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Post by hfhopper on Oct 30, 2008 18:56:12 GMT -5
In my experience, Lyme usually shows with lameness that comes and goes with no knows reasons. Usually starting in the hind end. Have you thought about ulcers at all?
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Post by TeachU2Ride on Oct 30, 2008 19:20:05 GMT -5
I know you believe your saddle fits correctly, but a very simple and inexpensive test would be to use another for a few rides and see what happens.
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Post by johnnysauntie on Oct 31, 2008 6:24:45 GMT -5
Teach, re: the saddle - I ride in a wintec dressage saddle, under which is a Mattes correction half pad. I cut up a Thin Line Pad using the shims that came with the Mattes pad as patterns, and put those pieces in the shim pockets, and I check frequently to be sure nothing's tight or pinchy.
Here's my point - last night, he was snappy again when I just put the pads and saddle on his back - before I even thought about the girth. When I ever so gently stroked his back in the spot behind the sadde pad, he swept his ears back and threatened to kick. It doesn't seem that the saddle could bother him just sitting on his back, with no girth, no rider, does it?
I should also add that we had three great rides over the weekend (in my saddle), and he was great for my trainer on Tuesday (in her saddle).
BTW I am going to have him scoped and do the test for Lyme next week.
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Lynn
Hotwalker
Posts: 7 
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Post by Lynn on Oct 31, 2008 6:36:05 GMT -5
Sarah I hope Jag is ok ?? Let me know!
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Post by aurorag16 on Oct 31, 2008 15:46:39 GMT -5
I just read that his sensitivity is back, bummer. Hope that the vet finds something easy (and inexpensive) to solve!
Jingling for you and the Jagmeister!
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Post by johnnysauntie on Nov 3, 2008 22:27:07 GMT -5
Well, tonight he was off in his hind. Definitely had a hitch in his giddyup - looked like it could have been in the stifle, and he was walking much shorter behind than he usually does. Vet comes Thursday.
Bright and happy otherwise - good appetite. Definitely off. I think I'm going to request some ER jingles for the boy to tide him over until he sees the doc ...
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Post by Goalie on Nov 4, 2008 8:37:55 GMT -5
I'm sending some Michigan jingles to him JA
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Post by aurorag16 on Nov 4, 2008 9:26:58 GMT -5
Jingling like mad here as well!
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Post by BoyleHeightsKid on Nov 4, 2008 11:19:26 GMT -5
Jingles for Jag!! Here's to hoping it's something simple and inexpensive!!!
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Post by TeachU2Ride on Nov 4, 2008 15:51:14 GMT -5
The fact that he's warning you as you begin to tack up makes me even more suspicious of the saddle, jag.
If you're sitting too far back on the cantle, either because the tree is too narrow and tipping the saddle back, or because the seat size is too small for you, you will be putting a lot of pressure on the low-back muscles, which aren't built for supporting weight. It may be as simple as putting too much padding under a saddle that fits without them - if your gullet size is correct, the half pad and thinline may be creating a too-narrow fit at the withers and tipping the center of the seat toward the rear. I love the Wintecs, but the panels are rather narrow, which can cause significant pressure points if they don't fit exactly right.
Humor me and post some pics for me?
- side view of saddle placed in normal position... no pads, but girthed up
- side view with pads and girthed up
- side view of you sitting in saddle
The intermittent symptoms don't sway me away from the saddle because lots of horses will tolerate discomfort for quite a while, but decide on day "x" that the pain level is past their "acceptable" limit. Some also make an effort to tell you you're about to do something problematic, then just suck it up and deal with it when you don't listen - this describes MANY horses I've seen over the years who were girthy until they were finally fitted correctly.
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Post by lolatwo on Nov 5, 2008 9:39:35 GMT -5
I would agree with teach on this one, but I am going to take it a step further. I have a feeling that when you first put your saddle on it looks like it fits. It sits on the proper place on his back, but it slipps to far back during your ride and you end up sitting on that sensitive part of his back every time. Some horses let you know right away and some like she said suck it up for a while.
Some times you can use the same saddle and get an antislip pad, which is cheap. Go to the automotive section at walmart and invest in a absorber towel, and in some drastic cases you have to get a different saddle. Some horses just have a funny shape and no matter how much you tighten your girth or what girth you use the saddle will slip. Breast plates will work when you first put the saddle on but if your saddle slipps then the breast plate will slip and become to tight.
If the tree and gullet are narrow for a priticular horse it will just perch up there on their back. It can look even and balanced when you first put it on but it will never sit down on there backs and will slip easily putting a lot of weight on the back of the saddle like a sesaw. If the tree and gullet are a bit wide the saddle can still slip and most of the weight usually ends up in the front of the saddle. To wide is better then to narrow in most cases.
If you wanted to save some money I would try the antislip pad and put him on either bute or banimine for a few days. If he is remarkbly better after a few days. I would continue to use the antislip pad. If he gets worse again then it is not working but if he stays comfortable then you can pretty much garentee that the problem is your saddle slipping to far back. Keep in mind that even if the saddle fits well or perfectly does not mean that it can not slip during a ride. Either from the shape of the horse or the way a rider sits not making a girth tight enough he blots very badly when you first check the girth and not tighting it again.
Even with anti slip pads what ever. I check my girth many times during a ride. I personaly continuly tighten my girth or at least check it about 3 to 4 times. If the saddle feels wobbly in the least I will tighten the girth. When you end up in the wrong place on a very senstive one a time or two you become very anal about where the saddle is sitting.
Good luck
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Post by johnnysauntie on Nov 5, 2008 14:02:45 GMT -5
Teach and Lola, thanks much for your replies. The thing that makes me think it's not the saddle is the fact that he's been weird and snappy untacked, and the hind end funkiness I saw two days ago.
Either way, I'll check saddle fit again with my trainer and may get to post pix sometime soon. His saddle does slip, and Lola, your suggestion of a non-slip pad is a good one.
Vet comes tomorrow, will keep you all posted.
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Post by aurorag16 on Nov 6, 2008 15:44:47 GMT -5
How the vet visit go?
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Post by johnnysauntie on Nov 7, 2008 16:54:32 GMT -5
Oh, let's see. He was the model of health and deportment. Sweet, nuzzly, shiny, fat. Perfect. We tacked him up, and he showed us his nice stretchy trot both directions. No girthy behavior, stood there lop-eared and half asleep.  She took a multiple vials of blood, we're testing for Lyme and organ functions (needed to do a baseline anyway.) Next up, scoping for ulcers. In the meantime, will put on a breastplate (suggested by my old trainer) and use a non-slip pad as suggested by teach and lola. will also re-evaluate saddle fit and maybe get those pix teach requested. |
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Post by lolatwo on Nov 7, 2008 18:58:46 GMT -5
I p.m you about the anti slip pad. Getting the sadle to stay in the proper place makes a world of difference. I have been through your senerio with different horses so many times.
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