Help... Potential for permanant back damage from saddle?

[Carryonriding]

Very sad and concerned about my mare who I have had for 2 months..... You may see my other posts about her behavioral issues and I am now of 99% certainty that her aggression escalating to double barreling me in the face at the sight of the saddle is due to pain. And explains the horrendous napping.


Previous owner had the saddle for 7 years... Within those 7 years she has had two foals. I have only just found this out. Her saddle seems to be poorly fitted and too narrow. Her shape had changed an incredible amount as after giving birth second time she was underweight. Also important to note she was not in regular work and ridden maybe once every 2 months if that. I began riding her about 2 times a week until the problems became really bad.



I am waiting for physio to confirm the day they will visit and will then get my saddler out. I'm just so concerned that the answer will be the saddle has caused muscle wastage and has gone on so long that permanant damage results and she is not rideable.


Please help!

 

[be positive]

You are doing the right thing getting both a physio and saddler out, muscle damage can look really bad but if you have only being riding regularly for 2 months, the irregular work previously will not have helped but should have less impact, it should be possibly to work her correctly and build up the muscle.
You will probably have a lot of work ahead but there is no reason to expect her to be unrideable, I have seen plenty of horses with various types of back issues, most have made rapid progress with a new saddle, a good physio to treat and correct work both in hand and under saddle, only one pony did not improve as much as I would have hoped but that was more down to his young rider being unable to work him consistently in a correct frame but he still managed to do everything required of him.

 

[dianchi]

Would say until you get the saddler out don't ride in saddle and do lots of lunge work.

All is not lost, it will just take some time to get sorted!

Good luck and keep us posted

 

[Nudibranch]

Suber pads are really, really good. I must try and post some before and after photos of muscle wastage on a mare I bought in January. Her old saddle clearly didn't fit and she had terrible wastage. She now has a normal back, the difference is incredible and I really think the Suber pad was a big factor. I won't ride any of my horses without one now!