New horse.. Help?

[Merricked]

Hello!

Okay, so I've recently (around two weeks ago) gotten my first horse - or pony, should I say - which I am absolutely thrilled about because it's all I've wanted ever since I can remember. His name is Merrick, he's five years old. He's lovely to handle, always wants cuddles and company. He's in a field with two other horses and gets on really well. Overall I couldn't ask for a better pony temperament-wise.
I've been getting him into the routine of going down the yard in the morning, poo-picking his field, bring him in and ride him. Then I'd put him back in his field and go home. In the evening I go down the yard, bring him in for his dinner and as we haven't got a stable yet, put him back out in the field.

Now, for around a week I was riding him bareback - just in walk and trot - because the saddle he was previously using didn't fit him properly and slipped a lot. Around four days ago he had a saddle properly fitted. However, now he's really mucking me around when I ride him with the saddle on, as if he's not used to being ridden in one. He's fine to tack up, lead etc. But whenever I ride him he's a totally different pony. He side steps, walks backwards, plants his feet and refuses to move. Whenever I can actually get him into a trot, he shakes his head as if he's trying to snatch the reins from my hands.

I rode him bareback again today and he was absolutely fine. Then I put the saddle on him and he started acting up again. I've been looking at the Barefoot Treeless Saddles as they claim to be more comfortable for both the horse and rider but I'm still not sure.

Any suggestions welcome, I'm new to all this and I just want him to be comfortable and enjoy being ridden..

Thank you in advance!
Terri

 

[Meowy Catkin]

It does seem that the problem is related to the saddle/girth if he doesn't behave that way when ridden bareback.

Are you placing the saddle in the correct place? It's not uncommon for people to put the saddle too far forwards - there was even a thread about it recently.

Did the saddle fitter watch you ride in the saddle? Were they happy with your girth and numnah too? Thick numnahs can change the fit of the saddle and some horses have a forward girth groove and need a shaped girth.

Have you rung the fitter and told them about the problems you are having?

If you do go down the treeless route, don't forget that as with treed saddles there are good ones and bad ones (Barefoot has had good reports ) and that you still need to fit the right saddle for the horse, correctly.

 

[Merricked]

I would say I am putting the saddle in the right place. Also, he's got very flat withers and he is quite fat at the moment if that helps?

The saddle fitter watched me ride and she was happy with the saddle, except for the fact I rode without a numnah when I tried the saddles because the saddle fitter said it's easier to see whether or not the saddle slips without one.

Hopefully if I have time tomorrow we'll be going to see the saddle fitter and ask her for her thoughts on it. I'll also find out if they have any treeless saddles and if she'd recommend any.

Thank you for your reply!

 

[Morgan123]

Congrats on getting your first pony! He sound great.

If get a saddler back out ASAP, sounds like there is something wrong. You could try calling the one who fitted it first and explaining, but it's probably worth getting a second opinion if they say its all fine.

Treeless saddles are a nice idea but they don't solve everything. They work for some, but they can also cause just as many problems as treed saddles. I used to have one but went back to treed because I couldn't see any advantages in the end - in fact, quite the opposite. Treed saddles are so adjustable, whereas the problems in treeless ones (e.g. Horses often get sore backs around the area where the stirrup bar is positioned because there's no tree to distribute the weight) are harder to fix. Obviously they work for some people but they're no quick fix and it's absolutely not true that one treeless saddle will fit all ponies or be right for them all! A you've just bought a treed one it might be worth seeing if you can get that sorted as a first option and consider treeless if nothing else works.

Good luck! Would love to see some pics btw .

 

[Merricked]

Thank you! He is

Okay, thank you again. I'll hopefully be going back to see the fitter tomorrow and see how it goes with her. If I'm still not happy, I'll get a second opinion.

I'll get some photos uploaded!

 

[Merricked]

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[zigzag]

Have you tried riding him without the numnah? Like when the saddle was fitted?

 

[Merricked]

I haven't, would that be worth doing?
He did sort of play up a little in trot, but nothing to this extent.

 

[zigzag]

Numnah's can affect the ffit of the saddle especially a thick one, if it was a thin one it prob wouldn't, but worth a try

 

[poiuytrewq]

He's really lovely and I love your photo. Its my life mission to get lying down photo's!
Agree get the saddler back out. What sort of saddle do you have?
Its nice that he's good bareback as it shows he's a good honest pony I think. Good luck with him.

 

[Pinkvboots]

His a lovely pony, sounds like the saddle may be tight in the front he looks quite wide so will need a wide saddle, when your on him see if you can slide your hand down the front of the saddle you should be able to, and get the fitter back to have a look while you ride.

 

[Merricked]

It is only a thin one, but I'll give it a go
Got some advice from the girls at the yard and they've said to lunge him with his tack on so if he's going to muck around, I won't be on his back when he does. I'm hoping it'll help him to adjust to the saddle.

Thank you poiuytrewq! I'll get the saddler out when she's next available, seems like everyone's getting a saddle fitted at the same time and she's got too much on! I have a wintec synthetic saddle.
Yeah, I know he's a good one, it's just getting this issue sorted! My main concern is that he's uncomfortable

Thank you all for your replies!

 

[fattylumpkin]

Hope you figure out what's causing the problem!

Sadly for me and my tunkachunk girl Lena there was no problem other than stubborness. She was HUGELY overweight when I got her, so I started extremely gently with a treeless saddle, but she'd still go forward bent like a banana, or constantly strafe to one side or the other, or just stop dead. After a vets bill, a pricey visit from a physio and repeated cries from my YO (who I trust) telling me she was just acting up, I had to accept Lena was just trying it on and didn't want to work. In the end I just toughened up, stopped worrying I was hurting my delicate little flower, and she quit acting up. As she's dropped weight and moved back into a proper saddle I haven't known her do any of those things for months now. But oh boy did she try it on initially

 

[Echo Bravo]

Could be the girth is pinching him.

 

[Merricked]

We have checked the girth and it sits fine. Besides, he doesn't always act up and if it was the girth, surely he'd act up even when being tacked up?

Took him out for his first hack today, and he's actually done my back in. He took off in canter until stopping dead at a ditch, when trying to get him back onto the bridle path and off the corn field, he trotted off until he stopped, bucked, and I'm not sure what he did next but it felt like he was broncking. Where he pulled the reins so hard out of my hands, it pulled me over his neck and I felt my back go. I have a curved spine as it is, and may need an operation in the near future (depending on what the specialist says when we see him in october). If this carries on, much to my disappointment I'd have to sell him on or return him to his previous owner.

I'm really clutching at straws here..
Would getting him professionally schooled help at all? My aunt goes to a riding school where they board your horse and work with them to improve their riding. Would this help or is there anything else I can do?
I don't wanna see him go! :frown3:

 

[sarahw123]

Did you get your saddle fitter back op? If so, what did she say? Any improvement?