Cold backed?

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Vodkagirly

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Hi

I'm looking at a horse for a potential share and the owner has told me its cold backed. I haven't any experience with cold backed horses before. It wasn't the easiest to tack up and wouldn't stand to be mounted but after that seemed ok if a bit tense (it was pouring with rain so that may of had an effect) I am going back to try her again and wondered if there is anything else I should look out for and if there is anyway to "overcome" a cold backed horse. I am looking at her for hacking, prelim dressage and triers level XC.
 
Mmm, my experience is limited to one horrible experience with a horse I bought (vendor 'forgot' to mention horse was v cold backed).

Being cold backed is a reaction and the horse can't help it, he is not being naughty, however he can't learn effective advoidence tricks from it, so a few basic rules/thoughts.

1. Be gentle tacking up/ putting saddle on, do up girth in stages and be sure the saddle if regularly checked.
2. Consider lunging the horse before riding, esp if weather cold. Alternatively I have heard magnets/equilibrium pads help.
3. Ride every day if possible - to keep the horse fit and flexible.

Lots and lots of people have perfectly good management programmes for cold backed horses so don't dismiss automatically, just make sure you know what they are!!
 
I would describe my boy as a bit cold backed. He is TB and v sensitive with thin skin and hair and I imagine this contributes to his problem as he can feel everything that is going on under the saddle. On a bad day he humps his back right up and puts in a few bucking fits but I wouldn't say these were ever to get me off, more just an expression of how he was feeling. These days are really rare now and he mainly just puts his back up a bit when I get on.

I always make sure he is well rugged so as to keep him physically warm - this does seem to help.

As already suggested, put the saddle on slowly and do the girth up very gradually.

When I get on, I always get on from a mounting block rather than the floor and sit down very slowly and lightly if that makes sense.

I always give him 5 mins to do his own thing once I have got one, don't ask anything of him but just let him wander on a loose rein. When I do start asking him to work, I spend a good while in walk doing basic stretching and loosening exercises. After about 20 mins he is ready to be picked up and worked properly.

I also have the physio out to him regularly (about every 6 weeks) just to make sure he is completely comfortable.

He is without doubt the best horse I have owned and has taken me further than any other. His reactions to me riding have got lesss and less as time has gone on and I guess this is because he is stronger and therefore better able to cope with what he's being asked to do. Don't dismiss this mare just because she is cold backed, you might be missing out on something special. Hope you get on with her next time you go to ride her.
 
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My daughter's horse can be cold backed in winter. Agree with all the above about keeping him warm and tacking up slowly etc. We also always have somebody standing at his head when my daughter gets on to distract him with mints. But, the best thing we have done is have an extra tall mounting block built. He was always tense when any weight was put on the stirrup but now my daughter just swings her leg over and she's on and he's perfectly relaxed. Even so, I think the thing to remember with a cold backed horse is never be complacent and take your time.
 
It really depends on the severity of his reaction. Phoebe Buckley has a horse who is extremely cold-backed and I would never take on something so extreme as he is, as she has admitted herself, quite dangerous until he settles. In contrast, I have a cold-backed tb who just puts his ears back swishes his tail and "dances" with his back legs. It's perfectly manageable so I'm just careful with him and keep him warm. Go back again and really pay attention to what he does.
 
Thanks for the responses. Went today but its was chucking it down and windy so decided it wasn't a good time to hack out, trying again on Saturday hopefully. Any numah/saddlecloths or girths you would recommend?
Also she doesn't have much muscletone as hasn't been in work would pessoa work help?
 
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