Vet or Chiro?

[Vetwrap]

My youngster is being a bit of a git to back. Fine and dandy leaning over and walking round. As soon as I sit on, he bucks and bucks and bucks.

So, thinking along the lines of rule out everything else before deciding that he is just being beligerant, we have had the saddle re-fitted, bought a very lovely thick sheepskin numnah, are having his teeth done and will get his back checked.

The vet is doing his teeth on Thursday. Would you get the vet to check for soreness in his back at the same time, or would you book McTimoney, Bowen, Equine Touch...?

 

[kerilli]

I'd get the vet to check first, definitely.

 

[Faro]

If the vet is coming out anyway, then yes, definitely ask the vet to take a look at his back.

You will need a vet's referral anyway if you go ahead with McTimoney, Bowen, Chiro.

 

[AmyMay]

we have had the saddle re-fitted, bought a very lovely thick sheepskin numnah

If the saddle fits, then a lovely thick numnah will put paid to that.

Put a saddle cloth on - before you spend any more money.......

 

[Vetwrap]

If the saddle fits, then a lovely thick numnah will put paid to that.

Put a saddle cloth on - before you spend any more money.......

Good point - thanks for that.

Your photos are lovely, by the way! Very photogenic cats!


Thanks for the other replies. I'll ask the vet to check him over.
Sometimes there almost seem to be too many different ways of doing things!

 

[eva]

Actually re thick numnahs - my saddle lady told me that they don't make the saddle "unfit", they just lift it, and I have a horse who wouldn't work in winter without some sheepskin, and he's 100% sound. He just feels too cold to work through the back.

 

[TPO]

Actually re thick numnahs - my saddle lady told me that they don't make the saddle "unfit", they just lift it, and I have a horse who wouldn't work in winter without some sheepskin, and he's 100% sound. He just feels too cold to work through the back.

Have to disagree sorry.

Imagine sheepskin/thick pads as our socks; if your shoes fit then putting on thick socks make the fit tight and more than likely uncomfortable. If you want to wear thick socks all the time you'd get shoes in a size up. It's the same for saddles.

If your saddle is X inches wide and horse's back is Y inches wide then if the saddle fits adding in Z inches of pad isn't "just" going to lift it. It will narrow the fit.

In response to original query, try the thin numnah as per Amymay's suggestion. As per Faro's post you need vet permission before any therapist can work on your horse so vet should definitely be your first port of call.

 

[AmyMay]

Actually re thick numnahs - my saddle lady told me that they don't make the saddle "unfit", they just lift it, and I have a horse who wouldn't work in winter without some sheepskin, and he's 100% sound. He just feels too cold to work through the back.

Common sense tells you that if you put something thick under something that fits, then the fit is affected. Think about how your shoes fit with different thickness of socks.......

Not all sheepskin is thick, and it's true that many horses find a saddle more comfortable with one on.