Kelpie
Well-Known Member
I'm in a bit of a puzzle about this and would appreciate anyone else's shared experiences.
My 5yo warmblood mare has been coming on really nicely, been getting out to a few unaff comps and I was hoping we might even be ready for a bit of end of season BE. However, about a month ago she downed tools on me - basically refusing to go forward and threatening to bronc if you push her (she does have a bronc in her anyway but that had been getting way better so I was a bit gutted). Needless to say I didn't risk pushing through it.
So, have done all the usual physical checks - short of a full on vet work up with x-rays, etc. Fortunately my vet is also a chiropractor so she's had a good look at her, as has my physio and there were adjustments to do but nothing that really ought to have prompted her to down tools.
Her saddle is what I think the culprit is, though I'm not 100% sure. I've already had a number of saddle changes, not least because one of the saddles caused some white hairs to come through either side of her wither However, all the saddle changes were with the same saddle fitter and talking to my chiro & physio about it, they thought probably the saddles were too narrow - seems my saddle fitter was trying different saddle types but not different widths
Anyway, have now had a different saddle fitter out and have a wider fit saddle and she's happy enough moving under it on the lunge but ridden she feels like she's gone back to being a just broken youngster...... just really unsure and lacking in confidence (she did 8 weeks ridden as a 3yo before I was anything to do with her then had a break until I then re-started her as a 4yo and it feels just like when I was restarting her). With gentle perseverance we got her going into a nice walk but then asking her to trot she was desparately unsure and we'd just have to do a few steps then have a break and try and build up.
Incidentally (or not) she downed tools initially after having just over a couple of weeks off, after I got ditched from my 4yo and was a bit too damaged to ride again straight away. Maybe in that time she put a bit of weight on so the saddle pinched more and brought the problem to a head? Or maybe something else but I'm not quite sure what?
So, my main question is whether any of you have had a horse really lose confidence from saddle fit issues and if so how you approached getting them back on track?
Or if reading this you think there's another issue then I'd still welcome thoughts? I haven't ruled out yet that she may need a full on vet work-up but she seems so otherwise sound when not ridden that my chiro (who is a vet) said she'd be surprised.
I have also questioned whether I might have been doing too much but she had really seemed to enjoy her work and really we'd been to a handful of shows (plus regular clinics) but compared to what a lot of 5yo's ridden by a pro would be off doing, I don't *think* I've brain fried her..... plus she's still very happy to do in-hand work in the school so you'd think if she had a work overload issue that would show up in the in-hand work also?
Sorry for the long ramble and tea and cake for you thoughts
My 5yo warmblood mare has been coming on really nicely, been getting out to a few unaff comps and I was hoping we might even be ready for a bit of end of season BE. However, about a month ago she downed tools on me - basically refusing to go forward and threatening to bronc if you push her (she does have a bronc in her anyway but that had been getting way better so I was a bit gutted). Needless to say I didn't risk pushing through it.
So, have done all the usual physical checks - short of a full on vet work up with x-rays, etc. Fortunately my vet is also a chiropractor so she's had a good look at her, as has my physio and there were adjustments to do but nothing that really ought to have prompted her to down tools.
Her saddle is what I think the culprit is, though I'm not 100% sure. I've already had a number of saddle changes, not least because one of the saddles caused some white hairs to come through either side of her wither However, all the saddle changes were with the same saddle fitter and talking to my chiro & physio about it, they thought probably the saddles were too narrow - seems my saddle fitter was trying different saddle types but not different widths
Anyway, have now had a different saddle fitter out and have a wider fit saddle and she's happy enough moving under it on the lunge but ridden she feels like she's gone back to being a just broken youngster...... just really unsure and lacking in confidence (she did 8 weeks ridden as a 3yo before I was anything to do with her then had a break until I then re-started her as a 4yo and it feels just like when I was restarting her). With gentle perseverance we got her going into a nice walk but then asking her to trot she was desparately unsure and we'd just have to do a few steps then have a break and try and build up.
Incidentally (or not) she downed tools initially after having just over a couple of weeks off, after I got ditched from my 4yo and was a bit too damaged to ride again straight away. Maybe in that time she put a bit of weight on so the saddle pinched more and brought the problem to a head? Or maybe something else but I'm not quite sure what?
So, my main question is whether any of you have had a horse really lose confidence from saddle fit issues and if so how you approached getting them back on track?
Or if reading this you think there's another issue then I'd still welcome thoughts? I haven't ruled out yet that she may need a full on vet work-up but she seems so otherwise sound when not ridden that my chiro (who is a vet) said she'd be surprised.
I have also questioned whether I might have been doing too much but she had really seemed to enjoy her work and really we'd been to a handful of shows (plus regular clinics) but compared to what a lot of 5yo's ridden by a pro would be off doing, I don't *think* I've brain fried her..... plus she's still very happy to do in-hand work in the school so you'd think if she had a work overload issue that would show up in the in-hand work also?
Sorry for the long ramble and tea and cake for you thoughts