Have you checked the girth? I recently had my
gelding, who has always been a bit cinchy since he was a baby, pin his ears when
I tack up. When I mount, he is fine. I found out the really nice mohair string
girth that I was hoping relieved any rubbing/pressure was hurting him at the
buckles. When I felt under the buckles when tacked up, it dug into him sharply.
When I put a bit of pressure there, he jumped sideways and was mad! I changed to
a completely different girth, one that had padding behind the buckles and he now
does not pin his ears while saddling and actually moved out better trotting down
the road! We always assume saddle fit, but it could also be something as simple
as the girth not right. Tack up and put your hands under that girth and see if
anything is bothering her or poking her. Its worth a shot.
--------Karla Watson (one of your teammates;-)
----GO Happy Hoofers!!
Yes, I had a vet who
specializes in chiro look at her. Given the insistence on the list that
it?s a chiro thing I?ll probably have her do an adjustment again, even though
that made no difference last year.
The mare is not
difficult about mounting. (She used to move off, but that was a training
issue and was solved quite nicely after some time at the trainers.) With
training she now stands solid and does not hollow or show any indication with
her ears that she is uncomfortable.
It could definitely
be that it is remembered pain. As I said, she came with this issue, so
it?s not something that I *caused* by how I tack or what tack I
use. Since it got better towards the end of last ride season I would
think that my tacking or my tack procedure is better than what she used to
have ? not worse.
I did break my hand
this winter and didn?t ride her much then. So that?s probably why her
behavior ?regressed?. Now I am just looking for training solutions to
get it back to an acceptable level.
I do agree that she
acts like she is afraid of the saddle or saddling process. I will
continue to work on desensitizing her. She has learned to ?trust? me
about stuff on the trail that used to worry her (mud, certain kinds of
bridges) and I can?t think of a ride this year where I couldn?t get her to go
towards something that worried her without a fight and no need to
dismount. We go slowly and she?s learned to trust that I won?t ask her
to rush into something she is unsure about.
I think I just need
to build that trust in saddling. She?s much better to saddle at home, so
I may have to work at trailering her to other places just to saddle ? even if
it is not her day to be ridden.
