Recognising saddle problems
What are the signs of pain caused by the
saddle? A horse's physical symptoms, behaviour problems and performance
issues can all give clues.
By Dr. Joyce Harman
Saddle
fit affects not only your balance and effectiveness as a rider, but can
also lead to behaviour and performance issues for your horse.
PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS
The following symptoms provide direct evidence that a saddle has caused or is causing problems for your horse.
A sore under the saddle. - Open
sores are usually seen on endurance or trail horses, ranch horses, and
other horses that are ridden for extended periods of time. Sores should
always be considered serious and should be investigated promptly.
If
you have used a saddle for a long time and suddenly discover an open
sore, carefully check the bottom of the saddle. Sores can be caused by a
broken tree, or perhaps a nail or staple that has worked its way loose
and is digging into your horse's back. Also check your saddle pad for
wrinkles or foreign objects, such as burrs.
White hairs in the saddle area - appear
as a result of inappropriate pressure from a saddle, and sometimes may
be the only visual sign that a problem exists. The pressure alters the
hair follicle, which then produces a white hair. White hairs can be
subtle and often do not appear until a coat change occurs, either in
spring or fall.
If the damage
is limited and you correct the saddle-fit problem, the white hairs may
disappear at the next coat change. However, if the white hairs reappear,
it means you have most likely failed in correcting the problem. Be
aware that if you buy a horse with permanent white hairs in the saddle
area, he may have residual back pain originating from a poorly-fitting
saddle.
Heat bumps. - Temporary
swellings that appear immediately after a saddle is removed, commonly
referred to as "heat bumps," are often seen on endurance horses. They
result from pressure created either by the saddle or the rider.
Muscle atrophy - Deep
pockets or depressions on either side of the withers, or poor muscling
over the entire back can indicate muscle atrophy. The pockets bordering
the withers are frequently caused by saddles that are too narrow or by
unnecessarily thick saddle pads that compress the withers. When a
correctly fitted saddle is used, the atrophy process is reversed and
these hollow areas will generally fill out. Sometimes muscle
regeneration occurs quickly; other times it requires several weeks or
months. In some cases, treatment for back pain and changes in training
techniques are necessary before muscle atrophy will improve.
Friction rubs - on
the horse's hair are apparent when you remove your saddle after riding.
Friction rubs can be sore, but are not always. They occur when the
saddle moves too much from side-to-side, usually from incorrect cinch
placement or uneven bars.
Ewe Neck - often
when a horse has a painful back they will try and avoid the pain when
ridden by hollowing their back, this in turn causes their head to be
carried high and what we call a "Ewe Neck" occurs. Often horses with
back problems will rush forward all the time especially when jumping.
This is to try and escape the pain and to get the event over with as
fast as possible.
BEHAVIOUR OR PERFORMANCE ISSUES
Behaviour or performance issues related to saddle-caused back pain are often
assumed to be training problems. Due to this misunderstanding, the horse
is usually "disciplined," trained more intensely, or even sold. When,
and if, saddle fit is addressed and the source of pain is removed, these
"training problems" are quickly resolved.
Behavioural Signs of Back Pain
Resistance to saddling or girthing. - If
a horse objects to being saddled or girthed-up, he may be experiencing
back pain. Most performance horses have sore backs to some degree, and
many have pain originating from poor saddle fit. Often, when a properly
fitting saddle is used, the protests desist.
Fidgeting. - Many
horses are unable to stand still or are fidgety when mounted. They will
paw the ground when tied and dance around on the cross-ties. If your
horse fidgets at mounting time, or in other situations, it might be
because every time you mount, the shifting saddle jams him at the base
or sides of his withers. (High-withered horses suffer the most often
from this.)
Resistance to touch. - A
horse with sore back muscles is often hypersensitive to brushing. When a
person has the flu and her whole body aches, she does not want anything
to touch her skin--even clothes. Similarly, this horse will not want to
be brushed or touched. A horse that is considered uncooperative or said
to have a bad attitude about being handled or ridden, is often simply
reacting to pain.
If you recognise any of
these symptoms in your horse then first of all we need to look at the
saddle, we supply an on site survey to identify the problems with your
saddle and then we can re flock it to meet your horses needs.