Horse flips over when saddling?

Question

I just recently purchased a paint show gelding(12 years old) that after he is saddled will stand a couple minutes tied then all of a sudden pull back or flip over. Does anyone have a solution to this. I have tried saddling slowly and carefully making sure not to pinch him and would reasure him between tightening by petting and saying good boy etc... He has had different saddles on w/ different girths. He is a very big horse being 16.2 and1500lbs I don't know what else to do. I have been succesful so far at saddling him if someone just holds him and walks him around in between tightening. He has done it at home and just recently at our first show out. His former owner stated he had never done it before but won't let me return him for refund and I am upset beings I paid several thousand for him and am stuck with a permanant problem.I also spoke w/ the owner before them and they never had that problem. Can anyone relate or help w/ this issue?

Answer 1

At some point he's been pinched and is afraid of it happening again  - I have one that does that and the only way we have found to avoid the performance is the very slow fasten, walk, tighten, walk routine and not forgetting to stretch his front legs out to straighten the skin. Been through endless pads, girths and several saddles and even a bareback surcingle.

We know he didn't do it at his previous home or when we first got him so I can only guess it was one of the girls who managed to pinch him. He is getting better so hopefully it will stop completely eventually.

I'd suggest carrying on as you are doing with the walking etc and save the final tightening until you're actually in the saddle.

Answer 2

Perhaps there is something wrong with his saddle blanket?

You said he's alright if someone is holding him or walking him, so if there is a human nearby, he's less prone to flipping over?

It really does seem like a mystery, and if he isn't spooked WHILE you're saddling him I'm not sure I can identify the problem.

Answer 3

Hello,

Does he ground tie?  He may panic when tied up.

Answer 4

Obsviously the previous owner is lieing. Try saddling him while not tied because if he's flipping over he could very well hurt you or someone else. Have you had him vet checked? Maybe he has back problems and the saddle hurts him? Or maybe he just doesn't like the saddle.

Answer 5

it's probably that he doesn't tie. Try the Blocker tie ring and a breakaway halter.

Tie ring:

http://www.blueskiestack.com/blocker_tie...

and you can find a breakaway halter just about anywhere.

--Good Luck!

Answer 6

Try placing the saddle on him and not doing up the girth, then take it off then start doing this with the girth tightining up a hole at a time.

You can ask the old owners to come and saddle him up with the saddle that they used on him if they bock or refuse to then they could be lieing

Good luck and i hope this helps

Answer 7

Without being able to see him it is a hard thing to really give you a solid answer. What my guess would be is that this horse is "cold backed".

Usually you see a "cold backed" horse react when you first sit on them but some horses react just from the tightening of the girth. We had an old Arabian gelding, years ago, who would just sit down if someone tightened up his girth without moving him around. He was fine as long as you lunged him in a fairly loose girth and tightened it in small increments. It only took another 10 minutes and sure kept him happy.

As for a reason for cold backed horses the only explanation I have heard is that something is being pinched or hurt when they are first cinched up or first sat on. The gelding we had showed no other signs of pain or discomfort and was a happy guy as long as we followed what worked best for him.

http://www.horse-injuries-and-therapy.co...