how do you equine-lovers work with girthy horses?
2007-03-01 12:45:31 · 9 answers · asked by Katharine 1 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
I have a horse just like this....we bought him in November and he's progressing really well.
I'll tell you how I've been working with my gelding and hopefully you can apply it to your horse.
Start in the round pen:
Before you add the saddle, start by rubbing his belly, especially his girth area with your hands. If he's comfortable with this, take a rope and through it over his back and bring it under his belly, gently and lightly, rubbing it where the girth tightens. Keep it gentle and feeling good to him (no more pressure than you would use with your hands).
Once he is accustomed to the rope, you can put the saddle on his back. As you reach for the cinch/girth, rub the cinch area with the back of your hand, and pull the cinch/girth up against his body. Hold it there, lightly against his skin and then move it away from his body (u don't have to let go of it). Do this again, and again.
Once you feel him relax, attach the cinch to the buckles on your saddle......the first hole. Move him out a few steps, and tighten a couple more holes. Repeat this step until it's snug but not tight. You can do this a couple of holes at a time until it's applying pressure, then only by one hole at a time. Get him moving out around the round pen, into a fast walk or trot, then bring him in to you and take up another hole.
You may want to keep your cinch/ girth a couple of wholes looser than usual until he acts less cinchy.
Horses get cinchy because people haven't been gentle when cinching them up in the past (too tight, too fast, ill fitting girth) so you need to teach him that you're not going to be mean with it, and that it's ok to allow you to do this.
Email me if you have further questions
2007-03-01 12:48:25 · answer #1 · answered by Riley 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you mean Cinchy horses, then your best bet is to make sure that you apply the cinch really slowly, most likely the horse has gotten a bur, or something of that sort in there before and has caused it to be sensitive. Work slowly with the horse and try not to tighten it too much, if need be, put it on loosely, and "walk" with the horse. Then gradually work up to a trot, and then when you get there, tighten it some more. Rinse and repeat! GOOD LUCK!
2007-03-01 12:59:40 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Make sure its not in fact a back or wither problem rather than an underbelly one. A sore back or wither will make any horse hard to cinch up and even harder for the ride.
If you can rule out back soreness issues- start saddling your horse from the right side of his body so the cinch doesn't swing and hit your horses side. Also make sure that it's not a behavioral problem- this means him disrespecting you by moving around or dancing on his lead line. Make sure he stands still for you and it will make things easier for you because you can saddle him up quicker.
Just keep being gentle with him and not letting him dance around while you are saddling him up- it may not be a girth issue and just be a respect one.
2007-03-01 16:51:41 · answer #3 · answered by silvaspurranch 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Make sure he hasn't got a rib out, or has sand colic. Horses are claustrophobic, any restriction can cause problems. Try slowing the cinching procedure down. tightening gradually. Also. Does the saddle fit? That is important. Also, try to get by with a loose a cinch as is safe. Most people tend to over tighten.
2007-03-01 13:12:27 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
i have a mare who came very cinchy around the girth area....where she would try to bite and swish that tail hard! but i started off very slow. a little bit at a time and we practiced this every day several times a day...also use a rope and wrap it around the girth part....start off soft and tighten over time until the horses starts to relax. its the same concept as trying to desensitize a spooky horse with a plastic bag......start off slow and work your way up as the horse begins to relax. the key is LOTS of repetition and going slow
2007-03-02 03:25:47 · answer #5 · answered by smoovstella319 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I guess just take progress really slow, step by srep unil he is comfortable with it, the first answer seems to be what I woud do, good luck I am sure you will win in the end!
x
2007-03-01 14:45:05 · answer #6 · answered by rose_merrick 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Tellington Jones- T-Touch
massage therapy for horses, learn it, your horse will forever love you, and anyone else : )
2007-03-01 17:26:02 · answer #7 · answered by Sheila 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you could always try hardening the girth area up with surgical spirit, this way he will be less inclined to get girth galls
2007-03-01 21:26:25 · answer #8 · answered by dancing darlings 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Long cinch & loose latigo? Watch your dally dolly.....
2007-03-01 12:53:41 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