Girthiness due to winter coat?

[DunByMistake]

I have a 6 year old OTTB gelding I got in March. He had a tough winter so have been working on putting weight on him since I’ve owned him. Was definitely ulcery when I got him which I treated. Main issue was inability to gain weight and somewhat girthy.

Since September (when his winter coat started coming in), he’s been on and off girthy. No issues putting saddle on or doing up girth on one side but when I go to attach on other side, I get a dirty look and pinned ears. No biting or kicking. He’s unreactive to my hand, grooming glove or brush anywhere on his belly or flank. He has the odd grumpy day but very rare. I’m only able to ride on weekend right now but they’ve been good rides. He’s forward and cooperative. Not spooky. Once girth is done up, no issue tightening it or running hand inside to flatten hair.

I had a horse previously that had gastric ulcers and hind gut acidosis. New horse doesn’t remind me of that Behaviour. Poop is solid. Lives on free choice with 2 old geldings. Low sugar hemp based feed. He is at a great weight right now with a sleek coat. Very happy easy going dude who doesn’t show any signs of being stressed. He’s easy to catch.

The reason I think it might be related to his winter coat is he is very sensitive to having his hair ruffled up. I get the same dirty look and pinned ears if I tug on his blanket to move it. He’s super sensitive to static also. I’m wondering if anyone has had similar issues and if there’s anything to try. I’m thinking a girth cover is next step. Clipping seems to be a waste of effort for 2 walking rides a week. A scope would obviously rule out ulcers but vet here does not have one and I’m not really keen on doing a 4 hour haul in Canadian winter in the mountains to get to a clinic that has one at the moment.

[Simkie]

Well…that would be kind of weird, but sure, possible. You don’t have to clip the whole horse to test that, just where the girth lies. A girth cover is worth a shot, but they often pull at the hair a little when first done up.

Pain can make ulcers worse, though, and cold can make pain worse–so that is another avenue to explore. Ulcer horses don’t all act the same and sometimes the only clue is a little girthyness.

There are some other things, like Lyme, or vit e/selenium deficiency, that can make them sensitive to touch, too. Have you ruled out those?

[DunByMistake]

Lyme would be exceedingly rare in my area. Soil here is selenium poor but he doesn’t have any other reasons to believe it is that and he does get some selenium through his mineral supplement.

I forgot to mention I’ve done another course of Nexium since I noticed the behaviour in September and it hasn’t provided consistent improvement.

[PrincessPonies]

Have you tried changing girths? When I first got my girl I was using an inexpensive girth similar to the ones we had always used on lesson horses. She always made a face when doing it up but we know it wasn’t health issues. A year later I got a new girth and she was so much better about it. Over the years I’ve had a few different girths and there are some she prefers much more than others.

Also I’d hold off on clipping, my sensitive girl sounds like your guy in that if you shift the blanket she gets upset. This normally gets worse, mean face and pined ears, when I clip her. We have a system of getting the blanket on and off that she approves of.

[JB]

Definitely try several different girth materials, and even different shapes, as best you can. Longer hair can be pulled when doing up the other side of the girth.

But also - how was the weather in the time frame this started? Still warm-ish? Cold? Does he behave any differently if the temperature is warmer vs colder?

[findeight]

What material is your girth? Sometimes certain type girths can pull the hair and/or pinch. Mohair for example and some of the synthetics that sit right on the hair can sort of smoosh hair into the skin and then it gets damp and can pull or rub down against the skin. Some leather girths have stitching or folds on the inside where it lies against the horse, can catch hairs and pull them out, you can see the hairs stuck in the stitching. Ouch.

Try different girth materials like a fleece lined girth, real or fake, doesn’t matter. Girth covers a good idea. So is clipping just the girth area right behind the elbows, like in the “ armpits” have had a few that matted and rubbed sores in that area over winter, hair covers them up so not obvious except they got really, really girthy, can’t blame them at all. Reminder to be sure to curry, inspect and maybe sponge that area as well, clipped or not, traps sweat. We often skip that detail in winter, I’ll admit to it. It happens.

Oh, need to add, have sometimes found winter coat hair stuck between elastic billets where they meet the girth and corresponding rubs in the coat, another small detail that can create discomfort and evasive/defensive saddling behavior.

[DunByMistake]

Thanks everyone. I have a leather girth with double elastic which was working fine until he got fluffier. I will try a cover and some girths made of other materials. When it first started happening, I figured he must’ve had a cut or sore in that area and I inspected it very closely and found nothing.

JB, it was cooling off when it started happening but we had a pretty decent fall. He definitely does not like being cold.

