Horse worse to be ridden in winter???

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rowy

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I am at the end of my tether with my mare. I have had her 8 years (bought her when she was 12 and pretty much knew nothing) and we have the following cycle:

She is sane and happy in the summer when she is out 24/7 and it is warm. She relaxes under saddle and swings along and much more supple and I can actually canter without her going crazy- llama stylee.

In winter she is tense for the whole session. She can put her back up when I first get on. She is much grumpier to tack up. She will not relax over her back and refuses to bend to the left. She suddenly loses the ability to do left shoulder in and constantly leans on the left rein. tenses in downward transitions and will not soften onto the contact. After canter she turns into a crazed llama in the trot.

This year she went worse earlier while she was still out at night as it got cold earlier. I started over rugging her and she did improve lots when ridden. SHe has a VERY dippy back and have noticed that her back feels cold even with rugs piled on because the rug is never touching her back because it is so dippy if that makes sense? Here is a pic of her last winter:
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This was her in may this year when she was going really well:
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Her back has been checked recently and is fine. Her saddle is perfectly fitting. She is fed the same summer and winter so can't be her diet. She is exactly the same every year- horrible in winter and fine in summer. She always goes FANTASTIC when it is boiling hot! Had the best show of the year this year when it was boiling. I had to pretty much kick her round she is so relaxed. I wouldn't dare even try and kick her now!

If I can't find out what her issue is I am just going to give up and retire her (she is nearly 20year old tb) but I absolutely cant stand to give up so thought I would give it one last try on here to see if there were any ideas.
 
I know you said her back has been checked, but this really sounds like a back issue to me, so I would get a second opinion/alternative back person. Maybe something your current person missed?
 
Have you asked your vet? Could it be something like arthritis, that's more stiff and painful when she feels cold? Lovely mare, btw and very good condition!
 
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debsg said:
I know you said her back has been checked, but this really sounds like a back issue to me, so I would get a second opinion/alternative back person. Maybe something your current person missed?
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She is like it every winter though so would it be something in her back? The lady I have is a physio so I was pondering on the idea of getting a massage specialist out for a different view point.

Appychristmas- no I haven't may try that as she always looks so much more calm and relaxed when I lunge her.
 
Burmilla said:
Have you asked your vet? Could it be something like arthritis, that's more stiff and painful when she feels cold? Lovely mare, btw and very good condition. Especially given her age and breed. No offence, the TB enthusiasts, before you all jump on me with pics of your round shiny TBs!
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Thankyou :) No I haven't had her checked by the vet. She does have mild arthiritis though as her stiffness was much improved when on a joint supplement and has improved even further since using magnetic chaps.
 
I have PMd you, but for other people my issues with my horse were completely cured by putting him under heat lamps for 20 minutes before I ride him. It turned him from a monster into an angel.

I had been lunging him but this is much, much more effective.

Mine had also been OKd by the physio, but she managed to put his back into spasm by doing a completely ordinary manipulation, so clearly some of these horses have something that is fine when they are warm but hurts when they are cold (and hurts like hell when squeezed by a physio!)
 
my tb is the same. in summer hes much freer and looser in his back muscles. winter we just do our best, but understand he finds it hard.....i normally put 2 exercise sheets on when riding cos otherwise its like riding a stiff plank of wood. he also has at least 20min walk and trot with no canter, on longish soft contact (before being picked up), to really warm him up! i find this is vitally important!

could you not put a surcingle around the middle of your mare, so the rug sits on her back???
 
Agree with the heat lamp suggestion, if you don't have access to one, how about one of these heated horse rugs; http://www.tacticalscope.co.uk/blaz...attery-and-saddle-cover-medium-75-78-84-p.asp

I had a horse that was the same as yours, perfectly fit and healthy but would become very sharp around early October, while in the summer she was chilled out and lovely to ride. She would start this while still on summer 24 hr turnout so it wasn't the stabling that caused it. Even tried not clipping her one year but it made no difference.
 
