Re: Rearing while saddling or tightening the girth.

[JFtteam@aol.com]

I agree that the first place I would look would be to see how the saddle fit.
A saddle that fit yesterday may not fit tomorrow depending on weight gained or
lost or muscle gained or lost.  Sometimes cold weather can make a horse tense
and resistant to saddling or tension from other causes can make a horse
uncomfortable when the saddle is tightened up against tight back muscles.  Or
the saddle simply doesn't fit and causes pressure points, rubs the spine, etc.

As a TTEAM practitioner, I have seen horses complain about saddling in many
ways from jigging around, biting air, biting the one with the saddle to
bucking, running away, refusing to move out or simply traveling with a hollow
back and high head.  My guess is that your horse's rearing is a secondary
response.  That is, that the horse is in pain and when the saddle is put on he
tenses and resists, pulls back, feels pressure at the poll and pulls
(instinctively) against the pressure going up and over.  If it's a direct
response from the saddle itself, that's pretty extreme.

I would start with checking saddle fit and then have a chiropracter check the
horse. Could be he's got a problem with his back.  Many chiropracters can also
determine good saddle fit.  Even if the back (veterbrae/ribs) were not the
problem to start, it's easy for a horse to  put something out of alignment
going over backwards.  The back and the neck as well.  You might also want to
see if there is a TTEAM practitioner in your area.  (The TTEAM office # is
1-800-854-TEAM)  They can  also check saddle fit and help determine where
soreness is located and help relieve both soreness and/or tension.  

I have found that the problem is sometimes not where you'd expect to find it.
(Like the mouth for instance!  Teeth problems)  I've seen a horse appear to be
cinchy when he was suffering intestinal discomfort from too much sand in the
gut.  Tightening the girth caused him to tighten the abdominal muscles which
caused additional pain.  Also seen another horse who always bites the air when
being cinched.  Sour attitude.  I worked his back, did belly lifts with the
girth, did gentle TTouches while tightening the girth gradually, leg exercises
to release the shoulder, etc.,etc.  (That was after gettting him a saddle that
fit real well.)  And still no improvement.  Sometimes horses react from memory
of pain and the TTEAM work can help release memory of pain as well as current
pain.  Finally discovered that this particular horse has an extremely tight
muscle in the breast area on one side.  (I noticed he was often wet there from
biting at himself.)  When touched in that area he gets pissed.  When the girth
is tightened, that muscle tightens also and causes him grief, hence his
reaction.

You can pretty much bet that if a horse is reacting to a saddle he's probably
tense, afraid or in pain.  If his back is sore, having him wear a surcingle
probably won't help.  At least it won't solve the underlying problem and could
keep him uncomfortable.  

Good Luck,
Jodi Frediani