Ponies reaction to the saddle - help please

[NooNoo59]

My pony very often but not always gets agitated when he sees the saddle come out. He shoots forward and swings round, once it is on he stops. The saddle has been refitted, he has had his back checked, teeth done, feet ok. He has done this to a greater or lesser degree all the time I have had him but it seems to be getting worse, he is moves well and is very forward going, any ideas?

 

[sandy3924]

The saddle is uncomfortable and possibly causes pain.

 

[neddymad]

Please consider getting his back xrayed or scanned. Not all back pain can be picked up without the above. I speak from experience. Our horses and ponies are always trying to tell us something by way of their reactions. That being said there are times when they are just being a toad but if the behaviour is repetitive or getting worse I would suspect their is a reason for it.

 

[NooNoo59]

This is my initial thought that he is in pain or it has caused pain in the past. The vet has recently looked at him for an unrelated issue and says he is not lame, he had a Mctimoney visit last Thursday and she said he felt really good. The saddle was checked only a few weeks ago. He is not in much work at the moment but we are still getting this reaction. Neddymad - what was your experience?

 

[springtime1331]

My youngster is the same, must get her checked for KS. She is very funny about her back in general. Had saddle fit issues and so I tried to ride her bareback. She absolutely hated it. We have a really good physio so confirms she is sore.

 

[Pinkvboots]

A few years back one of my horses had saddle issues, he would put his ears flat back when approached by the saddle, I knew something was wrong I got 3 different master saddlers out and they all told me something different, so I found a remedial saddle fitter, turns put they were all trying to fit a saddle to a muscle damaged back, not one of them picked up on the damage so just because one saddle fitter is saying its fine it may not, it does sound like a saddle problem to me if you pm me I will let you know who sorted the saddle issue out for me.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

so just because one saddle fitter is saying its fine it may not, it does sound like a saddle problem to me if you pm me I will let you know who sorted the saddle issue out for me.

This.

My friend has had awful trouble with her horse for several months. Behaviour change, lameness, bucking, napping and unable to walk down hills straight. He's been seen by the saddler, back lady, Vet and has gone through remedial shoeing... and after several months the problem was finally identified as the saddle.

One new saddle and the horse is now sound and happy. It actually makes my blood run cold that he ended up having bar shoes on for a saddle issue. The owner did her best, got all the experts in and it still took months to find the problem,

 

[mischamoo]

My pony very often but not always gets agitated when he sees the saddle come out. He shoots forward and swings round, once it is on he stops. The saddle has been refitted, he has had his back checked, teeth done, feet ok. He has done this to a greater or lesser degree all the time I have had him but it seems to be getting worse, he is moves well and is very forward going, any ideas?

Yes, please get back xrayed if all initial general checks have been done - my TB gelding was an absolute saint in all ways except for when his saddle came out, went through numerous saddles/saddlers/physio for a year and all of a sudden one day he just exploded and bolted after doing his girth up - took him to vets for xrays two days later as had exhausted all other possible options and was diagnosed with medium grade (5/10 on the severity scale) kissing spines. I am of course not saying that is definitely what your pony has but am just giving an example that it sounds pain related and if all other general checks seem ok there could be something else lurking - my boy had very painful overlapping spinal processes - was regularly seen by a physio and mctiminonist and was seen regularly by a saddler and had a well fitting saddle - only symptoms he showed of this very painful condition was getting moody when saddle came out.

 

[NooNoo59]

I need to have a think about this, so Mischamoo, that was the only sign? no lameness, stiffness nothing? We have two on the yard with ks and both are lame and look uncomfortable and have behaviour issues although they don't react when a saddle is put on they do when the rider gets on but are ok with the saddle. I think a chat with the vet is coming up, as something is not right, he is fine with everything else. It amazes me that horses can carry on as normal and have major problems, what has happened with yours?

 

[mischamoo]

I need to have a think about this, so Mischamoo, that was the only sign? no lameness, stiffness nothing? We have two on the yard with ks and both are lame and look uncomfortable and have behaviour issues although they don't react when a saddle is put on they do when the rider gets on but are ok with the saddle. I think a chat with the vet is coming up, as something is not right, he is fine with everything else. It amazes me that horses can carry on as normal and have major problems, what has happened with yours?

Nope, never any lameness or stiffness. Could occasionally be a little reluctant to pop a jump on some days but we used to put it down to greeness (he was basically a field ornament until I took him on so hadnt seen so much as a trotting pole!) - only symptom was turning his back on me when i went to put saddle on and pulling a face. He was diagnosed with KS last june - had the tildren injections (he's not a candidate for surgery) and a condition programme to build up his muscle on his back and has been absolutely fine since June, in fact he's improved ten fold and we're back out doing low level dressage, I cant ever expect him to do much more due to the poor state of his spinal processes (he has deteoriation of the some processes where for years they've rubbed against each other and worn the bone away).
A friends horse also has KS and her symptoms was just the occasional rear or buck and ears back when saddle goes on, she was never lame or stiff either. KS can affect them all in different ways. My horse had clearly had his for years (he's now about 16/17yr) judging by the state of his back and not once in the time I've had him did he bolt/buck/rear with me and he was clearly in a lot of discomfort - some will tolerate a lot of pain!!

 

[AliceCrail]

Mine did this and it turned out she had pulled a muscle where her girth goes. She is restless now when I go to put the saddle on, but as soon as it's on and girth done up she's fine, so think it's the anticipation of it might hurting her.