Re: RC: Sore back

[RDCARRIE@aol.com]

I'm far from an expert, but can tell you what my gelding was doing.  He has 
high withers, and my Sportsaddle didn't have enough clearance.  He kept 
breaking from a trot into a canter, which is unlike him, and I could see/feel 
that the gullet was pressing on his withers.  My new saddle initially had 
problems with bridging (I've solved that now).  Initially, he'd be trotting 
along and periodically glancing from side to side (sort of looking back 
towards me, his back, etc.).  Also, his ears were not consistently pricked 
forward - I could tell that he was distracted, bothered, and generally not 
entirely comfortable.  Being rather inexperienced at determining just what 
exactly was wrong, it took me awhile (I tried adjusting different things) to 
figure out that there was slight bridging.  I didn't figure it out until he 
began dipping his back down abruptly when I palpated him in the loin area.  
But he was letting me know that *something* was bothering him for maybe two 
weeks before his back got tender enough for him to dip away from my fingers. 

Dawn in Texas