Shaking when saddled?

Question

my mare who is 18, has started shaking when i have saddle her up. The saddle is not a year old, and was fitted by a qualified saddler. Also she has very bad manner whilst riding by not listening to hands, legs etc. Is this a leant behaviour as she is very bolshy and always tries to get her own way, catching has always been a problem too. i have thought about having her sent away for 're-training' i have had her 15 years and i thought that things would get better but it hasnt. She is slightly overweight and i want her to get fit and supple as she isnt a spring chicken no more

Answer 1

I would definitley get a vet to check her all over. She could be in pain. Also get her bloods checks it could be internally not externally.

Answer 2

make sure its all the way up on her haunches,check the blanket for dirt,bugs,etc. Also check her girth strap and her skin for bug bites an groom her very well where her saddle and girth strap goes.

Answer 3

she thinks shes the boss. she's probably playing you for a fool, by ignoring your hand and leg aids, or she may be in pain. i would get her checked by the vets. She may also be slightly cold backed, so put the saddle on 20mins before you ride, and also try a nice thick numnah, to spread the weight over her back a bit better. If you have had her for 15 years, shes probably learnt to do things her own way and therefore not listen to you, as you may have let her get away with it as a youngster. my horse (hes 12now) has just started to show his true colours. For the last 5 years he has been a total gent, and this year, wel he's got a s***w loose and gets away with murder!!! It is never to late to re-train, but depending on her health, it may be quite hard work for her and a strain. Just keep on riding her and get someone with more experience to ride her a bit if she starts to get to much for you.

Answer 4

Get a vet to check her out, it sounds like she may have a back problem. Also she could have been broken in cruely so she is scared of the saddle. Try bringing her down to where you saddle her and give her a full grooming, pick out her hooves, attck her legs with a brush, curry her ENTIRE BODY! Its tough but most horses love it. Then use a dandy brush to wisp all the dirt away, also use a soft brush or towel for her face and talk to her and give her treats as you groom. Then let her back into her pasture, if you do it often it builds trust and confidence. This will also help if you want to catch her because then she will associate you with nice things. Also take her out for some trail rides or mix up the ring riding by riding between opstacles and mounting and dismounting randomly so she isn't bored or annoyed. Try to just bond with her, if you don't have time to ride go visit her with a carrot or apples and then leave so she isn't afraid of being approached. Good luck!

Answer 5

Get her checked over by a vet.  All these problems sound like she is worried about being ridden, doesn't want to be caught, tacking up and then not listening to aids.  That would indicate to me that the horse may be in pain and as she is getting older if there has been an injury, perhaps caused many many years before, that has just niggled, old age, stiffness, etc may be making it more painful for her.  

To help with the caughting issue.  Go to the field regularly and give her a carrot or apple and a scratch or stroke but don't actually bring her in.  Do this over and over again and soon she will want to come over to you whether you want to ride or just say hello to her.  

Good luck.

Answer 6

Have you tried having long grooming sessions without saddling her up, then putting her away, not always saddling her?  I would like to see you forget the saddle for a while and teach or re-teach her some ground manners and some confidence in your.  If a horse can consider you their leader, it will have more confidence in your and what you are doing with it.  Practice leading this mare on a plain halter, if she doesn't respect it, use a chain..not OVER her nose, under her chin, and be kind when using it.  teach her that when you have her in the halter and walk toward her, she is the one that has to move out of the way...lead her as if you were in a showmanship class, and if she "talks back" in any way, correct her, either verbally or reinforce it with a whip.  Teach her to set up square and to whoa until you tell her to go...if she wiggles and squirms, put her back into place and tell her whoa!...be confident and she will get confidence in you...in the meantime, check all tack that touches her for any burrs, nails, etc.  You may even want to have your vet check her out for any nerve injury.

Answer 7

If she will let you, masage her withers and go down the back bone and repeat as long as you need to.

Answer 8

Her stress response is out of whack and if I had my guess, I'd be thinking metabolic syndrome, which creates hormone chaos for the horse.  I'd have her hormone levels checked since at 18 this is a pretty common thing.