saddle/back problems

[LBHBHNCK <LBHBHNCK@FTC-I.NET>]

Denise,
	I truly empathize with your problem. Let me relate to you the story of
my horse and the solution. I hope it helps. When my mare was three years
old, we started her under saddle. I had her started proffessionally due
to my lack of time and faith in my own training ability. When she left
my place for training she would stand still in the round pen, nothing on
her head, to be saddled, and I could mount and dismount her. When she
came back from training, she seemed fine. When I began to condition her
for endurance as a four year old, from time to time she would resist
being saddled, by stepping away when I began to fasten the girth. I
noticed about then dry spots on her shoulders, just behind her withers.
I began searching for a better fitting saddle. By the time she was six
we had tried at least twelve different "off the rack" saddles, english ,
western, leather, synthetic, and various types of pads. Her behavior
while being saddled grew progressively worse. I would have to lunge her
for a while, NOT tie her head, and tighten the girth very slowly in
stages. If I tried to hurry in any way she would sling herself backwards
onto the ground. Once saddled, she was the perfect saddle horse, anyone
could ride her. I finally convinced my husband and we had a saddle
custom made for her back. The extra expense was well worth it. If I had
done that sooner, my life would be easier now. As a result of almost
three years of painful, ill fitting saddles, my mare now has a "head
problen" because the behavior has become a habit. She has gotten really
good at home about being saddled, but when I take her to a ride she
reverts back to resisting the saddling process. 
I have worked out a system whereby she and I can be safe, and she will
accept the saddle, but I must never, ever, let my guard down.
	I am relating this to you for a reason. Do not allow the problem to go
on very long. Prevent any poor behavior habit from developing in your
horse. She is young, and her back will change, but get someone who knows
about saddle fit to look at her, and devise a system of shims and pads
that will protect her shoulder/withers. As she becomes more fit and her
back matures, DO have a saddle custom made for her back.  
	My mare is now ten years old, and is getting close to 1,000 miles of
endurance completions. My ten year old granddaughter learned to ride on
her back, and has ridden her in several 50 mile rides. The end of my
story is a successful one. I pray that you will find a workable solution
to your mare's back problem soon, to prevent the long term problem that
I have with my mare.

Lucie Hancock and Tamar Starofdavid / SE region