Cold backed

I don't believe horses can be cold backed.

The term Cold backed is just a symptom of an issue.
Pain or remembered pain.
Ulcers, back, tack etc issues.
The horses is saying something is wrong.

To treat it, find out what the problem is and sort it.
 
flirtygerty said:
How do you know if a horse is cold backed and what can be done about it?
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We had a livery who had a horse who was "cold backed", she always had to use the mounting block and had to ride her round standing in her stirrups in walk trot and canter, while she bucked away for 2 circuits before she could settle down and start schooling.
 
Could be remembered pain, as he literally trembled when he saw his tack at the viewing as a 3 yr old, now rising 5 yr old, having had a year off with just keeping him ticking over, hacked once a week for 30-60 mins, definitely not pain related, just reluctant to stand and be mounted, OH suggested he could be cold backed
 
knew one who was cold backed, pain to tack up as she would bite at you, and had to be lunged to let her stretch before mounted.

She was definitely remembered pain, and possibly slightly stiff, she was older and had done a lot of hunting in her life
 
smellsofhorse said:
I don't believe horses can be cold backed.

The term Cold backed is just a symptom of an issue.
Pain or remembered pain.
Ulcers, back, tack etc issues.
The horses is saying something is wrong.

To treat it, find out what the problem is and sort it.
Click to expand...

This. Start with a really good chiro. Also, look on YouTube and try and find out info yourself on horse massage and stretches and how to tell if pelvis is level, etc. a lot of it isnt magic its just elimination. The more you find out the easier it is to help someone identify the site of pain.
 
Its a term used by people who don't want to investigate what is causing the pain symptoms.
Not standing to be mounted,biting etc are what a horse does to let you know there is something wrong.
 
Saddle checked by a master saddler. Could have a damaged tree. Check your saddle cloth and girth at the same time. And everything already suggested x
 
I had one who when you first put a saddle on would put her back right up and shuffle along. Sit quiet a few seconds and a pat later and she was fine. Had her fully checked no issues. If you got on heavy or kicked straight into trot she would deck you. Sit quiet and no issues. That's what I call cold backed
 
One of mine was cold backed when I got him as a 5yo, all checks were done (back, had been vetted prior to buying, saddle fitted etc.). Previous owner merrily told me years later that "oh yes, he was horrifically cold backed" which they never felt to admit to me at the time I bought him! So it wasn't an issue which only started with me. He would put his back up as soon as I got on and move about (couldn't stand still, had to get going) but usually after 30 seconds of walking about like a hunchback he was absolutely fine, just had to hope he didn't spook during this or I was off... he did explode a few times though and bronced me off. No amount of lungeing first etc. and using wool saddlecloths helped. However, weirdly after about 2 years of this, he had the winter off work and I had him on Superflex. That Spring, he came back into work no longer cold backed... very strange but something happened over that winter which cured him. I always had to wear a wool saddlecloth on him though as he was still slightly tense in anything less but never bronced me off again.
 
I would have described my current horse as "cold backed" when I got him, simply as a lazy way of referring to his problems. In fact, I think it was remembered pain and fear. He was an absolute pig to mount and always tight through his back for the first ten minutes but for no physical reason we could find.

He is now 80 per cent better to mount and 90 per cent better in the first ten minutes but it took a lot of time and patience to persuade him there was no issue and he could relax.
 
I had one, he'd clearly had a bad experience with someone mounting him during the backing process, had him thoroughly checked out and nothing was amiss, problem went away when he'd bonded with his rider.
 
Just as an aside, I think it is great that now so many more people recognise that 'Cold Backed' is a symptom of a problem and do try and find out what it is.

To me, this knowledge has spread through the internet and forums like Horse and House. 10 years ago, I had a horse dumped on me who was 'cold backed'. I sort the best advice I could at the time and in the end sent to a trainer, who understood the problem, he was eventually sold him to a man with a horse walker, and the horse was always put on the Horse Walker before being ridden. I wish that I had had access to HHO then, I would have made completely different, better informed, decisions.
 
I have a mare who was cold backed when I bought her as a 7 year old. Whenever I got on we would do some walking in figure 8s to settle her down and loosen up. I found Back on Track products and regular craniosacral bodywork helped her tremendously however it was always there. She would be very uncomfortable when I first put her saddle on and girthed her up. Once I made the mistake of getting on her after 2 weeks off without walking her first and she gave me a bad concussion! Now, at 15 years old after having 14 months off and a foal she's settled lots but I think there is a bit of remembered pain there.
 
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