Is being clipped making her like this?

S

Supanova

Well-Known Member
Joined
29 September 2008
Messages
1,303
Location
Cheshire
Visit site
My mare never normally kicks out or bucks when being ridden apart from sometimes when I do a flying change. However, since Saturday, pretty much everytime I have ridden she has kicked out against my leg or occasionally bucked going into canter. She feels absolutely fine in all other ways. My immediate thought is that perhaps she is sore somewhere and I should get physio to check her back, however conincidentally I clipped her on Saturday and she wasn't like this before. I was wondering if perhaps her girth or my leg is hurting/pinching her since she has been clipped. What do you think?!
 
Clipping can make them more sensitive and fresh. My pony was very silly yesterday after being clipped, was doing mini rears and cantering on the road
crazy.gif
She is usually pretty quiet to hack and I am sure she will be back to normal neck time she is ridden.

I would say if your mare is still playing up after a few days then something might be pinching her somewhere. Have you got a sheepskin girth sleeve you could try her with? Have you tried lunging her in full tack without a rider? What type of clip has she got?
 
Thanks for your reply. She has got a full clip. I was thinking I might lunge her tonight so I could have a look at her. Do you think it is best to have saddle on or not? I think I have got a girth sleeve I could try somewhere - good idea!
 
She may just be feeling the cold on her back if she has a full clip. Does she improve as she warms up? Maybe try lunging her without tack on first, then add tack and if she still hasn't played up add a rider. That way you can figure out what is causing the problem.

If she plays up without tack then I think she is probably just feeling fresh or feeling the cold on her back, in which case it may be worth trying her with an exercise sheet.

Hopefully she will settle down in the next couple of days
smile.gif
 
Thank you. No she doesn't improve when warming up which is why it worries me a bit and it is quite a narky kick out rather than an exuberant one! I will see how she goes on the lunge tonight. Thanks for your help.
 
Its most likely the fact that you have clipped a layer of hair off so she can feel everything much easier. A mares sides are very sensitive anyway. Water/dirt/school surface may be tickling her tummy combined with your leg/the girth on her sides annoying her. They can feel a fly on them through a thick coat so they can feel even more with it clipped off!
 
Hey,
Last year I gave my lovely ISH laid back mare a full clip......OMG her personality changed overnight!!! Never again!! She turned into a nightmare to begin with...so fresh and humping when I got on! It lasted for months. The year before she had had a dealer clip and there was no difference at all. Needless to say this year she is not having a full clip!!
Good luck ..
 
I clipped my German warmblood the first year I got him (3 years ago) and within a few weeks I was on the floor with broken ribs, despite him being an angel all summer. The next winter I rugged him up as soon as the weather changed and didn't clip him at all. It was a little more time consuming after riding to put on a cooler and brush out the dry sweat, but he was a different horse and only his face looked slightly woolly. This year I have my confidence back with him but am just going for a blanket clip as I don't think he likes the cold on his back or quarters.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top