Horse flinches back when taking saddle off

[mydogs]

I’ve been noticing some signs that my horse’s back might be a bit sore, or I think it is his back. He is 22 years old, was showing 4th level earlier this year and is now having fun showing 1st level with me.

Two things happen:

1. When grooming or brushing his back/barrel area, he will move back and forth and curls his tongue into his mouth – doesn’t do this on the other parts of his body

2. When I put the saddle pad on, then the saddle, then the girth, he curls his tongue during the whole process. He stops with the tongue curling/chewing ether if I wait a few seconds before adding anything else to his back (ie: saddle pad, chews tongue, wait a few seconds, add saddle, chews tongue, wait,) or after I put the bridle on and buckle the noseband (noseband is not tight at all, I can comfortable fit my fingers under it)

3. I take off the saddle, then the saddle pad. When I do, his back flinches when I remove the saddle and his back flinches when I remove the saddle pads.

He doesn’t react when you touch his back with your finger/when palpated.

But, he does carry one hip lower than the other.

Things I have already done or already scheduled:

• Massage
• His chiro appointment is set in a few weeks (she also does myofascial release, acupuncture, and other services). So I’m hoping to see how that goes
• Saddle completely reflocked and refitted
• Teeth recently floated
• I try to do daily massages (he is tight in his hind end) & we do carrot stretches before and after rides
• On a joint supplement

If he is still acting up after the chiro appointment, I’ll have the vet out, just to be safe.

Any other ideas to hold me over until then?

[Posting_Trot]

Could it be that the newly reflocked and refitted saddle actually has made saddlefit worse? That would be my first question.

If you run your thumbnail alongside the spine (on the long back muscle), does the horse flinch, dip down, snap his teeth, etc.? If so, he does have a sore back. Does he dip or move away as you try to mount? Ditto.

Or does he flinch when you brush him on other parts of his body? Or act uncomfortable or unusually reactive? Has he ever been checked for lyme disease? Lyme can make horses become hyper-reactive to touch, and can also cause personality changes. Something to ask your vet about.

Good luck.

[mydogs]

@Posting Trot

Could it be that the newly reflocked and refitted saddle actually has made saddlefit worse? That would be my first question.

before it was reflocked, the flocking was pretty hard. I can’t imagine a horse liking that, ha. But maybe?

@Posting Trot

If you run your thumbnail alongside the spine (on the long back muscle), does the horse flinch, dip down, snap his teeth, etc.? If so, he does have a sore back. Does he dip or move away as you try to mount? Ditto.

No reactions when I run my thumbnail along his back in various areas.

As long as he is square with his front legs, he doesn’t walk away when I mount.

@Posting Trot

Or does he flinch when you brush him on other parts of his body? Or act uncomfortable or unusually reactive? Has he ever been checked for lyme disease? Lyme can make horses become hyper-reactive to touch, and can also cause personality changes. Something to ask your vet about.

No reactions anywhere else, just the back.
Didnt even think about lymes, will definitely keep that in mind.

[JB]

A video would help.

When I read the title of this, I first thought the saddle is too hard (flocking) or too narrow/tight. While in use, the horse can “get used to it”, and deal just fine, but think of how you have taken off shoes or pants that were too tight (and haven’t we all at some point?). It felt just ok, no biggie, while on, but take them off and the release of the pressure can be a bit uncomfortable

When grooming, the moving back and forth is a very common action of a horse trying to guide you to the spot that itches the most.

When you remove the saddle, then the pad, are the girth billets, and then the edges of the pad, sliding across his back in a way that just tickles, so he twitches?

[mydogs]

@JB

When you remove the saddle, then the pad, are the girth billets, and then the edges of the pad, sliding across his back in a way that just tickles, so he twitches?

I never thought of that. I’ll have to pay attention a bit more tonight to that. Even the slightest lift of the saddle pad sends his back into twitches.

The saddle is probably on the cusp of being a hair to wide than it is being too narrow.

Something I forgot to add that I will add to the original post:

When I put the saddle pad on, then the saddle, then the girth, he curls his tongue during the whole process. He stops with the tongue curling/chewing ether if I wait a few seconds before adding anything else to his back (ie: saddle pad, chews tongue, wait a few seconds, add saddle, chews tongue, wait,) or after I put the bridle on and buckle the noseband (noseband is not tight at all, I can comfortable fit my fingers under it)