Horses withers twitching and spasming when ridden

[Cb7499]

Hi,
My horses withers and shoulders are twitching and spasming when being ridden.
His tail is also swishing a lot as if he is irritated. This only starts once he is warmed up and we’re collected and working.
he has had his back checked not long ago and recently got a new saddle. We have already changed the gullet twice thinking it was the gullet being to wide/narrow but he’s still doing it. He doesn’t rear, buck, kick or anything because of it and he schools nicely but it’s so irritating as it’s constantly twitching and spasming from his wither down to the shoulder.
Thanks

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I would say it still could be the saddle especially as it's new I would get it looked at again.

 

[PapaverFollis]

Is his mane getting caught in the rein buckle at all? I had to hog my mare because she just couldn't stand the reins in her mane at all. She didn't always twitch, just often enough to be a problem, so might not be that if your chap is mor consistent.... but just a thought.

 

[cobgoblin]

It sounds as though the saddle is a poor fit.

 

[HeyMich]

Yep, get the saddle double checked, and make sure the saddler does a ridden assessment.

 

[ycbm]

I posted this on your identical other thread.

Hi,
My horses withers and shoulders are twitching and spasming when being ridden.
His tail is also swishing a lot as if he is irritated. This only starts once he is warmed up and we’re collected and working.
he has had his back checked not long ago and recently got a new saddle. We have already changed the gullet twice thinking it was the gullet being to wife/narrow but he’s still doing it. He doesn’t rear, buck, kick or anything because of it and he schools nicely but it’s so irritating as it’s constantly twitching and spasming from his wither down to the shoulder

My bolding.

He IS irritated, they don't do that for fun or as an evasion. Your job now is to find out why, but if it started with the new saddle I'd stop using it and if it was happening before that I'd get a vet.

 

[FourLeafClover]

Mine can tremble over his withers, it has preceded a bolt upright ‘from nowhere’ rear before now and it is a sign to me he is inwardly anxious and his emotional bucket is getting close to the brim. I very very rarely see it these days thankfully.
As yours is doing this a lot/near constantly, like other posters have suggested and you have noted yourself there is some level of irritation there when working. My first thought would be saddle, but as you have already gone through several with the twitching persisting I would probably get the horse checked for the various strains of PSSM.

 

[Cb7499]

Is his mane getting caught in the rein buckle at all? I had to hog my mare because she just couldn't stand the reins in her mane at all. She didn't always twitch, just often enough to be a problem, so might not be that if your chap is mor consistent.... but just a thought.

He used to be hogged but only the last year we have grew his mane which since then it’s been on and off twitching so it quite possibly could be as his mane is very thick also.
Thankyou for your reply

 

[Quigleyandme]

Does his mane get under the saddle at all? I used to put one little plait in the base of my Dales’ mane to prevent hair getting trapped under the saddle. Also only used eventa pony reins to prevent trapped/pulled hair.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Look on the calmhealthyhorses.com website there is an article about twitching being grass/ diet related it's quite interesting and I think one of my horses can get like it if the grass is too rich.