Backs (again!) and recommendations in Sussex

[G]

Hiya,

Will try and keep this short. My horse (11 yr old arab mare) has had a sore back for a while. There are 2 rubbed patches where the back of the saddle sits, and she responds to pressure here by dipping away. She is also stiff on the left rein (obviously not riding her at the mo!), and tends to be quite hollow & tense when ridden. Stood up on flat concrete I noticed her left hip is higher than her right.

I know it is impossible to tell anything from just a written description, but does it sound more serious than back pain casued by the saddle?

Was also hoping that someone could recommend a good back person in West Sussex way. There are so many schools it is impossible to choose! I'm beginning to get my head round the differences, but is there a reason why say a chiropractor is better than an osteo or physio? I plan to get the vet's to have a good look, to see if they can make an actual diagnosis and take it from there, but any help or suggestions in the meantime would be much appreciated.

Many thanks!

[esme]

Hello G, we are in West Sussex and use the physio Charlotte Baldwyn, she has been very good with Beckham and, fingers crossed, he is still sound at the moment since last she sorted him! Her website is www.physio4animals.com have a look and see what you think and give her a call, I'm sure your vet will approve of her and get your horse sorted soon.

[carrie]

Hi G, I can't really give an impartial view i'm afraid! But I can recommend our therapy, Mctimoney-Corley Spinal Therapy. Our association holds over 50 members, all fully qualified and insured. You can find a list at www.mctimoney-corley.com.
As for your question, I wouldn't like to route all back problems purely to your saddle. Patches of hair loss, so long as they are even on both sides are often nothing to be concerned about.
From your description there is a possibility that the tension held throughout her thoracic spine (under saddle) could be pulling her pelvis. Horses certainly shouldn't dip away under slight pressure.
It's difficult to say without watching your horse move what the problem is!!
Good luck

[annahindley]

Hi G, I must've missed your post!

Obviously, I am also biased, but I would recommend a chiropractor. I would also say that in terms of training an osteopath has a similar length and quality of education. I don't know much about physio training I'm afraid.

The nearest chiro trained in veterinary chiropractic to you is unfortunately not close though. My geography isn't great, but I think Gale is prob about 1 and a half hours away, (sorry for the address, think I've lost some, but you can do a mapquest on the postcode...)

Gale Audrey Zappacosta
3 The Gardens
KT10 8QF
Tel [phone]
eMail: [e-mail]


As regards the patches of hair loss and the dipping - sounds like a pain reaction to me. Do you think it is the saddle causing the rubbing? Also sounds like the horse has some other issues with her biomechannics. Personally, I would not ride in the current saddle.
By the time a pressure mark has appeared at skin level - assuming it is from the saddle - there is likely to be some degree of necrosis at the bone level - that means than directly under where you see these sores, the bone may be literally dying. This occurs quite a long time before the saddle galls appear.

If any horse has been ridden for a prolonged period in a misfitting saddle, it is likely that they will have developed compensatory changes in their spine, pelvis, ribs or in the muscular system. I would always recommend a visit from a well trained therapist and saddle fitter before you commence work with a horse that has got saddle galls.

Good luck.

[G]

Hi,

Thanks all for your input, much appreciated.

Anna - it is undoubtedly the saddle which has rubbed. I have only owned the saddle for 2 months, & ridden in it a handful of times (it's a HM Fhoenix). She has been out of work now for over 3 weeks, since I first noticed she was sore, and of course will not be ridden until she has been seen and I'm 110% certain she is well again.

I'm actually getting the vet's out this week and will take it from there.

Thanks again.

[annahindley]

The vet may be able to recommend a good therapist? Depends on their attitude to other therapies. Saddle sounds like bad news. I would always consider it to be a bad thing if it rubbed bald patches - it is either friction because the saddle is bouncing about too much, or worse, pressure because the weight is not distributing well. I'm sure the vet will be helpful - although my local vet reckons less than 1% of horses have back pain; I disagree, unless I see that 1% all the time!
Good luck with it G

[GP]

I find my saddle causes rub marks on my horse but only when she is clipped. The rest of the year it is fine and i have her saddle check regularly. Might not be relevant to your case but i thought i would share this!!

[gillmcg]

I think there's a big difference between patches where the hair has rubbed and sores/saddle galls.

Particularly during coat changing time in spring and autumn (I know this probably isn't relevant in this case, unless the mares been clipped) the hair is brittle and my TB sometimes had small patches of rubbed hair towards the back of where the saddle goes. Although the Fhoenix does have a half tree, at the back of the saddle so it could be possible it sounds as if the saddle could be a red herring here - maybe this horse has just put her pelvis out while looning in the field? Hope the vet is helpful and you find a good chiro/osteo/back person who can sort out her problems.

[annahindley]

This is the difficulty of not seeing something. I do think that hair doesn't drop off without cause, and it can certainly be the first step on the road to saddle sores. The poster sin't happy with the saddle fit and the horse dips when this saddle is put on. It needs checking in real life, but if there is doubt about the saddle fit, then IMO it is best avoided until that doubt is ruled out. This saddle has barely been used, which is different to it being in heavy daily use on the horse. Maybe, the pelvis has altered the saddle fit? - there are so many variables that the horse needs looking at, but OP is presumably doing that anyway. Hope it goes well.