Posted 2006-09-18 1:21 PM (#48715) Subject: Cure for cinchy old mare?
Regular
Posts: 68 Location: Flagstaff, AZ
Neighbor just got a 21 yr old mare (gift) who is very cinchy. Bit my friend yesterday when she just touched the girth to her. She was informed she was cinchy but didn't expect it to be this severe. Any ideas for correcting cinchy behavior? As far as we know the mare has not been abused or intentionally hurt.
Posted 2006-09-18 10:04 PM (#48748 - in reply to #48715) Subject: RE: Cure for cinchy old mare?
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 316 Location: Illinois
Patience. Go slow with cinching, just a hole, or if you just tie off a little bit at a time. Talk to her and rub her. Make sure girths are always clean and not pinching anywhere.
Posted 2006-09-18 10:55 PM (#48751 - in reply to #48715) Subject: RE: Cure for cinchy old mare?
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 489 Location: CA
A whole bunch of options for why she's cinchy, and they need to be treated differently depending on what they are. 1)was cinched up too tight once, or more, and never forgot or forgave; 2)got a severe gall once, or more; 3)the saddle is pinching; 4)she's put up a fuss before and got out of saddling; 5)she's super sensitive and will need to go slow, but is otherwise fine; 6)she has a"floating rib" up under the elbow.....Gosh, I can't think of any more for now.....First I'd check the saddle and pad. Second I'd go real slow like the previous poster recommended. I'd persist with the saddling even if she gets _itchy, but be careful! I'd do lots of rubbing, massaging etc. in the saddle and girth area to desensitize her. And if all else fails (or even not) I'd call a horse chiropractor to check out physical causes. Good luck. Horses have memories like elephants, and once they have a bad experience, they often re-live it whenever the "trigger" happens. I have a gelding who "freezes" kinda when saddled. He still thinks I just might be mean this time, even though I've been nice for 3 years now! Wow!
Posted 2006-09-20 9:41 PM (#48861 - in reply to #48751) Subject: RE: Cure for cinchy old mare?
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 385 Location: washington
I read a Monty Roberts Q&A about this... he advised blanketing the horse, and using an overgirth (elastic) like the kind they use on race horses, and leaving it on the horse, over the blanket, overnight... then bring it up a couple notches. Keep this routine up until the horse was basically de-sensitized. I don't know if it'd work on every horse, but it worked on the horse he was helping.
Posted 2006-09-21 12:11 AM (#48867 - in reply to #48715) Subject: RE: Cure for cinchy old mare?
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 489 Location: CA
I've never heard of the technique Monty Roberts used. Did he use a saddle blanket? I'm wondering how the blanket would stay on if the girth wasn't snug already. I mean, that's the whole problem, right? Maybe I'm missing something here.......... I'd love to find a "cure" for my gelding's mistrust, so I'll try just about anything!
Posted 2006-09-21 3:56 PM (#48900 - in reply to #48715) Subject: RE: Cure for cinchy old mare?
Regular
Posts: 68 Location: Flagstaff, AZ
Thanks for all your replies. I was thinking already of the soft girth overnight idea. Think I will suggest she just go for all afternoon. We all know that left to their own devices a horse will get in trouble if it can. The more I am around the old gal the more I think she is trying to buffalo.
What is a floating rib?
Posted 2006-09-21 7:08 PM (#48917 - in reply to #48715) Subject: RE: Cure for cinchy old mare?
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 489 Location: CA
A floating rib is when the first 2 ribs get squeezed by the elbow and barrel of the horse and overlap each other. Apparently it's very painful for horses with this problem to have a cinch, since that's the exact spot we use to hold our saddles. If anyone else has a better (more anatomically correct) explanation, please jump in! Any chiropractors out there?
Posted 2006-09-21 8:37 PM (#48923 - in reply to #48867) Subject: RE: Cure for cinchy old mare?
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 385 Location: washington
The blanket Monty Roberts put the overgirth on was a turnout blanket, the full body kind that you put on them in cold weather... not a saddle blanket. If the weather was warm, you'd have to use a fly sheet or very lightweight blanket. *
Cure for cinchy old mare?
, even though I've been nice for 3 years now! Wow!
I'd love to find a "cure" for my gelding's mistrust, so I'll try just about anything!