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Despite what some may think, horses are not disobedient or dangerous by nature. In general, they are very kind-natured and cooperative animals. However, this is dependent on two basic needs being met; they must understand what you are asking of them, and they must be free from pain and discomfort to be able to do as asked.
Negative behaviour in horses is often the result of a poorly fitting saddle, and it’s your duty as a horse owner or rider to recognise the telltale signs that your saddle may be the root cause of these issues. Once you know how to identify the signs, you’ll be in a better position to ensure you can rectify the issue as quickly as possible.
We’ve put together a list of the most common behavioural signs that your horse is likely to display if your saddle is causing a problem, to help you recognise when it’s time to call out a professional saddle fitter.
15 behavioural signs that your saddle is causing discomfort
There are plenty of ways in which your horse is likely to indicate that there’s a problem with the fit of their saddle, so keep an eye out for any of the following negative behaviours;
1. Avoiding certain situations – Do they try to walk away when being tacked up?
2. Putting their ears back, shaking their head or showing their teeth when approached with a saddle
3. Excessive tail swishing, both in the stables and when ridden
4. Pawing the ground in a frustrated or anxious way
5. Threatening to bite you when you come near with the saddle
6. Displaying any negative behaviour when the girth is done up
7. Reluctance to walk forwards when being ridden
8. Refusal of jumps
9. Taking unusually short strides
10. Getting out of breath quickly when ridden
11. Bucking or rearing under saddle
12. Hollowing their back and not working in an outline
13. Tripping or stumbling when ridden
14. Inability to canter on the right leg
15. Irregular gaits
If your horse displays any of these signs, it’s time to get your saddle fitter out to assess the fit of your saddle.
Your horse is trying to communicate to you that there is a problem, so there is no point in whipping the horse or trying to discipline the horse, as it won’t improve the situation. You need to start listening to your horse and helping them to do their job by providing them with a saddle that fits correctly.
Having a well fitting saddle is imperative to having a happy, healthy, ridden horse, and well worth the money spent on saddle fitting appointments and finding a good quality saddle. Your horse will repay you with lovely rides out whilst hacking and a huge improvement in their performance, which can only be a good thing if you are competing to win!
You can find your local saddle fitter here.
If you would like access to The Saddle Bank’s FREE Saddle Fitting Guide and our unmissable step by step checklist to ensure your saddle fits your horse, click here.
Want to know more?
If you want to learn more about how to recognise the signs your saddle does not fit, then join the many happy riders in The Saddle Bank academy.
Get instant access to online courses all about horses from the comfort of your home. Learn about saddle fitting, anatomy, conformation and much more.
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