ridecamp@endurance.net: Re: tickleish or soreness?

Re: tickleish or soreness?

wood.cameron (wood.cameron@acd.net)
Thu, 24 Apr 97 18:01:11 PDT

Hi Linda,
You could be describing my horse! My 8-year old
gelding is a nervous, overly-sensitive arab who doesn't particularly enjoy
being touched. When I got him at 5, I thought he had a back problem
because he reacted much like your horse when I firmly pressed my fingers on
each side of his spine and "swept" my hand from withers to croup. He
wouldn't "dunk" his back severely, but I always got a touchy reaction, a
sinking or flinching. I still do...and he's never been lame or sore (at
least that I've been aware of!)

In addition to this, when I saddle him he sinks his haunches and acts
like the saddle (uncinched, just resting on his back) is pinching severely.
He does this with ANY saddle, or blanket---I believe now that it's just
avoidance and not pain. Once the saddle is tightened, and I'm mounted, he
straightens his back and goes along just fine. Incidentally, I have to be
careful what grooming tools I use on his back, or I'll get the same
response. He's just ultra-sensitive.

This might not be the case for your horse; I just thought I'd add my .02
and let you know that you CAN get that kind of response without pain.

Happy trails!
Shannon W.
Laingsburg, MI
(and the boys, Yaled & Khomytt)

----------
> I just read the newest copy of Eques magazine about detecting early
> lameness.
> In dicussing the back they talk about using finger pressure in examining
> the back and hip area and stated a slight dipping, hollowing of
> flattening was NORMAL!
> My horse flateens alittle, no violient reaction or dipping to his
> knees but a definite flatteng. I had a vet and one other person told me
> that was OK, ticklisness or stretching reflex and at the same time I had
> a chiropracter and acupuncturist say it was soreness....now I read this
> article.
> What do I beleive? Have I been fussing all this time over this to
> find out that my over reactive, thin skinned Arab is TICKLEISH????
> Can anyone add to this, if their horses react this way. What do I
> believe. My horse has never been lame and no matter what saddle I use
> on him, the reaction has always been the same. Yet when I try tio get
> the same response from our other horses, they don't flatten to the same
> stimulas....but then again they are not the over reactive "oh my
> goodness you are going to touch me", type horse.
>
> Sure would like some help on this one. Linda
>
> Linda Eisele & Sareei and
> hubby, Allen and the General
nevadaghostridr@webtv.net
>

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