What does 'cold-backed' mean?

I always assumed it meant that they had a cold back (for instance if you put the saddle on a cold fence, then put it on their back) but apparently it's something else and I'm not sure what either :P *follows thread*
 
My understanding of it is that a cold backed horse objects to weight on its back. 9 times out of 10 there is an underlying problem and the horse is showing signs of pain and isnt only disliking the feel of a cold saddle, which is what was said years ago before horses were better understood and people believed they just didnt like the cold saddle.
 
I've always understood it to be an increased sensitivity in the back, and usually pain related. The severity of it varies from just being brushed or when girthing up, or till the muscles are warm and relaxed in their back. I used to ride one who bunny hopped a bit when you first got on. Usually had to lie across his saddle and walk round a couple of times before swinging leg over. He used to arch his back, but some horses dip down.
 
I think it's a term used when a horse reacts in some way when having the saddle put on, and the owner has had all the usual physical and tack fit/condition checks carried out and can find no obvious reason for the behaviour.

I may be wrong though!!
 
It is a symptom of real pain and should no longer be discounted as a "quirk".
Modern diagnostics can usually find the problem. Horses are generally compliant and put up with quite a lot before saying "enough".
 
No such thing as a cold back. The horse ALWAYS has a real pain issue. Sometimes people manage to work around it so they can still ride the horse, but it always has a pain problem. I could lunge my gelding to warm him up before getting on and gradually tighten the girth and walk him round inbetween tightenings and he would let me ride him without objecting, but it turned out he had ten spinal processes touching or fused and he was just 'putting up' with the pain when it was lessened by my methods. I have now retired him after he had the operation but it didn't work. People who say there is nothing wrong just haven't found it yet.
 
PandorasJar said:
Wagtail. I'd agree mostly but think some are simply not prepared properly and object to something rushed and not understood.
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No, I think that rebacking and retraining just teaches them to put up with it, especially if it isn't too bad a pain. If it is a pure fear response, this can be got over in only a couple of sessions with something such as clicker training. However, I thought I had done this with my boy. He wouldn't have the saddle anywhere near him. Would shoot back and panic. I got him to accept saddling so that he no longer reacted that way, but what I was really doing was making him accept the pain. Then as the KS progressed he could tolerate it less and less. I COULD still be riding him now with careful slow saddling and mounting, but his problem is real and I wouldn't do that to him. :(
 
I can remember a trainer telling me my boy was 'cold backed' when he banged a saddle on him and proceeded to yank the girth up, I had only just bought the horse and was new to owning at the time so assumed they knew what they were talking about. It turned out there was nothing more to it than the fact that he doesn't like to be rushed, he prefers about three goes at tightening the girth after his saddle has been 'placed' on his back not slammed down like a wrestling throw.
 
As other have said, react to weight and pressure on the back e.g. saddle, girth sometimes rugs, riding until all muscles are warm and relaxed. Can be very mild or severe. Usually underlying physical problem such as a back/spinal problem.
 
I have to say I disagree. After owning a cold backed horse who through various owners has had thousands spent on trying to find any possible cause of pain and there has never been any there. I would say it is more 9 times out of 10 and he is happily a field ornament who does the occasional showing now.
 
Wagtail said:
No such thing as a cold back. The horse ALWAYS has a real pain issue. Sometimes people manage to work around it so they can still ride the horse, but it always has a pain problem. I could lunge my gelding to warm him up before getting on and gradually tighten the girth and walk him round inbetween tightenings and he would let me ride him without objecting, but it turned out he had ten spinal processes touching or fused and he was just 'putting up' with the pain when it was lessened by my methods. I have now retired him after he had the operation but it didn't work. People who say there is nothing wrong just haven't found it yet.
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I agree, I had a TBxWelshD mare, bought as a rising 4 yr old, who was 'cold-backed', she was always difficult to rug or girth. Eventually we realised that she was super-sensitive to cereals and sugar in her diet. When we removed these she was no longer 'cold-backed'. It took years and a lot of pain for all concerned to work it out though.
 
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Wagtail said:
No, I think that rebacking and retraining just teaches them to put up with it, especially if it isn't too bad a pain. If it is a pure fear response, this can be got over in only a couple of sessions with something such as clicker training. However, I thought I had done this with my boy. He wouldn't have the saddle anywhere near him. Would shoot back and panic. I got him to accept saddling so that he no longer reacted that way, but what I was really doing was making him accept the pain. Then as the KS progressed he could tolerate it less and less. I COULD still be riding him now with careful slow saddling and mounting, but his problem is real and I wouldn't do that to him. :(
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We used to look after a pony who would occasionally drop to the floor with back tensed or shoot forwards and down when simply moving a rug. It was a lot of similar reactions and also done occasionally with saddle but I know (from knowing the previous owners and their numerous horses) that it was a learned reaction to expecting a saddle/whip/hand come cracking down if you moved too fast. Every single horse at the previous owners without fail had the same response.

But I guess that's possibly a horse showing symptoms of being cold-backed but not actually cold backed?
 
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