Cold Backed

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mjohorse

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Hi, can anyone help. I have been given a 15yro ex race horse that I was hoping to do some local level dressage & may be jumping. I have been lunging him & have lunged him several times with a saddle. I had been told he was cold backed & always has been so bought sheepskin numnahs for him. Today I lunged him with his saddle on before putting a rider on hoping that this would help. It didn't. Although he doesn't do anything nasty, he hasn't got a nasty bone in his body, he did arch his back & jump a round before we could get him going forward. He was fine when the rider got on it was just when you asked him to walk forward. After a few strides he was fine & relaxed again. After walking him around for 10 mins we did the same thing again to see if he was any better & although the reaction wasn't quite so scary he still went very tense at 1st. Has anyone got any suggestions as I know this horse will be able to have another job in life but I am nervous of getting on strange horses & his reaction to the riders weight when asked to move forward has worried me although once relaxed again he is a lovely horse that wants to please, I'm just not brave enough anymore?
 
I used to ride a friend of mines horse which was cold backed. I used a sheepskin numnah. When I got on I used a really light forward seat for a few minutes till she was happy, then started to bring my position back towards a normally seat. She used to run away when you got on but slowly realised she didnt have to.

I think its just time with your horse and finding what is suitable for him.
 
I agree with ECW, friend's daughter's pony had similar problem when she arrived. She would always mount from a block, with a helper holding the pony, stayed standing in the stirrups while pony walked forward, and then gently let the weight down, all the time on the move.

Although she always remained cold backed, after a short time the daughter could get on without help, following the same procedure and they have never had any nasty incidents.

It seems with those I have known of, that the problem never seems to go away completely, you just learn what works for you and your horse to mount safely.

My current boy is slightly cold backed, but with him I just ensure I saddle up gently at last 20 mins before I want to get on, and then lead him round the yard a couple of times before I mount. He will then stand perfectly still whilst I get on and move away without problem.

Take time, and find what works for you, but always have help in the beginning.
 
my horse is cold backed-he used to sink away and dip his back for the first few steps-then he'd be fine. He is better now although he still does it, like said i just get on lightly. i always mount from a block-and also find walking him around first helps a lot.
 
Thanks for that. I always use a mounting block anyway & knew to walk them around before mounting, which is why I lunged him yesterday before getting on but that doesn't seem to make a difference. It isn't even when the weight first goes on his back as he will stand while you mount etc but when you ask him to walk forward is when he does it. I will be making sure that someone is with me at all times until I am used to it. I guess jockeys leap on from the ground & have short stirrups so the weight is kept of his back. I think I will have to try the weight out of the saddle for the 1st few strides until he settles down. That may be a bit difficult in my dressage saddle!!!
 
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I think I will have to try the weight out of the saddle for the 1st few strides until he settles down

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That's what we have to do with one little mare that is a little cold backed. She's always mounted from a block, and the rider keeps a very light seat on her for the first couple of minutes. She stands like a rock - but like yours will react when asked to move away.

Luckily it seems to dissapear very quickly, and as long as handled sympathetically I am sure your little horse will be just fine.
 
I do feel that some people (not suggesting you necessarily!) think they have cold backed horses whereas in fact they have horses with SORE backs. The first thing I'd do is get the back checked out - it could certainly alleviate the problem, it may even cure the problem.

I had a horse who was very sharp when first mounted, I used to use a tea towel under the saddle pad which was first heated on a radiator in the tackroom (in the days when I had such a thing!) - the horse always seemed to appreciate that.

Also, I have a magnetic saddle pad from Aerborn - in theory magnets warm the muscles although there are people who don't believe in such things. I would put the saddle pad on for as long as possible before you need to tack up & as you say, lunge 1st.

Def first check is the back person & probably saddler though.
 
I am going to be getting his back checked & as the saddler is a cross the road from me I am getting him to take a look but as he does it with a racing pad as well I don't think it is the saddle. I have been told he is always like this & the friends that have given him to me hs had him for 5 years. He wasn't as bad when their daughter got on after he hadn't had a rider on for months but then she rides with shorter stirrups (I did make her have them longer than usual as I wanted to make sure he wouldn't react to the legs by his side). I think it is just a case of me getting used to it but wanted to see what other suggestions people had who had experienced this sort of thing. It looks worse than it is really but I'm just not as brave as I used to be.
 
I rode a cold back horse when working in a riding school. He was straight from the dealer and I had him as a project before clients started using him. He reacted very much like your horse - stood like a statue while being mounted, tense but quiet and when you moved him away from the mounting block he had those panick attacks that lasted for a minute or so, then he would be ok again. Due to those panick attacks he sent 3 members of staff to the hospital within two weeks. So that's bad news, the good news - after a month or so of some time of very gentle handling he become managable. I found he was the calmest when I did everything absolutely the same, he loved the routine.
I would think if you are going to be the only person riding him it is possible to manage the reactions. The horse I rode had to be sent away as he reverted to his panick attacks when other people started mounting him again.
Good luck sorting out his problems.
 
Mine was cold backed for 3 years. Nothing helped even though I tried everything here (although, I must say that lifting your weight out of the saddle can not help - my boy would panic more if I did this as if to say "where are you, why are you doing that!!").

Last year I put him on NAF Superflex, he improved dramatically, dont ask me how. But now he hasnt been cold backed since. Very very odd but I am over the moon!

Have PM'd you in more depth
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