Pearlsasinger said:
Have you thought of using a magnet rug?
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Yes I was going to purchase one but started wondering if it would work as no rugs touch her back because it is so dippy. But would the magnets weight it down so it touches her back?

the local saddlery rents out the equilibrium massage pads I was pondering on trying....
 
just going to suggest an equi massage pad!

ive found they work really well....warm the back up etc and have different levels depending on how strong you want the massage!
 
Massage pad is great, mine love it though if she is super sensitive then start carefully. Maybe you could adapt a shoulder rub vest too? Some of the quilted ones go past the withers and fasten around the girth line, if you fleece lined it it would keep her warmer?
 
Do you put an exercise sheet on her? Maybe a fleecy one will help keep her back warm, and heat lamps/massage pad sounds like a great idea. Maybe she gets crampy or has poor circulation so a general supplement might help?
 
Yes she is always ridden Ivan exercise sheet. In fact, in the autumn she started getting much more tense and stressy earlier while she was still out 24/7 and found riding in a exercise sheet cured it. No longer cured it when it started getting colder :(
 
Another vote for the equilibrium massage pad - expensive but so worth it.

My cob gelding is very similiar and is very chilled out and easy over the summer mnths, but come winter and hunting, he can be very tense and 'cold backed'. He has had vet, chiro and physio checks etc.

I put this pad on prior to hunting and the difference is amazing - he hasn't bucked or pulled since I have started to use it, and is so much more relaxed. I use the 'warm up' setting in the lorry to the meet, and the 'cool down' setting on the way home and has really worked miracles with him.

Good luck as know how frustrating your situation is.
 
What worked for me was just not clipping. When he was rugged he was always stressy and sweaty, after two years of this we left him unclipped and he has been much more chilled when ridden for the last 3 years. It does mean you have to be careful not to work too hard and to cool them down properly, but I haven't looked back. Sure it's something that's down to the individual, but it may be that your behaviour is just down to being a bit chilly as mine was! Hope you sort it soon x
 
My gelding has a dippy back like your mare and is very sensitive in that area, I always leave a square of hair on his back when I clip him, I also only use real sheepskin numnahs he goes much better in them.
It does really sound like a warmth thing I would try lunging first with the saddle on, the massage thing sounds like a good idea I might even try that on my horse, and even the hot water bottle idea wouldnt hurt trying that you never know and if it works its a nice cheap soloution, I am always one for trying the cheap option first.
 
Pinkvboots said:
My gelding has a dippy back like your mare and is very sensitive in that area, I always leave a square of hair on his back when I clip him, I also only use real sheepskin numnahs he goes much better in them.
It does really sound like a warmth thing I would try lunging first with the saddle on, the massage thing sounds like a good idea I might even try that on my horse, and even the hot water bottle idea wouldnt hurt trying that you never know and if it works its a nice cheap soloution, I am always one for trying the cheap option first.
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Thanks :) I full clipped her in september leaving a square on her back and her legs on and then clipped her again early november just taking off her neck and a trace down her belly to attempt to keep her warm. She does resemble a wooly mammoth. Her leg hair is like 3 inches thick!
Plan is to try and do the lunging first and see if I get anywhere. the local saddlery rent out the massage pads for a few days so I can try before I buy!
 
I thought I would do an update for anyone interested.

I hired the equilibrium massage pad and it has made a large improvement! She was so much more relaxed over the back and so much longer stridelength and nowhere near as choppy as she was!
Then today used it again before my lesson and then my instructer bought her fairfax girth to borrow to see what she was like. She was AMAZING! best she has gone ever and even better than she went in the summer! It seems she is a princess with specific expensive taste *sigh*

But so happy to have found a solution!

I have also been warming up her saddle pad and exercise sheet before I got on and today gave her some rowan barbary mash and chopped grass an hour before I rode just to cover all possible issues.
 
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