[SolarFlare]

Mine is very similar although maybe not as bad. I’ll get the side eye when I do up the girth just the first time (ie. Attaching the second side). He is not ulcery and has no issues with grooming or my leg etc. It happens with both short and long girths, anatomic or straight, leather/fleece/Thinline/memory foam, dressage or jump saddle.

I did notice it was better after he was massaged. I’m leaning towards stiff muscles in cooler weather.

He’s also TB but grows barely any winter coat. He’s not sensitive to the hair getting ruffled either.

[candyappy]

With just weekend riding it could be his fitnesses and shape has changed some and the saddle my not fit like it did. He could associate riding with pain if your weekend rides leave him sore from lack of fitness.

Some do get sensitive and touchy with cold weather or it could be the girth or how tight you are girthing him.

[SCI]

I have a TB who was hard to put weight on, susceptible to ulcers, was girthy and reactive in winter. He was genetically diagnosed with PSSM2 (let me first say that the genetic test is new and has not been peer reviewed and therefore most vets will not even discuss it). With that said, Type 2 horses don’t process protein properly. After a diet change, my horse has put on weight, muscle, and we are entering into our second winter as “a new horse.” The issues in the winter are that their back muscles get really tight so they need extra blanketing (or a Back on Track) in addition to the diet change. So far, 50% of the TB that have been genetically tested as part of this study have had at least one of the genetic mutation variants.

[JB]

@DunByMistake

JB, it was cooling off when it started happening but we had a pretty decent fall. He definitely does not like being cold.

That’s what I was going for. Read SCI’s post - I would absolutely be testing for PSSM Type 2, or at least trying that type of diet - lower sugar + start, but more importantly, higher protein, and a lot of people are getting great results with adding whey protein powder.

[DunByMistake]

Thanks JB and SCI. I will do some research into PSSM2. He’s already on a low sugar, high protein diet so we are on the right path in that regard. He definitely had some stiff muscles when I got him and I’ve been getting him treated with PEMF which has made a huge difference. I just assumed that was the effect of track life.

[PNWjumper]

I have a couple of horses who are…just that way. Both had serious back issues when I got them and neither ever got over the girthiness. I know (as close to “as a fact” as is possible!) that there are no physical issues now, but it’s just kind of their thing. My mare is 23 and has done it since I got her at 6, and my gelding is my FEI Grand Prix horse who I got off the track at 5 and he is now 18. He adds the ever-so-lovely quirk of trying to stomp on my feet while I tighten the girth…which he’s also done since I got him. Funny, though, that he doesn’t actually care when the girth gets tightened all the way (during which time he is super relaxed), it’s only when you’re hooking the girth on the lower holes.

So while I wish you the best of luck in figuring it out, I think that’s one of those things that some horses resent no matter the approach, the material, or anything else.

[DunByMistake]

@PNWjumper Thanks. I kind of suspect it’s something he doesn’t really like and the long winter coat just makes it that much more uncomfortable. I’m going to experiment with fleece girth just to see. He doesn’t seem like he’s suffering greatly. Like your horse, it’s just the initial bringing it across his belly to get onto first hole. Then he couldn’t care less. If it persists when he sheds out next year, I will pursue further.

[Greys4Days22]

So I experienced a similar issue when I clipped my mare. When we clipped her she got super sensitive and I was using one of the neoprene Professional Choice girths. I ended up having to switch to a fleece girth, but she’s a lot happier with it now! Fleece girth is definitely something to try!

[Greys4Days22]

I also have a friend who got one of the Lettia (I think that’s how you spell it) padded girths for her EXTREMELY girthy gelding and he’s super sweet now, consider that too!!

[cnd8]

Sounds like ulcer behavior to me.

[JB]

@DunByMistake

Thanks JB and SCI. I will do some research into PSSM2. He’s already on a low sugar, high protein diet

What’s his diet? “high protein” in the context of a regular horse is usually still not enough for these guys

[SCI]

@DunByMistake

Thanks JB and SCI. I will do some research into PSSM2. He’s already on a low sugar, high protein diet so we are on the right path in that regard. He definitely had some stiff muscles when I got him and I’ve been getting him treated with PEMF which has made a huge difference. I just assumed that was the effect of track life.

For PSSM2 in addition to high protein (more on that in a minute), they also recommend magnesium, salt, and vitamin E. As far as the high protein is concerned, my horse is getting alfalfa pellets (3 pounds) and Purina Super Sport (at twice the recommended dose). Some people supplement with Tri Amino as their protein supplement. But, if you aren’t supplementing, and your horse is PSSM2, then a “regular” high protein diet probably isn’t enough for him.

[Haylter]

Static shock (or fear of it happening because it has in the past) or Ulcers…my guy had solid poops a coat ready to go under the lights in any show ring and good weight…still officially diagnosed with ulcers and hind gut acidosis.