# What injuries would a badly fitting saddle cause?



## Christmas Crumpet (23 October 2007)

Just being curious because people always talk about what damage badly fitting saddles do but never really what the damage or what symptoms the horse would show are?


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## Amymay (23 October 2007)

muscle wastage,
nerve damage
pain
saddle sores

That is just the back.

You could have accompanying problems related to all those because of the horse compensating elsewhere.  Like shortness of stride.  Pain in the neck and poll area.

If you'd seen my horse when I bought him he would have exhibed lots of these symptoms for you - plus more.  All because of poorly fitted tack.


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## Bert&Maud (23 October 2007)

It is also believed that a badly fitting saddle can cause kissing spines. My horse has white hairs on his withers from a badly fitting saddle which correspond exactly to the site of his kissing spines. This is now a common condition and I believe that horse owners should take every possible step to make sure their horse is comfortable in a perfectly fitting saddle. I would give anything to undo the damage that was done to my lovely boy.


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## knightrider (24 October 2007)

And not to mention...pain of any sort equalls behavioural problems...that even when the saddle is fitted/changed stick with the horse as a mental issue


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## dozzie (24 October 2007)

Thats really interesting as i had a problem with a saddle which caused various problems all similar to the above. Have had a Wow for a year and the behaviour issues have disappeared and now having physio which seems to be putting right the damage. What started out as possible kissing spine, then became sacroiliac strain is now we believe related to neck and poll problems. 

The SI strain/neck/poll issues (still not absolutely sure where it started) have led also to stifle, pastern, hock, shoulder, hamstring pressure/strain. And it all started with a brand new saddle with a design fault, which the manufacturers will not admit to, yet most saddlers will know about! (The points break and the tree falls apart. Great! This is within the first two years or so. )


So I agree with Amymay. A badly fitting saddle leads to so many problems which may not even be in the back!  
	
	
		
		
	


	





(Id just like to add that since getting physio and the wow the problems are disappearing ( the Wow was not the problem saddle). Id love to have another scan just to see the difference but dont think they would scan a sound horse! Well they probably would but dont think insurance would pay! 
	
	
		
		
	


	




 Didnt want peeps to think the wow was a problem...Its been our lifesaver)


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## kerilli (24 October 2007)

i heard of a horse who suddenly went absolutely unrideable. long and short of it is that they had it shot, then had the saddle looked at properly (nice owners then), and there was a sharp tack pointing downwards right under where the rider's bum would be. doesn't take a rocket scientist to work that one out. 
	
	
		
		
	


	








hollowing, associate back problems, lameness, muscle wastage, and extremes of behaviour including bucking, rearing, bolting, etc etc.
however, it must be said that horses exhibit extremes of pain tolerance, and it all depends on the individual. some horses go okay in a crippling saddle for years, others won't go a yard unless it is supremely comfy.


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## Amymay (24 October 2007)

To add to what I said yesterday.  I bought my horse knowing that he had a bad back (to be honest it's how I could afford him).  

I have spent a lot of money on physio, my saddle was fitted to him by a master saddler, and he was, and continues to be, worked in a manner which will encourage muscle development in the wasted areas.

The transformation has been fantastic.  And I have a healthy and pain free horse.  he can now do handstands (without me on him thank god), is forward going, has developed muscle where it should be and 'looks' totally different.  He was very closed off when I first had him.


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