Mare being nippy when girth done up - normal??

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MagicMelon

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I always like my horses to be happy and look into anything I think is causing any upset. One of my mares has always been a bit grumpy about me doing her girth up. I have heard of other mares being similar but I dont want to just write it off as "just a mare thing" as there must be a genuine reason for her pulling faces at me. It's the only time her ears go back, otherwise she's a really very sweet mare in all other aspects. I have got her in a very soft smooth girth with the usual basics like rollers. I do up the girth very gently in stages so I'm not just yanking it up by any means - I'll do it up loosely then carry on grooming, do it a bit more, carry on etc. but she still makes faces. I've even tried putting the saddlecloth on first, letting it warm up before putting the saddle on top.

Does anybody know why some mares do this? She does it pretty much all the time so it doesn't seem to tie in with just when she's in season.
 
My mare was doing this, and blowing out, but has stopped since I changed to a lovely soft, leather, shaped girth with elasticated ends (that I don't over-tighten).
Does anyone else tighten the girth for you? Whilst I was always sensitive about it, other people tightening the girth whilst I was on (dressage girth - not as easy from on top) didn't take the same care which may have made her worry.
Now she doesn't blow out and I don't need anyone to tighten up for me after I'm on board.
Just a thought....
 
Saddle was done last year (but she's always done it from the beginning of being backed which started with a different saddle), back checked about 6 months ago and all was fine, teeth getting done in 2 weeks time (just routine, not because I think she has any problems with them).

Weirdly Bayneddie I had a soft shaped leather girth with elasticated ends but had to change it as she didnt seem happy with it (and she also did same with it), always had problems with saddle slippage with her (trust me, I've had 3 different saddle fitters, tried numerous saddles, this is the best one!) so I changed to a really soft shaped non-leather one a few months ago with no elastic. Nobody else ever does the girth, only me even when on / at events.
 
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How long have you had her and do you know her past?

Does she ever display any unusual/undesirable behaviour (other than this girthing issue) and does she ever run out of forage for longer than a few hours?
 
This is one of those things that could have so many causes :) if the saddle is fine and there's no soreness in her back I think it's worth checking for ulcer symptoms first, and then seeing if she has any discomfort in her chest or ribs or reacts just from scratching there. It can be a thing related to a badly fitting saddle she's had in the past and she's expecting it to hurt. When I got her my mare used to snatch and make faces when the first hole of her girth was done on either her sulky harness or her saddle. Saddler couldn't see any problems and suggested a chiro, and the chiro some stretches with her, but didn't really make a difference. In the end we worked it out slowly by me scratching and tickling between her front legs on her chest muscles a bit until she stopped snatching and then girthing up as gently as possible, and eventually she quit doing it, so I think it was just an old habit formed from badly fitting tack (or it could be so simple as she's just more sensitive around her girth area.)

Cost me quite a bit of money to rule out all of the other possibilities first of course, but that's horses for you :D
 
Illusion100 said:
How long have you had her and do you know her past?

Does she ever display any unusual/undesirable behaviour (other than this girthing issue) and does she ever run out of forage for longer than a few hours?
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Had her 2 years now, her past was that she was a field ornament :) Nope, no other odd behaviour otherwise. Nope, she lives out 24/7 and they have a big round hay bale permanently in their field.
 
Thanks fattylumpkin, will maybe try some general work on it - ie. give her a treat whenever she doesn't pull faces as I do girth up, see if I can train it out of her if it is indeed some kind of habit. She doesn't show any other symptoms of ulcers... but I will have a think about that one
 
Have you got a bendy ruler to check the saddle fit? My mare did the same and the saddle appeared perfect. Bendy ruler told a different story. It would be a cheap and easy way to eradicate an obvious possibility. Just take a template and check against the saddle. I am not saying that is the problem as it could be several things but it would be one I would consider.
 
