Sensitive backs & fitting saddles

Blaise

Blaise

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Quick question about one of my girls. She's not been ridden since i brought her as was very underweight and needed some time to build herself up again but the folks i brought her off rode her last summer and said she'd always been cold backed but once you were on she'd settle. She'd not bucked with them and once warmed up was quite happy to gallop and jump without showing signs of pain. I'm not a great believer in horses just being cold backed and was always taught there's some kind of underlying problem, either current or remembered pain so set about investigating. Had vet out who didn't think there was anything wrong other than being a bit stiff from being out of work and gave me back ladies number. She came out last week and said she was tight through her left shoulder but everything else seemed fine. One comment she did make though is that all horses have a more 'sensitive' area around T15, so kind of where the back panel sits, and that she's more sensitive in that area than most and would need a VERY well fitted saddle so as not to put unneccesary pressure on the area. Do you think some kind of gel pad would take some of this away and hopefully make her slightly less reluctant to be saddled? I'm booking the saddler to come out as soon as my broken fingers have healed so will ask them then too. She does have white hairs around girth area & withers so looks very much like she's worn some badly fitted tack in the past so i'm hoping once the usuals have been checked she'll learn that not all saddles are uncomfortable. If you think gel pads may be useful, what are the best ones? All my horses have had pretty good backs in the past so never had this problem before!
 
I'm glad I read this post as its made me think about Horlicks' back. She is very sensitive around that area, but I put it down to being long backed (which probably doesn't help!) but now it makes sense.
With regards to gel pads, peronally... Prolite all the way for me!! Plus you can get ones that have removeable pads.
 
Some horses are more sensitive than others, so a lot will depend on what you have your saddle flocked with, despite how well fitted a saddle can be, panels are softer/harder etc, so yes a gel pad, prolite pad etc could help BUT only if your saddle fits well with one underneath, any sort of pad you but under your saddle will alter the fit of your saddle along with a saddle cloth so you'd need to have it checked to make sure your saddle can accommodate the sort of pad your wanting to use, or you could make the problem worse.

Maybe worth looking into buying equilibrium massage pad, this could be very beneficial to your type of horse to use prior to tacking up.
 
I would suggest you ask the saddler. Putting a pad under a correctly fitted saddle can alter the fit and cause more problems than it solves. If she still has weight / muscle to put on he may suggst fitting the saddle a little too wide and using a pad until she fills out.

Personally I never like gel pads and would suggest a nuumed or mattes sheepskin one if you need to go down that route. Also if she has white hairs on her girth area the pain may be there and most back paople never look in that area! Might be worth trying a comfort girth too.
 
not a lover of gel or prolite pads - think they just allow you to get by with a less than perfecly fitted saddle. My choice is a thin cotton saddle cloth, or a nuumed saddle cloth (the thinnest they do) for when she drops a smidge of weight in winter. I would get a well fitting saddle (fitted with the pad you intend to use) - if she is sore around that area then one with a slightly shorter seat might help to avoid the panels sitting in her sensitive area. As brown mare mentions, I would def look carefully at your girth choice too, it can make a massive difference to the comfort of the horse. I would always go with elasticeted, wether along the length like the wintec, or with elastic at either end (I am a fan of this one http://www.robinsonsequestrian.co.uk/equine-product-details.asp?ID=2216). But the particular shape you go with (wider or narrower) would come down more to your horses shape. Def wouldn't use any of those awful ones with grip padding along it, must be terribly uncomfortable.
 
Thanks guys :-) I forgot to mention girths on OP as she does pull horrid faces when girthed, was wondering what types would be best for sensitive horses so thanks for the suggestions. I've always used elasticated girths in the past so will carry on with them now too. The back lady did mention girthing, suggested to girth up 1 hole at a time & stretch forelegs every time it goes up a hole to prevent pinching. Hadn't thought of that as i usually just stretch them once it's done all the way up.

Kenzo- i'd forgotten about the massage pads, i've looked into getting one of those before for her but i've never used one so wondered how good they were? Do you use them? I just need to save for a bit longer first. lol
 
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