Since many of you seem to have a lot of experience (I am new
to Ridecamp so haven’t learned all of who is who yet) – I’ll
ask a question about a problem I have.
My mare is really difficult to saddle. Not just for
me, but for others as well. She basically hates anything being put on her
back. Saddle pad, blanket, saddle, whatever. I’ve spent quite
a bit of time just putting pad on & off rhythmically (a la Parelli type
training) and after a while she will stand calmly. Takes longer, but I
can get her to stand for the saddle as well, but never at first. Because
she really seems to get freaked out by the saddling, I do not saddle her while
tied. (Well, I have, but only a few times & I don’t like to see
her pull back and look like she’s about to lose it while tied. Or
she’ll try to race past me - between me and the trailer and swing around
the other way.) She’s had this issue since I bought her last
year. It got a little better by the end of ride season, but was worse
again this spring.
Anyway – I can get her saddled while holding the lead
rope, but it probably takes me around 20-30 minutes and involves quite a bit of
circling. (Part of the problem is that I can’t lift the saddle onto
her back one-handed. Broke the right hand this last winter and still
haven’t gotten all the strength back.) But she will eventually
stand. But never comfortably. (With head dropped, etc.) I don’t
correct her in any way (lead shanking, etc) as my experience with correcting
her in other circumstances where she is afraid is that it never helps.
Correcting her when she’s being stubborn (not often) is fine. But
not when afraid.
Once saddled and girth tight enough so saddle won’t
slip too much, I try to get her to move around a bit. It’s almost
comical to watch at first as she looks like she thinks she can’t
move. Sometimes more than others. After a few minutes she gets
better.
A bit about her otherwise: Once mounted and under
saddle she is a remarkably steady mare. Doesn’t spook at cars,
dogs, baby strollers, etc. Won’t spook at deer or cattle unless she
sees them late, and even then she just does a slight drop-spook. She has
*never* done a spin spook, and
never a bolt. I really trust this mare. She is apprehensive about
horses coming up behind her too close, so she gets a red ribbon in her tail,
but as long as the person leaves a horse length she is fine. The only
time she kicked & connected with a horse at a ride was when she was the
middle horse in a 3-horse pile-up – all of us friends, and the lead horse
stopped dead in her tracks from a flying downhill trot. My mare ran into
the lead horse (yes, we were a bit too close) and then my friend’s
gelding crashed into us. Given that my mare was pinned between the two
horses I understand why she kicked – though I still corrected her for it.
The other horse was not hurt. She also dislikes mud & water &
will avoid if she can, but will go through if I tell her. And that’s
if she’s leading. If she’s behind another horse going through
she doesn’t even really hesitate.
I’ve heard milder forms of this saddle/tacking
aversion described as being cold-backed, or girthy or both. Since I wasn’t
sure exactly what “cold-backed” meant I have tried warming her up a
bit first. At least to the extent I have tried it, it doesn’t
work. Now if she’s really been worked already (as in a loop of
endurance – say 12-18 miles) then she is better the second time I tack
up. But still not great.
And I certainly wouldn’t choose to ride with a rump
rug – though I have had one on my saddle for the last several rides just
in case it got cold enough that I felt it was imperative. She can be very
apprehensive about blanketing too – though usually if I place it against
her withers first, then slide it up onto her back, then unfurl it down, I can
get it on with no real problems. She stands just fine while I do up the
blanket straps once it is on her back.
