I am working as a exerciser for a local horse rescue. We got a new horse yesterday. The horses owner said that he was broke to ride and she would go on trail rides with him. Well today I went out to work with him and test to see how much he knows and all that fun stuff so we can put him up for adoption. You can catch him no problems. He leads wonderfully on his left side. Not so well on his right. I did join up with no problem. Follow up was good too. Now when I get the saddle out (old english saddle) His head goes up and he start to get flighty. If you step to his side to put the saddle on he will always step away and keep you in front of him. After 10 minutes of doing circles. I can get to his side. As I start to bring the saddle up to put it on his back. HE freaks. He is at this point of 100% flight. He will turn and throw the saddle off. I can finally get him saddles after about 30 min. Once I get it tight. I can NOT touch the saddle or do anything with he or he will freak.
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Odd thing is I can put his headstall on like a dream. Best horse ever to take the bit. He is no where head shy or anything.
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But the saddling is a MAJOR red zone. IF I even try to tough the irons or the seat he becomes dangerous. He will clime on top of me.
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I am just looking for some ideas on how to help him get over his fear of the saddle before I even try to ride him. Personally, I don't even think he is broke to ride what so ever. I don't even thing he is green broke.
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Horse Behavior and Training
BIG fear of the saddle.
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Perhaps he has had a poorly fitting saddle on in the past and is afraid of the pain. Or maybe he has a sore back or an injury? I would get both the fit of the saddle and his back checked out before doing anything else with this horse, the behaviour he is displaying is very representative of a horse in pain or severe discomfort, especially since he seems to happily accepts the bridle and bit without any problem.
I agree 100%, it sounds like this horse is in pain. Definitely get him checked out before doing anything else with him.
Thanks guys. I do have a vet check for him this coming Monday. With his fear, would it hurt or cause further problems if I try to put a bear back pad on him. To maybe see if its something to do with the cinching that may be causing the problem?
I would wait until after vet has been before doing anything at all. If and when he gets the all clear for pain and saddle fitting issues you will need to take it slowly. Even if there is no pain or discomfort any longer he may still have bad memories and be worried about the saddle. Firstly you could bring out a saddle blanket or bareback pad and let him sniff it until he rleaxes, then gently rub it on his neck again until he relaxes, then slowly slide it over his back. This will need to be done very slowly and if he shows any sign of fear or worry, back off then try again once he relaxes. Also see Monty's book and videos - after join up the saddle is brought in and placed in the centre of the round pen so the horse can check it out in his own time. He will almost need to be treated as though he has never had a saddle on before and it is his first time. You could also try just walking around nonchalantly carrying the saddle and ignoring him, or even leave an old saddle somewhere near his stall for a couple of days where he can see and reach it to have a sniff.
Just to say I totally agree with emlaw. Take it extremely slowly and incrementally! I still have a picture in my mind of you saddling that young filly for the first time! Plus I would forget about the saddle for awhile and just quieten him down with lots of dually work for a few days and then when he is quiet enough try putting your body over him as he may have previously been ridden bareback. Just a little of your weight initially then slowly increase it - use a mounting block. Good luck - he sounds very terrified poor horse and has obviously been very badly treated in the past.
Plus - re-check with the owner. Try to find out as much as you can about how she handled him, the type of saddle she used, what she did prior to saddling etc. It doesn't take much to scare them with a saddle when they are young. If it was put on too quickly and then he jumped away and made it fall off that would be enough to spook him badly.
Yep, Maggie is right - I know of a horse that became terrified of wearing a rung because the front straps came undone and the rug slipped off backwards with the spider straps still wrapped around the horses hind legs. He panicked really badly and although it only lasted a few seconds before the rug came off completely, afterwards he was scared whenever anyone approached him with a rug. If your horse has had a similar experience with a saddle slipping under his belly or whatever, then he is going to be very worried about saddles in general.
Keep us posted on what the vet said and your progress.
Should have read 'rug' not 'rung' - ooops, butter fingers!
Thanks all so much... His vet check went well. He has NO pain and the saddle is a good fit for him. The vet said that he has a wonderful back, hips and knees. The vet did watch me with him to try and figure out what was going on. I never really notices until she pointed this out. Raven (the horse) will start to get jumpy if we approach him from the right with tack (bride and saddle) BUT if we approach from the left he is ok, very calm. If we slowly put the saddle on the left he is ok. BUT if it starts to slip to the right, watch out he will be right on top of you. We can no longer get a hold of the old owner so we have no idea of what is true and not true. We will working with him as if he has never been ridden before. The vet also said that Raven is a one sided horse. In her opinion Raven was never imprinted on the right and never handled on the right.
Hi Christena - good news then that the horse passed the vet check and that the saddle fits. So now you know that's OK you can work on desensitising him to the saddle. It sounds as though the vet has hit the nail on the head and that he has only ever been saddled and tacked up from the left, which of course is the side that we traditionally tack up and mount from as a leftover from the military days when men carried their swords on the left.
This horse needs lots of ground work on his right hand side - you can use the Dually and the old favourite of the stick with plastic shopping bags on the end, there are lots of Monty videos about this which you have no doubt already seen. I feel very hopeful for you that this can be sorted out now that you know what the problem is - it was worthwhile getting the vet out, she seems very perceptive and often a fresh pair of eyes can see things that we cannot.
How about trying the "Centaur" on him?
If you have access to another (calm) horse, maybe you can start working Raven from the right side from horseback? I know saddling him from another horse isn't really doable, but maybe approach, pat, brush put on halter and maybe a small blanket could be worked in?
Thanks Guys for all your help. Today I worked Raven again and only on the left side and we got a half mount on him. It was amazing. He was much better, as long as I don't do anything on the right side. Now I also tried to long ling him. When we go to the left he is fine but go to the right and you have a fight on your hands. He is going to need a LOT of work on the right.
Oh and sorry for got to mention. We are going to be trying the "Centaur" with him next week. We can saddle him on the round and then try the rest from there.
Hi again Christena - I think I have a few tips for you on my hastpedagog Channel - the one for Ronda - your approach on left side is Good thinking as well as the Centaur - hope you find it useful!
Good Luck and stay safe - try a bareback pad in the beginning!
Warmest Ann Lindberg CI
Day shar voo. I have a 3 yrs old who is exactly the same. Having had him from a very wild 6 mths I know the history. I stared him in exactly the same way as I have started all previous others, handled,rugged,bridled then saddled - all over 2 1/2 years. No rush. When standing with saddle he was very quite - too quite. I walked him some days later around the yard - so so, A week or so later after daily repition, I took him for a walk in the small school and did 4 little laps of leading at walk. Then hey, from nowhere, he exploded. I hung on to him, one minute he was above me and the next he was pulling away. This was real rodeo stuff. Eventually, a life time later he stopped but now his saddle had rotated under his belly. The girth was at the right tightness. The next day I tried again - with a lounge line distance - and the same thing happened. Having read Monty's From my hands to yours, I found a bit on clinchers, particually affecting chestnuts, and is about the nerves in the girth area being extra sensitive. He can have an elasticated sursingle no problem, but a roller - he goes into orbit. There really is no e has decided at thee moment to take up a career of "Pet". Maybe yoour horse could suffer with ticklish arm pits too