The wet-dog shake! Could it be my new saddle pad? Or what?

[pAin_t_Misbehavin]

Since starting to use my Diamond Wool pad and my western saddle (Fabtron Lady Trail), my horse has started doing the wet-dog-shake pretty often. Like four or five times in two hours. Both during groundwork and while I’m riding. And once untacked he can’t wait to have a good back-scratching roll in the dirt. Even before getting his water.

I’ve had this horse for three years. For about a year, I rode him in an AP english saddle with a cotton pad and a sheepskin half pad on top of that. After that, I rode in a close contact jumping saddle with a cotton pad and a thinline on top of the cotton pad. Never once did he do the wet-dog-shake while tacked up.

Do y’all think the wool pad might be itchy? Should I try something else? If so, what?

Or do you think something else entirely might be causing this behavior?

[wylde_sage]

Interesting. Wool allergy? Something in the bottom of the pad? How are the sweat patterns? I’d be curious as to what others say…

[Tee]

I would try a different pad, or a thin pad under the wool, to see if he reacts the same way. Could be he’s sensitive and the wool is a little itchy to him. Or just ride in an entirely different pad and see if he still does it.

It’d be a way to eliminate the pad as a problem, for sure.

[UrbanHennery]

I’d bet it’s the wool - my last reiner didn’t like wool pads, made him itch and caused the same reaction as well as a crabby face.

[Pocket_Pony]

How’s the weather where you are? Is his coat long and shaggy and it is warm and/or humid outside? Mac does the shake when he gets really sweaty with his winter coat on.

[cmdrcltr]

I had an Appy who couldn’t stand wool or synthetic fleece. I had to use quilted pads and had a quilted liner made to go under his western show pad. I’d definitely try that to investigate the possibility.

[Fillabeana]

Do y’all think the wool pad might be itchy? Should I try something else? If so, what?

Yep.

Take your pad inside while you’re watching TV or something, and run your fingers over every inch of the part that contacts him. There might be something abrasive that you can’t see, but you might feel.

I’ve had lots of inexpensive wool blankets (though not pads) with bits of scratchy stuff (seedheads, bits of nylon, whatever) woven right into the blanket. I plan on the ‘watch TV and finger the blanket’ treatment before I ride in them. (These are the imported, $30 to $50 for a New Zealand wool single layer blanket deals:www.chicksaddlery.com/page/CDS/PROD/SJ1314 )

If you don’t find anything, try lining the pad with a single layer ‘towel’ of an A/P cotton saddle pad, a cotton towel, or a wool blanket and see what the horse thinks.
I have a friend that uses synthetic fleece as a liner, cheap and washable, and it works for his horses quite well.
I had a Perchy/TB gelding that would NOT do synthetic at all, made him REALLY itchy. Wool or cotton, only!

And do you know the trick to stay on if your horse dog-shakes while you’re still aboard? You lean back and stick your feet well out to the front, you can sort of ‘ride the wave’ that way.

[wylde_sage]

Horse-Quake!

[pAin_t_Misbehavin]

[QUOTE=Fillabeana;7261104]
Yep.

Take your pad inside while you’re watching TV or something, and run your fingers over every inch of the part that contacts him. There might be something abrasive that you can’t see, but you might feel.
. . .

If you don’t find anything, try lining the pad with a single layer ‘towel’ of an A/P cotton saddle pad, a cotton towel, or a wool blanket and see what the horse thinks.
I have a friend that uses synthetic fleece as a liner, cheap and washable, and it works for his horses quite well.
I had a Perchy/TB gelding that would NOT do synthetic at all, made him REALLY itchy. Wool or cotton, only!

And do you know the trick to stay on if your horse dog-shakes while you’re still aboard? You lean back and stick your feet well out to the front, you can sort of ‘ride the wave’ that way.[/QUOTE]

Thanks! I thought there might be something caught in the wool underside of the pad, so already checked that as you described. Naught amiss there.

So I thought about putting a cotton towel underneath, but couldn’t figure out how to keep it from slipping backwards. My old cotton saddle pads would probably work better. I’ll try it!

I discovered the leaning back part of staying on all by myself, thanks. But I hadn’t thought about sticking my feet forward. If there’s a next time, I’ll remember.