Those of you who have 'Girthy' Horses....

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EquestrianFairy

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Do they always remain this way? ie.. is it now a learned pain or do you still worry that something may not be right?

Ive had my pony for years and hes always always been unhappy at being girthed up- infact when he see's his tack he turns away in disgust (although he will come back round with a treat)
He used to lunge when being girthed but now he just pulls a face and occasionally will turn his head as if to nip but changes his mind.
His saddle is fitted and checked regulary, his teeth are only due now (booked in) he has his back checked every 3 months, His bridle is a keiffer and well padded and he has a stubben string girth with a stephens sheepskin girth cover...

Over the years we have changed his saddle/girth to every one imaginable and nothing ever makes a difference.

Will he ever grow out of it or is it something he has learned that has been pain so always assumes so? Does it ever bother anyone?

Thanks
 
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I've had my boy just over two years now, and I dont think he will ever change, but some days are better than others. I tend to find he can be more sensitive when its warm. I normally do his girth up as loose as possible (so its barely touching him), then walk him round, do it up, walk him round etc and he seems happiest with that, plus he is in a chaffless girth. Though while the saddle fitter was here tonight we did girth him up from the 'wrong' side and he didnt notice that we had done it. Will be trying it out over the next few days to see if it was a one off, but perhaps thats something you could try.

ETA, it doesnt bother me any more, I know he does it so I just make allowences for it.
 
I saw a horse a while ago that had always been 'girthy'. I put a BALANCE saddle on it and had to heave the girth up because it was a little short when used with that saddling system. The horse didn't move a muscle because the saddle was comfy for it.
 
I have owned my cob for 6 years, his saddle is checked regularily, I always do up his girth carefully, but I get the same reaction. His ears go back, he shuffles around, and when I reach through to thread his breatplate attachment through his girth, he steps back two steps and i get a bite. His back is fine, he is a happy hack and is not overworked. The reasoning behind this is that he spent from from the age of 6 to 11 years, when i bought him as a riding school horse when saddles were slapped on him and the girth yanked up - I witnessed it first hand as I rode him regularily at said riding school. I have tried everything to stop it and its so ingrained I cant do it. I just have worked out how to evade the teeth and am always gentle.
 
Mine will literally rear up and fall over backwards when doing the girth up. We have found it easier to walk her in a small circle when doing the girth up and to do it one hole at a time
 
When I first got Picasso he was girthy but once he realised I wasn't going to be rude and did the girth up in three goes he stopped.I find this helps with the horses rugs at work and make it a game to see how long it takes before they stop putting their ears flat back....then the jockeys wrench up the girth and.....
 
mine does this, and had all the checks for saddle, back, teeth etc,

somebody mentioned on here that symptoms of gastric ulscers could be as you have described also grinding teeth when working, usually in stressy horses (an TB types)

a way to find this out is to have horse tubed by vet to check, I havent had this done yet, as I have been told "coligon" can help (can be bought from robinsons) and i will be ordering some and give it a go,as it is a cheeper and less invasive way,
if it does make a difference then vet will be tubing her so we can treat specifically.

Saying that it could very well just be a habbit that they have gotten into,

it really doesnt bother me that my horse does it as her other qualities outway this,

some horses are better if they are tacked up out of the stable or tied up, at least you have been sensible and had the checks done, its not nice though cos we cant read the poor horses minds and think they are trying to show us they are in pain,
 
I never thought of Ulcers- mainly because this is his only vice and i guess i (poorly) assumed it was just the tack/pain issue.

I may look into it anyway, Hes having his teeth done this week rountinely aswell.
 
Arion has done this the entire 3 years I have owned him - he never does more than put his ears back and grump - and I do his girth up one hole at a time and have tried different girths too - he puffs his tummy to make it as difficult for me as possible - he no longer turns his bum on me as soon as he sees his saddle these day though so thats an improvement
 
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