Book Excerpt: Recognizing Saddle Problems
Editor's Note: In the July 2008 issue of Horse & Rider, we offered an exclusive excerpt from The Western Horse's Pain-Free Back and Saddle-Fit Book that helped readers evaluate saddle fit with a test ride. Here, Joyce Harman, DVM, MRCVS, offers a comprehensive list of indicators that a saddle is causing pain.
PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS
The following symptoms provide direct evidence that a saddle has caused or is causing problems for your horse.
A sore under the saddle. Open sores are usually seen on endurance or trail horses, ranch horses, and other horses that are ridden for extended periods of time. Sores should always be considered serious and should be investigated promptly.
If you have used a saddle for a long time and suddenly discover an open sore, carefully check the bottom of the saddle. Sores can be caused by a broken tree, or perhaps a nail or staple that has worked its way loose and is digging into your horse's back. Also check your saddle pad for wrinkles or foreign objects, such as burrs.
White hairs in the saddle area appear as a result of inappropriate pressure from a saddle, and sometimes may be the only visual sign that a problem exists. The pressure alters the hair follicle, which then produces a white hair. White hairs can be subtle and often do not appear until a coat change occurs, either in spring or fall.
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If the damage is limited and you correct the saddle-fit problem, the white hairs may disappear at the next coat change. However, if the white hairs reappear, it means you have most likely failed in correcting the problem. Be aware that if you buy a horse with permanent white hairs in the saddle area, he may have residual back pain originating from a poorly-fitting saddle.
Heat bumps. Temporary swellings that appear immediately after a saddle is removed, commonly referred to as "heat bumps," are often seen on endurance horses. They result from pressure created either by the saddle or the rider.
Scars or hard spots can occur on the skin surface or deep in the muscles on either side of the withers. Skin surface scars are most commonly seen on trail horses, but can occur on any horse in conjunction with any type of saddle. The scars deep within the muscle may not be apparent unless you feel into the muscle. The skin and sweat glands at these scars are often so damaged that even when the saddle fit is corrected, they may be areas that cannot sweat.
Muscle atrophy. Deep pockets or depressions on either side of the withers, or poor muscling over the entire back can indicate muscle atrophy. The pockets bordering the withers are frequently caused by saddles that are too narrow or by unnecessarily thick saddle pads that compress the withers. When a correctly fitted saddle is used, the atrophy process is reversed and these hollow areas will generally fill out. Sometimes muscle regeneration occurs quickly; other times it requires several weeks or months. In some cases, treatment for back pain and changes in training techniques are necessary before muscle atrophy will improve.
Friction rubs on the horse's hair are apparent when you remove your saddle after riding. Friction rubs can be sore, but are not always. They occur when the saddle moves too much from side-to-side, usually from incorrect cinch placement or uneven bars.
BEHAVIOR OR PERFORMANCE ISSUES
Behavior or performance issues related to saddle-caused back pain are often assumed to be training problems. Due to this misunderstanding, the horse is usually "disciplined," trained more intensely, or even sold. When, and if, saddle fit is addressed and the source of pain is removed, these "training problems" are quickly resolved.
Behavioral Signs of Back Pain
Resistance to saddling or cinching. If a horse objects to being saddled or cinched-up, he may be experiencing back pain. Most performance horses have sore backs to some degree, and many have pain originating from poor saddle fit. Often, when a properly fitting saddle is used, the protests desist.
Fidgeting. Many horses are unable to stand still or are fidgety when mounted. They will paw the ground when tied and dance around on the cross-ties. If your horse fidgets at mounting time, or in other situations, it might be because every time you mount, the shifting saddle jams him at the base or sides of his withers. (High-withered horses suffer the most often from this.)
Resistance to touch. A horse with sore back muscles is often hypersensitive to brushing. When a person has the flu and her whole body aches, she does not want anything to touch her skin--even clothes. Similarly, this horse will not want to be brushed or touched. A horse that is considered uncooperative or said to have a bad attitude about being handled or ridden, is often simply reacting to pain.
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