Mystery 'Itch'?!

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showjumper1998

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Hi, I have a 3 1/2 year old Dutch Warmblood X Irish draught that we have started to back. We have been riding her now for about 4 months. We have backed her early due to her intelligence and she is getting into mischief as she is bored. We are not doing a lot with her, only being ridden about twice a week an only for 10/15 minutes each session.
However, these last few weeks she has developed a mystery 'itch'. I am riding her in walk and she will turn around and nudge just below where the girth meets the saddle, it is as if she has an itch. We have changed her numnah and added a girth sleeve to try and stop it (she has a Wintec gel girth). We have had her saddle checked and the rest of her tack is fitted correctly. We think this itch may just be the sensitive skin, but I can lunge her with a roller on, walk her around fully tacked/rugged and there is no problem at all, it just seems to be a problem when there is weigh in the saddle?
Does anybody have any idea what this could be? any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Many Thanks
Abbie
 
Short answer, she's telling you something in the area is uncomfortable. It may be the girth or it may be that's just as far around as she can get her nose with you sitting on her. Try another girth and, if possible, another saddle. Curry/massage the area a bit before you get on and then again after you ride and see if she gives you any further clues about which area exactly is irritated/tight. It's not a massive deal but I'd rather listen to a horse - which doesn't always mean I accommodate it - before it starts yelling at me and see if there is a simple answer.
 
I didn't necessarily mean a currying for cleaning purposes, I meant she may have a trigger point or other niggle in the area. Unless you are familiar with any of the 'touch' modalities the easiet way to find these things can be to curry the horse and let her show you the areas she likes and dislikes pressure. Use a soft curry and only enough pressure not to tickle to start then watch her reactions to see if there are are areas she wants you to concentrate on or avoid.

I still don't think you have a problem per se but I find what horses can tell us about their own bodies fascinating.
 
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