Pony broncing with roller on every time, any ideas?

[DGIN]

Hi,

I have a 3 year old welsh sec d who I bred myself, she has had an easy life living out for the majority of her life and done the odd in hand show.

Now when I went to put a roller on her last year it didn't go to well, I fastened it up slowly and she kept tensing up and panicking herself, I did this very slowly for a few days until I got it tighter but then she just exploded and set off broncing around, this lasted about 5 minutes and then settled and was then fine, the odd time she would tense again and have another bronc. I put the roller on her continuously for about a week as I just though she needed to get used to it but she didn't seem to get any better. Anyway as she was just 2 1/2 I had no reason to need her to wear one I was only putting it on for her to get used to it so I left it and turned her away.

Now she is 3 and I want to start a bit of ground work with her I've introduced the roller again with the same results. I've recently had her wolf teeth out, she isn't yet mouthed I just use a dually and she has had her backed checked which was all fine.

Does anyone have any idea what it might be? Should I persevere with her hoping that she will get used to it eventually?

Ive lent over her just for a few seconds and she is fine with the weight and anything on her back e.g rugs, numnahs etc its just the girth area that's the problem.

I have not yet backed her and wont be doing until next year when she is nearer 4.

Thanks

 

[MotherOfChickens]

have you tried an elastic surcingle without then with a numnah to begin with? I started mine off with that, then a bareback pad which has a normal girth and then a roller, then a saddle.

 

[TGM]

What sort of roller are you using? I've got a very old leather breaking roller that is quite rigid and all my horses hate it, even the 19yo pony bucks when lunged in it, so it is obviously not particularly comfortable! Have you tried using something soft and stretchy like a tail bandage first, and just putting it round her girth area and getting her happy with that, then perhaps graduating to an elasticated surcingle, before putting on a proper roller? Maybe distract her with a carrot or two to stop her tensing up to start with.

If a gentle step by step approach doesn't help then worth getting her checked out to see if there is pain in the area.

 

[YorksG]

Could you try a different roller? Do you leave her in to eat with it on, so that she gets used to it? Does she get any feed, other than forage based?

 

[HufflyPuffly]

Does she react to you touching the girth area? As I'd be somewhat inclined to suggest checking for ulcers for such a specific reaction, however if she's fine with you applying pressure to the area and you think it is just behavioural I'd go with a soft surcingle and pad and see how she react. Food rewards always worked well for my baby horse, as she is very ruled by her tum and giving a positive connection to something she's not sure about always works well for her (currently working on clipping!).

 

[DGIN]

She has worn a roller previously with a rug on but I may as you say go back to that with a numnah first, I have also thought about getting a sheepskin girth sleeve to go over the roller, its just a nylon roller so she may not like it. Im in no rush with her so ill take it back and go slowly. Thanks

 

[stencilface]

I used a surcingles first with mine to get him used to it, a fully elastic one. He didn't care though lol

 

[DGIN]

Yes she is more sensitive in the girth area but also in other areas, I find she is quite a ticklish pony.

I haven't left it on her recently as I've only tried briefly this year but ill start putting the surcingle on when she's having her tea as she loves her tea so may be distracted.

She is very much a 'welsh' pony, lots of attitude and she's a mare so sometimes stroppy so id expect something like this from her to start with but not to carry on.

Ill start from the beginning again with her and see how we get on.

I did think about ulcers, if it continues after starting with the surcingle again ill get her scoped.

 

[FfionWinnie]

Make sure you use a breast girth at all times even with a surcingle because whatever the cause of the issue, it slipping back is not going to help.

 

[Dry Rot]

Waching this thread with interest as I have one much the same. In fact, he will panic if he experiences anything unusual, like a wild animal. It is literally a sudden explosion and he will be looking apprehensive as if expecting something nasty berore hand. Fortunately, he is basicly a sweet chap and he's never bitten or kicked and rears are a maximum of 12 inches! I have strong suspicions about previous ownership, but that's my bad luck! Due to my age, I can't do much on my own but I do at least have some sort of a relationship with him now. I think with daily handling one-to-one, which he is not getting, he would improve as it is mostly a trust issue.

Yes, we've left him with a roller on and that seemed to help. He has also been tacked up and sat on, but when we attempted a couple of steps, he exploded again. I've dragged plastic and old coats over him and he accepts that well, especially if there is food involved! Also dragged lines over him and rubbed him with a lead rope around his middle. He is perfect to lead, have his feet trimmed, loads, etc. just spooky about certain things which makes me wonder...

Have you tried him with a saddle instead of a roller? Sometimes if you can break the routine by trying something a bit different.

 

[scats]

My 12 year old behaves like an unbroken 3 year old for the first ten minutes of every lunging session with either a roller or saddle on. I don't just mean little bronchos, I mean full on explosive 'Get this thing off my back' bronchos, that get higher and higher until he practically flips over.

I just ignore him and keep him moving forwards and eventually he relaxes and realises that the noise he can hear and the flapping of saddle flaps is not going to kill him. I thought he'd get over it eventually, but 5 years later, he's still the same.

He is a saint to ride though, I must add!

 

[DGIN]

Hi, just a quick update!

Last night I took over my surcingle and numnah with some yummy treats on top for her to have a good sniff and nibble at, she was a bit weary at first but soon found the treats were nice so I slowly put the numnah on her and the surcingle on, she was nervous of it but moved away from me slighly and once it was on she froze for about 10 minutes, I tied a haynet up for her but she wouldn't entertain it, I brushed her and scratched her and still she wouldn't relax so I took her for a walk, she then was fine, nice and relaxed and was munching grass, I then took her back to her stable with it on and gave her another brush and her tea, she was happy with it on at the end so I took it off and praised her, ill keep doing this until she is entirely happy with it.