I've had my mare six years and she's always done it. I've tried various different girths and different ways of doing her girth up. She's had all the checks regularly as she did have a back problem when I first got her, but it's just one of those things. She's far worse coming into season, so I have her on a supplement and that does calm it down. She's also worse when she's put on weight. I read an interesting article somewhere about how horses end up learning certain behaviours and can't get themselves out of these behaviours as it's become the norm (I've done a lot of research on it) for them and I seriously do think that part of my mare's reaction is now so ingrained, it won't change. I still do make sure she's checked regularly though just in case.
 
Magicmelon in light of my recent experience - with a mare who never gave any indication of ulcers and was riddled with them and was on adlib access to forage - I would have your mare scoped as well as all the other usual checks. My other mare used to be "girthy" but it was cured by clipping her - as we were catching her long hairs under her tummy as we tightened and checked her girth.
 
It might be that she is sore on the muscles down the side of her body which could stem from pain in her back. There is a big triangular shaped muscle whose named escapes me, and which extends from the saddle area downwards and this can effect girthing.
 
I had an ex-racer who did it. No clinical issues - he was thoroughly checked but put it down to a learned behaviour - probably from an episode of less than sympathetic girthing when racing.

He was a lot better with a humane girth and I use one in my current horse. I rate the T-good one with waffle weave and a gel insert under the belly.

Worth a try if you rule out all clinical possibilities.
 
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Stockers said:
I had an ex-racer who did it. No clinical issues - he was thoroughly checked but put it down to a learned behaviour - probably from an episode of less than sympathetic girthing when racing.

He was a lot better with a humane girth and I use one in my current horse. I rate the T-good one with waffle weave and a gel insert under the belly.

Worth a try if you rule out all clinical possibilities.
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Hmm I will have a look at this one, mine needs a new girth anyway. Do you have a pic or link?
 
chrisritch said:
It could just be she doesn't enjoy having a strap tightened over her stomach? I know I wouldn't

Not everything has a clinical cause!
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i had this thought exactly today. I have a very sensitive mare. Back has been done, teeth have been done, saddle is m2m and checked recently. She always fusses with her head when i put on her bridle and paws when i do up her girth. Ive come to the conclusion she is just expressing herself, being a ‘mare’.
 
Mine has been doing this too, so have my friends mares. Saddle fit, back, everything obvious checked and she's doing better than ever when ridden so I'm sure she's comfy. She does the same with the lunge roller, I just think she hates things being tightened around her middle.
 
It's hard to tell if they are being nowty for no reason or not.

Of mine we had Doodle and Topaz scoped for ulcers, as there was an offer on which reduced the cost a bit. They both had mild symptoms, grumpiness when girthing, could pull faces when rugging, Doodle was reluctant about her tummy being groomed, Topaz is a spooky whatsit, but both are fed ab-lib forage, low sugar/starch, get as much turnout as we can give, both good weights, shiny and happy.

Doodle was riddled with grade 3/4 ulcers and Topaz was clean.

It may not be ulcers but I feel terrible that we ignored Doodle's grumpiness for so long because she was just being a little nowty... :(
 
I'd like to add to my point that I would not advise against having your horse scoped if you feel ulcers may be present, I have a retired TB who was scoped for ulcers and found to have a large grade 3 linear ulcer in the back of the stomach, He didn't display any girthiness, just was a nightmare to ride sometimes. Full treatment of GG & Antepsin and he was still a nightmare lol but took comfort knowing he was in better shape for the experience.

Have just taken another TB on who is grumpy to girth and very sensitive round his stomach and back, I don't think it's ulcers, more learned behaviour. I've put him on Uls-guard to see if it has any affect and will debate having him scoped in the future if deemed necessary :)

But take a belt, Tighten it round under your armpits and tell me it's a pleasant experience ;)
 
Haha no certainly, but this is the problem they could just be sensitive, they could have a sore tum, they just like to be difficult I think ;).

Topaz is an odd one as she seemed to fit the bill of ulcers a little more but was completely fine. Every now and agian she can react to her rug or girth, she is the sweetest horse on the ground so something must be causing the sudden 'ouch'. She is very sensitive in general so we try to make sure we're careful with her as all the physical checks have been done, so slow girthing, no pulling rugs forward, etc.
 
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