Introducing a reactive horse to saddlebags...

[runNjump86]

This could get interesting.

I’m riding a very reactive MFT mare. Sensitive even to rein movement, but has a good mind and stops after taking a few quick steps forward.

How do you typically introduce saddlebags? The first time I put them on my gelding I just attached them to my saddle, hopped on, and off we went. He wasn’t thrilled, but he isn’t nearly as reactive and sensitive as she is.

I really don’t want to just strap them on and turn her loose in a round pen…she could run circles for hours. :lol: Perhaps lunging her with them on, so that I have contact/control?

Also I will try and get a video of this as I’m sure it’ll be amusing.

[JumpQH]

I have a sensitive horse that I always free-lounge in a 60’ round pen before riding to see what I have for that day. I put the saddlebags on and lounged as normal. He got used to them pretty quickly, luckily. He surprised me - I thought he’d have a problem with them, but the only problem was in my own mind!

[quarterhorse4me]

Working/lunging in the round pen seems to work for my trainer. They get used to the bouncing around and then some additional weight a little later. It worked well for my girlfriends gelding and he will do the same for my flighty mare when she goes for a tune up at the end of the season.

[D_Taylor]

Same as above here…

In a small round pen. Stuff them full of towels so they are good and floppy but no weight slapping at them. Gradually replace with items that cause a bit more slap. Keep it short. Keep it safe. Keep it as positive as possible and they get over it pretty fast. Even my ADD brained horse can now deal with saddle bags. Tho every once in a while he snorts when one slaps him. Just a “knock it off” is more then enough assurance that all is well with the world.

If extremely freakish strap the saddle bags acrossed the saddle seat for the 1st session and not behind the saddle.

[birdsong]

Ditto …
But if she’s that spooky I would start by walking around her with them in my hand a bumping her all over…basically sacking her out. Then when she’s bored with that attach them to the back of the saddle.

[SuckerForHorses]

I tied them on, filled them with stuff, and sent him out in the roundpen. I added weight from the get-go because you’re not going to be packing towels…might as well get the horse used to what you’re actually gunna be packing. I did this every day for a week. Now I haven’t used them in a few years so would do the same again just to make sure he remembers. Kind of a scatterbrain…