Good idea about the breast plate as no I don't want anything slipping back, it never has done yet so I know its not that that's she's scared of but a good idea.

 

[HufflyPuffly]

Ah that sounds like good progress, sometimes taking it back a step and adding some positive associations makes all the difference, well done .

 

[DGIN]

Here's a picture of her last night

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

Does she react to you touching the girth area? As I'd be somewhat inclined to suggest checking for ulcers for such a specific reaction, however if she's fine with you applying pressure to the area and you think it is just behavioural I'd go with a soft surcingle and pad and see how she react. Food rewards always worked well for my baby horse, as she is very ruled by her tum and giving a positive connection to something she's not sure about always works well for her (currently working on clipping!).

^^^^ This. The original post made me immediately think of ulcers. Might be worth checking??

 

[DGIN]

Yeh im going to take her back to using a surcingle and numnah for a few weeks and if there is no improvement i'm going to get her scoped. Thanks

 

[Frumpoon]

Back X-ray

My baby horse did this and turned out to have horrific kissing spines that we're starting to fuse at the base

 

[DGIN]

Frumpoon, did you pony just do this with the roller being done up? Was he/she ok with weight on their back?

Mine ok with weight on her back which makes me think it isn't that....

 

[Wagtail]

My kissing spines horse was fine with the saddle and rider on but the girth dangerously loose. As soon as you tightened the girth he'd explode as soon as he moved and felt the tightness. His back wasn't sore at all. He had ten spinal processes touching and fused in two places. I doubt you mare has it, OP but if there continues to be an issue I would have her spine xrayed. She is still very croup high and that causes more of a bend just behind the withers.

 

[Frumpoon]

Just keep it in mind maybe

Baby horse couldn't cope with any weight in his back in the end not even the weight of a saddle

 

[splashgirl45]

my old mare didnt like a roller and bucked like mad....i tried leaving it on and everything i could think of but she still exploded when she moved....i had already tried a saddle on in the stable with no problem so lunged in saddle and never had a problem either lunging or riding and she was ridden till she was 23 and then retired due to lameness.....so no back or ulcers problem..

 

[DGIN]

Hi,

Well I managed to dig out my old horses breastplate, its a full size but it will do the job for what I want at the moment, we tried it on with the surcingle this morning and she was fine. I'm quite looking forward to getting the roller on again and being able to leave it looser without worrying about it falling back, wish I'd have thought of it sooner! Thanks for all you help on here!! Will keep updating you all

 

[southerncomfort]

I do think you ought to be getting the vet to have a look just to make sure she isn't sore anywhere.

With my youngster, I started off just looping a long rope around his middle and gradually tightened it. Sometimes with babies you really do need to go as basic as possible and make sure they are absolutely fine with it before moving on. It pays to go slowly sometimes.

 

[DGIN]

I have had a McTimoney Animal Practitioner out to check her over and they couldn't find any pain, next step would be x rays which im not going to do yet as were going back to basics, if she doesn't improve then it will be a road I go down.

 

[jhoward]

I'd be thinking the pressure on her withers could be causing part of the issue, I'd put a roller further back and really pad it on top, it doesn't need to be to tight, out of interest have you tried her with a saddle?

 

[DGIN]

No I haven't yet, the saddle I have for her when i'm eventually going to break her is quite an expensive one (its adjustable too) so I didn't want her to bronc with it on and damage it. We seem to be making baby steps this way so ill keep going.

 

[millmo]

My Daughters boy does this and after spending a lot of money on having back checked etc. the answer cost £14. A really good quality sheepskin girth cover. We use it for lunging and on his saddle and it was like a miracle , he is now a happy boy. Its worth a try.

 

[Tyssandi]

Hi,

I have a 3 year old welsh sec d who I bred myself, she has had an easy life living out for the majority of her life and done the odd in hand show.

Now when I went to put a roller on her last year it didn't go to well, I fastened it up slowly and she kept tensing up and panicking herself, I did this very slowly for a few days until I got it tighter but then she just exploded and set off broncing around, this lasted about 5 minutes and then settled and was then fine, the odd time she would tense again and have another bronc. I put the roller on her continuously for about a week as I just though she needed to get used to it but she didn't seem to get any better. Anyway as she was just 2 1/2 I had no reason to need her to wear one I was only putting it on for her to get used to it so I left it and turned her away.

Now she is 3 and I want to start a bit of ground work with her I've introduced the roller again with the same results. I've recently had her wolf teeth out, she isn't yet mouthed I just use a dually and she has had her backed checked which was all fine.

Does anyone have any idea what it might be? Should I persevere with her hoping that she will get used to it eventually?

Ive lent over her just for a few seconds and she is fine with the weight and anything on her back e.g rugs, numnahs etc its just the girth area that's the problem.

I have not yet backed her and wont be doing until next year when she is nearer 4.

Thanks

It is normal for a youngster to react to something on their back, mine did it

 

[D66]

It is normal for a youngster to react to something on their back, mine did it

Not time after time, it isn't. My horse wouldn't lunge properly, now she has had her very mild ulcers fixed she's no longer bucking and can do proper circles and is progressing.

 

[be positive]

It is normal for a youngster to react to something on their back, mine did it

Not time after time, it isn't. My horse wouldn't lunge properly, now she has had her very mild ulcers fixed she's no longer bucking and can do proper circles and is progressing.

It is normal for a day or two possibly although not all will react, it is not normal to continue to react for days or in the case of the OP for over a week then to set off exactly the same months later, even the tricky sensitive ones usually accept having a roller or being girthed after a couple of days consistent work, once they are happy they tend to never make a fuss again even if left for months or in some cases years with no work.