Please Help with backing my youngster!

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enjimmy1

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I have a rising 4 welsh section B mare who i've owned for almost a year, we've had quite a few problems with handling her as she had been a case of neglect but we have overcome these over winter & i started riding her after a lot of lunging & long-reigning (and help from my trainer), she hadn't put a foot wrong up until a few days ago...
I'd ridden her down the road, trotted her on & off the lead-rein etc & then yesterday after a 5 day break i got on her & she felt un-settled & then suddenly threatened to fall over, she almost lent so far back that she became too un-balanced to stand up-right, i jumped off & then she was fine, i walked her round & she wasn't bothered & got on again & she stood still so i thought i'd leave it at that; i assumed it was just her being a bit weird after the break & it was a bit windy too. Then today she did it again, 3 times, it literally looks like she's going to topple over, her legs cross & she leans back! She looks like she's playing up & when i leant over her she was fine & fine with me walking down the road! It's odd as she looks really un-balanced & i fear that if i stay on she would actually fall over, but before this she's been very balanced & perfectly happy accepting a rider?
I just don't know what to do as it's something i can't sit too & have to jump off!? Is this common? Is she in pain or playing up? Any advice? Any help would be much appreciated!
 
She sounds slightly cold backed.

Do you have someone at her head when you get on her? If so the minute you're on, get them to walk her forward immediately.
 
yep i had someone leading her both today & yesterday, well today when i got on the second time she walked half way round the menage a bit tense but fine & then she did it, but the first time i literally had just got on when she did it so stood no chance, so she'll do it even when she's walking anyway:/
 
I would get the saddle and back checked, she is reacting to something and it is most likely discomfort in the region of the saddle.
 
i think we'll give her another day or two & then if she continues this then we will, it's just odd as when walking down the road (which she's always preferred more to being in the menage) she was fine?
thank you.
 
Get Saddle and Back checked... also consider a different girth... if these checks don't throw anything to light, and the behaviour continues, get the vet out.

As an asside, I can't understand why you tried mounting a newly backd youngster after 5 days off with no work? Poor love was probably a bit shocked!! Can't stress how important it is to cover old ground after even a short break.

IF she is 'cold backed' you will have to consider 5-10 minutes of in hand walking or gentle lunging with tack on before you attempt to mount but I would place money on the saddle / girth being a cause of the problem...
 
yep think i'll have to do that if it continues! it's the fact that when ridden on the road, which she's always loved more that being in the school, she seemed so settled.
Well i obviously lunged & lent on her before getting straight on, i do that every time i'm about to ride her, but she's been ridden for a few months now & i've always done 4/5 days brakes with her as i think it's important she's allowed time-off, normally she's fine with it & i know this behavior is very out of character!
thank you, will definitely have to look in to it!
 
She may have already been backed - or attempts made to back her- before you got her. What does 'cold backed ' mean ? To me its meaningless- either the horse is in pain - saddel, spine etc etc , or its not. \if its not physical then theres the mental issues from abusive treatment - and never underestimate the difficulty in erasing those.....
 
She definitely hasn't been backed before, i know all her history, she was left in a field with a herd of other ponies till the age of 2 and half, she was rescued & then given to the people we bought her off who purely worked on handling & some lunging with her.
I tend to agree, cold-backed is just pretty much the same as her being in pain!
She's never had abusive treatment, she was neglected which mean't she'd had no treatment at all! The only hands she's ever been in are those who have cared for her, she wasn't at all spooky/timid etc, she was just very cocky & bad-mannered! If it was "mental" it also wouldn't explain why she's been foot-perfect up until now!?
It could be her saddle etc, which we will get checked if it continues, but part of me wonders if she's just protesting as i know it's quite common when backing ponies that they tend to relapse.
Thank you.
 
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