super sensitive mare

[sarahandzara]

So, after being a long time reader ive managed to work out how to create my own account to ask this question...

background:
We have a 4yr old mare who was started last October but tenses up (and can really explode and buck) when a rider has got on and she is moving. We are convinced this is true fear not attitude. She stands to mount like a police horse and once she has settled after a couple of mins she is like riding any other horse.

we think the 'why' is a previous horrible saddle that was fitted for me by a professional fitter- but turns out I was sold a piece of rubbish. So shes getting over the memory of it pinching. 

So:
-teath- done in January
-back- done in April and done two weeks ago. there was some stiffness in pol
-saddle- seems to go best in wide saddle with 2 poly pads and a prolite under it- like being ridden in a pillow.
-Shes better after 20 mins in the equissage massage pad
-currently shes with a local pro rider- who rides sypathtically and recognises the fear so wont go down the 'just give her a crack' road- as last bucking sesh i broke my shoulder. Coming home next week. We have a 50 round pen for an enclosed area to get on in.

What would you do to help her accept the rider confidently??

Anyone got any thoughts? 

[antares]

My absolute first priority would be to rule out any residual pain. Such a young horse will be so susceptible to back damage and any mistakes now may inhibit healing and has the potential to cause permanent damage.

The physio can only do so much, they tend to deal with the symptoms of a problem but can't always get to the route of issues or determine where stiffness might originate from. They are dealing with stiff and tight muscles but what if there is underlying orthopaedic problem?

As the horse is still potentially showing signs of pain then I would want to be as sure as possible that the original injury is completely healed and for that it would be a visit from / to an equine vet.

If all clear then I'd be working with a trainer knowledgeable in rehab horses - such as an RA

[sarahandzara]

Thank you for your reply Antares.

Can I ask would you be asking for xrays, and if so of what areas? ie just back and neck, or any other areas? I know that I would need to be guided by the vet and giving advice over the internet isn't a good idea but I would like to know what to ask for if the vet just dismisses the behaviour by saying 'oh shes just being a madam' or something similar.

[antares]

Potentially yes but it does depend on what happened with the saddle. What damage was caused at the time? Whereabouts? Are we 100% sure any muscle damage is over and that new saddle fits?

Damage caused by Saddles usually occurs in thoracic and lumbar spine so it might be worth an xray just to see.

Do you do carrot stretches and belly lifts? These exercise can help to tell if there are back issues, by carefully watching responses and looking out for resistances etc but only way to know for sure is xrays/scans

There is much to be said for peace of mind

[sarahandzara]

yes, I think peace of mind would defiantly help. Ill book her in to the vets

24/5 edited to say- Having spoken to the vet she's booked in for a full work up including back xrays on Wednesday and if that shows up nothing to scope for ulcers. I'm not sure if I hope they don't find anything- in which case I have a behavioural/ fear issue or if I hope they do find something- in which case I have a physical cause that can be treated (although probably costing a bomb!).

Wish us luck anyway!

[kafee]

One way to find out if it is pain would be to do the bute test, as Michellep did with Talin. Vets and physios could find nothing wrong with him, yet to her his behaviour indicated pain. He was on a high dose of bute (4 sachets a day) for about 2 weeks, and by the end of the test he no longer tensed up when the saddle was put on and I think she was able to ride him. Once the bute was stopped, he returned to tensing up when the saddle put on.

[antares]

bute trials can work yes - I would say that if the vet finds nothing and there is no chance it can be ulcers then this could help to rule pain out

[sarahandzara]

so, Im sorry to say we have an answer. Its kissing spines in the area behind the saddle, rather than directly under it:

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Thank you Antares for pushing me to go to the vet with this! I feel really bad for sending her back to the trainer and not getting her checked out sooner!

Anyway here she is home with me this morning:

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[antares]

Pleased to hear you have a diagnosis, that doesn't look too bad and she's young so hopefully this can be reversed.

What has the vet said to do?

[sarahandzara]

The vet wants a specialist to have a look at the xrays so we are now waiting for him to come down on at some point. The specialist will decide if he wants to treat with injections of anti-inflammatory and steroids or by surgery.

The vet said he could give her a high dose of bute in the mean time if I wanted to try riding but considering how spectacularly she objects to weight on her back and the fact that she is barely broken in/ started I decided not to. Also considering how little work she has done and the fact she has always been a bucker I think that she was probably born with this rather than it developing over time by a hollow frame and bad riding......but I could be wrong I guess.

[antares]

I think you're doing the right thing by not riding her at the moment, I probably would be doing a little in-hand work though and maybe light lunging but chat with your vet / physio before doing that. How long will you need to wait for the specialist vet?

You do have my sympathies - I had saddle fit problems with one of mine early last year causing pretty bad muscle problems either side of the spine even though he had always had saddles fitted professionally. Multiple visits to the saddler saying I didn't think the saddle fit were ignored and the outcome was a couple of months re-hab and lots of physio before I could think about riding.

I was very upset about the horse being hurt, I was angry with the saddle fitter and I was annoyed with myself for letting it happen!

It is of course a possibility that she was born with this issue but it is also a possibility that it was caused by a poorly fitting saddle used on a relatively young, unbalanced, weak back (which they all are at that age) and doesn't necessarily need to be about incorrect riding. Sometimes we just have to accept that we may have made mistakes along the way and learn from them - I am definitely learning from mine, I am now training to be a saddle fitter

Please let us know how you get on