cold back, would it hold you back buying it?).
I think it's a personal thing, if you really clicked with the horse then yes I would go for it (pending vetting and improvement when you go back to ride it more).

 

[Forget_Me_Not]

If it was not due to any pain which you would find out with the vetting, back check and a made to messure saddle would be a must. I would think the horse has had bad expierence in the past inwhich case with a one2one relasionship, time and understanding there is no reson why you couldn't over come this. I would take the offer of riding the horse more, maybe ask for atrail? To corfirm she wont do any thing bad. Speak to a vet and vetting. Remember alot of horses could have similar problems and be sold on without that knowlodge being pasted on or upfront.

What are you looking to do? Jumping... hacking etc? How old was she? Any chance shes had foals?

 

[ladylisa]

I got my mare from an equestrian centre because she had become slightly cold backed, she fine now as long as i put the saddle on and do the girth up a hole at a time while im brushing her and when i get on i sit for a while before we walk off!

 

[Magicmillbrook]

The mare is 7, she was bought by the owner as a 2yo and proffesionaly backed. She has not had any foals, I dont know if she has had the issue since she was broken, or if it started when she began to get uncomfortable with her old saddle. It must have been very tight - she has been using a medium and now needs an extra wide.

We want to do hacking and general RC PC activities. The idea of getting something younger (we don't want any older than 8) was so we would perhaps have a blank canvas. Our 14.1 had lots of issues and whilst we wouldn't change her for the world, it would be nice not to have to unlearn bad habits.

I noticed I keep saying we - that is my teenage daughter and I.

 

[Magicmillbrook]

what syptoms/behaivour did your mare display?

 

[RachelB]

I forgot to say, my friend's horse that I ride is also slightly cold backed, and I always make sure I do the girth up slowly, and when taking the saddle off I undo the girth, leave the saddle on for a minute, then take the saddle off slowly. I read somewhere that this prevents the saddle area becoming numb and sore due to the pressure being released from the blood capillaries under the saddle and the blood rushing back to the area. It seems to work on Cracks anyway, she's happier to have her saddle taken off slowly. I also always rug her up immediately to prevent her back getting suddenly cold in this sort of weather.

 

[Forget_Me_Not]

My guess would either be the horse has hung ups about being broken at 2years *too yearly if you ask me* or like you said un happy from a badly fitted saddl experience. I think as she is 7 rebacking her to think postive about saddles etc would solve it. Its weather your looking to put that in an not riding untill she is over it. There would be no point ignoring the problem it wont just go. If you want ideas on backing her to think happy thoughts on saddles feel free to Pm me!

I have a horse that had the rep of showing every sign for being cold backed although as soon as he was on my yard we went back 2 stage one and with plenty of time and exercises i havn't so much as had a bad face pulled let only a bucking bronco!

But i knew fall well what i was etting me self into when i took him and i also knew how crue-able it is with time and long term goals!!

 

[Magicmillbrook]

Forget me not - I don't think the mare was broken at 2, just bought as a 2yo - thankyou for your offer of advice, If I proceed I will contact you.

Its interesting to hear what everyone has to say about cold backs. Our 14.1 was used briefly in a riding school. When we bought her she would put ears back and nip when girthing or mounting. I didnt realize this would be classed as being cold backed.

We put it down to being tacked up and mounted by inconsiderate or novice riders. We just made sure we mounted carefully using a block and were always polite and carful when girthing. I often offered a little treat when the girth was being done up so that she would associate the girthing with something positive. She never does it at all now.

My main concern with the mare is that it may be a physiological probrem rather than phsycological. We have plenty of time and patience but don't want to buy a horse that will cost us a fortune to keep comfortable - horses cost enough to keep as it is!

 

[dieseldog]

I would walk away. Why are they having a made to measure saddle for her if they are selling her? Why hasn't she been ridden for a while? what happended to the old rider? it all sounds a bit suspect. You said that the owner says if she relaxes she only does it for a second or 2, but you also say that she did it a few times while you were watching.

They are going to find it really hard to sell her as she is only really worth meat money - so if you were really serious on her I would offer about £800. If you don't get on and want to sell her you are also going to find it really hard so you don't want to be paying a lot for her.

There are nicer sounding horses around for similar money, I would go look at few more.

 

[seabiscuit]

Just get it fixed by a physio and get the top saddler out to fit a saddle with serge panels.

 

[PapaFrita]

I used to have a TB who could be tacked up normally, but when you got on he'd 'sink' for a stride or two and then be absolutely fine. Sold him with no probs.

 

[Taboo1968]

I agree..... for that kind of money and a lot less, you can find a really nice horse without issues..... Take a look around at others for sale...... Have PM'd you!

 

[FMM]

If the horse was unhappy several times during the trial, then I would walk away. Sacroiliac problems (from what I understand from my vet) are often misdiagnosed, and if they are sacroiliac, are a problem to put right. Why buy problems? If the horse was a superb dressage/showjumper top level, then yes - you have to put up with little foibles, but for an all rounder, do you really want to do through this palava every time you ride? I would keep looking if I were you.

 

[TiaPony]

My horse is colded backed and i've never had a problem as her saddle fits well and i never ride her from the stable(if i have to, then i lunge her for 5-10 mins before putting her tack on) I always take her in from the field where shes naturally exercising and leave her saddle on for a few minutes before i ride. she passed vetting on it and i haven't ever had any problems with bucking etc when mounting, it ranges from horse to horse. If your considering vetting her, I'd ask the vet to first check her back to see if it's worth continuing with the full vetting. Hope this helps!

 

[MagicMelon]

My boy does this too. Not EVERY time by any means but Id say 70% of the time he does go weird when I get on, only for about 20 seconds maybe but it feels horrid. He has properly panicked about 5/6 times and actually taken off and bronc'd til Ive come off. My horse seems worse on cold days. However, Ive been feeding NAF Superflex for the past 3 months and he seems a million time better!! He's JUST come back into work which usually is a very scary affair getting back on him after a few months off, but nothing! He hasnt been cold backed for a while! Very odd.

My routine is, I groom the saddle area first and put the saddle on (which is ALWAYS padded like I use a Poly Pad Pod or a sheepskin half pad even though his saddle was fitted). Then carry on grooming so the saddle area warms up. Then I walk him about for maybe 2 minutes and one brisk trot with the stirrups loose and swinging about. Then I bang the saddle and wobble it a little with my hand (not hard), give him a treat as I get on, then sit and wobble again gently so he knows Im there - another treat, then walk on. It sounds like a hasstle, but not really when its routine. I didnt find lungeing helped.

My boy however was only cold backed at the very beginning, he would not do what this horse is doing and do it on and off during a riding session. If I were you, Id try the horse a few times and if you still liked it - get it thoroughly vetted and get a specialist back person to check it as well before agreeing to any sale. They can be great so dont let it put you off too much. It MAY be a problem but may not. Yes, my boy has chucked me off a few times due to it but overall he's the nicest horse in the world who tries a million % for me!