Would dead sheep help?

Vetwrap

Vetwrap

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My boy is a bit of a mystery - 15 weeks training with two very good event riders and he is still reacting when mounted and when he feels the leg on him. We have had physio and McTimoney to him and neither have found anything that would really explain the response.

I have his new saddle being fitted tomorrow and I thinking that, based on the fact that he is very fine skinned, perhaps going for maximum comfort might help.

I have sheepskin numnahs and a sheepskin girthsleeve, but just wondered if anyone else had seen anything like this - and how they had worked through it.

This pony is desensitised to pretty much everything else. He was wandering round yesterday, wrapped in plastic sheeting and not concerned at all. I still think there is something we are missing...

Welsh cakes and Damson gin for any replies!
 
hi my Tb is very much like this, he has been muh better since i fitted the dead sheep under his saddle. He is still sensitive tot he leg but i just get on but dont actually put my weight on his back straight away generally do one circuit of arena then slowly lower onto his back and i use my voice for getting him to move from mounting block if he has actually stood still and not rushed off. Once he is walked round a few mins and full weight on his back he tends to settle. I did an experiment and took dead sheep out he was bacj to his old hunchback mode. Worth a try i would say
 
try a magnet rug or a massage pad for 20 mins before you tack up. Do you have access to a walker? Have you ever lunged him before getting on? He may just be very cold backed and needs warming up before getting on....
 
thats basically the issue with my boy, he is cold backed but actually his main problem seems to be he gets stressed (ex racer) only learning he doesnt have to shoot off as soon as foot in stirrup so tenses then back spasms. I give my boy aloe vera oil incase of ulcers as he is likely although looks fab so not serious case!
My boy isnt better if lunged although he is if wlaked around for a bit on the gorund.
 
Thanks for your thoughts and suggestions.

I haven't tried Equissage - but that's on the list of things to look at. He has seen the vet regularly (one of the joys of having him) and has been checked teeth and back for pain.

Teeth last done in April when with first event rider/trainer, but nothing major to report.
We have lunged him before getting on board, but this doesn't really make much of a difference.

We do have a walker and I will make sure that he does some laps on that before tacking up. Maybe walker, then lunge, then get on...?

We haven't scoped for ulcers, though again, it is on the list.

His previous saddle was a Wintec, but he wasn't actually ridden in it. While away training, he was ridden in a variety of saddles, but the issues regarding sensitivity started when he was initially lightly backed, hence the reason he was sent to professionals. I have bought him a new saddle as the Wintec did not offer much in the way of security, so I wanted to make sure that this new saddle was properly and professionally fitted, to try and cross pain from ill fitting saddle off the list...

It's a long list, but we are ticking them off as we go!
 
I'm not sure if it will help your horse or not but it might be worth giving him a warm up massage yourself before you ride. Gillian Higgins has a good book on the subject, and does courses - might be worth a try!
 
I'll have a go at anything. We do stretches as shown by the physio and the MacTimoney lady suggested massaging his back with a tennis ball in circular motions. He is very supple!
 
Funnily enough, my cold backed horse is also v ticklish and hated the lush thick sheepskin pad I bought for him at vast expense...horses! :rolleyes:
 
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