sore back on stallion

["Steph McCray" <wind@uswest.net>]

We started training and conditioning for endurance about 5 years ago. We
have done several LDs and then moved up to ERs. The first was a slow 60 in
Tucson. All these rides were in an old western saddle in which my horse had
NO problems... No sore back - NO white spots - NO problems... When we moved
to CO 2 years ago, we decided to get a "real" endurance saddle and bought an
OF. Did great for training, but the first ER we pulled with a sore back.
Sold the OF and bought a Sport Saddle. I'm a FW rider, so this didn't seem
to be a problem... Training went wonderfully! Free movement with no
soreness. First ER in the SS was a 50 up in NE (last fall), and he finished
with no soreness to the back at all. During all of this time, Vic was used
only very lightly for breeding and always live cover. This year he was
collected at CSU and used for shipped semen. Every ride since then, he has
had a sore back. :-( I broke down and bought a Skito Equalizer pad and rode
him in this on a 40+ mile ride last Thursday over the divide and back. At
lunch, after 5 hours, his back was fine. When we finished, after 15 hours,
his back was sore again. :-( HELP!!! I will have the chiropractor out next
week to adjust him again, but I'm worried that something more might be
happening. If the soreness was related to the saddle, I would have thought I
would see a difference when using a pad - or using a different saddle... But
even if I go back to the western saddle that used to work, he still gets
sore!

Steph McCray