when mounting my horse...is this naughty or pain

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mar2505

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When I am mounting my horse and walk off he has began to to raise his back for the first few steps, then he is ok. Its hard to describe but I feel he is gonna buck but actually his legs dont move he just tightens behind the saddle and swishes his tail. After walking for 30 seconds he is ok. The vet did xrays earlier in year because he was diagnosed with bone spavin and she said back was fine and YO says hes being nappy. I am not sure where to go from here. He is ok to ride after it but I do worry that there may be pain ther. Saddle has been checked 3 months ago. Any ideas.
 
If this is a new behaviour I would be tempted to get the physio out to check him over. Sounds like a weird form of napping, I would expect him to buck, or plant if he was napping, whereas what you describe sounds like pain/discomfort.
 
my horse used to do exactly that. i describe him as cold backed. his was a learnt behaviour from having badly fitting saddles his whole life.

i think the majority of that sort behaviour stems from pain, so would recommend getting it looked at.

it could be anything - badly fitting saddle/bridle, bad mounting, mounting from ground, bad back, bad teeth, etc etc
 
As far as I know 'cold backed' sort of should mean a well horse that needs to be warmed up (by rug, massager thing, lunging, light seat riding, etc, etc) before riding to avoid it feeling stiff and uncomfortable.

But people also use it when what their horse really needs is a new or re-fitted saddle, lighter rider, back check, etc, etc. I'd suggest getting back person/physio/vet/saddler to take a look... not necessarily in that order.
 
I have had mounting issues with Max. When i first got him he was ok, but as soon as you swung your leg over he was off. He was lean when i got him and it wasn't long before he filled out a bit, that is when our first problem arose
My daughter was doing his girth up one day, and he leapt in the air, went backwards and had a bit of a paddy. Took saddle off and proceeded to call back woman and saddle fitter.

Back woman said he seemed fine and maybe he had tweaked a muscle in the field, looked at my saddle and said she thought that might be the problem. This was the saddle that came with him and had fitted him for ages. Tried my own saddle on him and he seemed happier......
still not right though and when mounted he would leap and plunge for a few seconds then settle to his work.

Now my horse is not naughty but is very sensitive and i know when something is wrong as that is the only time he protests loudly

Saddle fitter came out, said there was my problem!!!!
New saddle, but the thought was by now in his head...... new saddle fitted beautifully but he still exploded when mounted for a couple of rides, then realised it was all ok

Few months later same behaviour again.... saddle fitter called and saddle reflocked, good as new.
It is still in his head and he is sometimes fidgety when mounted, but it is more in my head now than his and it takes me a couple of minutes to get on just in case of him throwing himself about. I would rather not hit the deck when climbing on he's 18hh and it's a long way down

Anyway long story short, sounds like your horse is unhappy in his back or his saddle or both.
How long has he been doing it, and is there any change in his routine or the way you keep him
 
he has only been doing it 2 weeks but did do it last year previous to being diagnosed with bone spavin. That was treated and all was ok but now seems to come back however also with winter riding not fun ie more school less hacking and he loves hacking
 
My new horse was like that when i bought him, had back done, x-rays on vetting etc and no better (he went all tense in the back, felt like he would buck when i asked him to walk on but never did and after a litte bit was fine).
Thought it was cold backed at first but then i got the dentist out and for some reason that seems to have really worked! So odd but he had really sharp teeth and a chipped cainine and now they are sorted he hasnt *touch wood* done it since! So you could try that?
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