Case Study #5: Badlands Dena EVALUATION BY LINDA TELLINGTON-JONES 3
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PHOTO 1: Ac- cording to her owner, Dena
began pinning her ears and bucking when
asked to canter under saddle.
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PHOTOS 2 & 3: Dena’s sensitivity may be due to uncomfortable pressure from the saddle on her loin area, shoulders or withers when she is asked to canter.
Badlands Deena is an 11-year-old, 1,100-lb, 15-hand registered Quarter Horse mare. I ride her for pleasure and in trail challenge
events. She has high withers with a dip just behind them. I use two pads: a Neoprene covered in felt; and a Navajo pad. I use them together and she has dry spots when I take the saddle off . She bucked me off last month and had never done that before. I can’t even canter her any more. She pins her ears and is ugly. What I think may have happened is that she was heavier and has lost weight. I think she looks fi t er but the saddle fi ts diff erently now. I think the ear pinning defi nitely has something to do with it. I talked to a trainer (very reputable, QH judge) and she said all the problems I am having could be f om a saddle that doesn’t fi t. I have tried other pads and combinations. I think I may have to get a saddle made for her.—Suzan Hunt
point to a problem other than saddle fi t. I would check to see if she is sensitive to touch pressure on her loin area, shoulders or withers. It is possible she is bucking because of that. However, it looks like there is plenty of room for clearance on the withers (Photos 2 and 3), so the problem may come from pressure on the shoulders or loins. Does Dena raise her head when you ask her to canter? T at could create painful pressure on the loin or shoulders. Could you ride bareback to see if Dena still pins her ears?
T
If she does not pin her ears, you may need a new saddle. But before you order a new saddle I recommend you try a Cloud
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WWW.TRAILBLAZERMAGAZINE.US • November 2012 | 31
he fact that Dena is pinning her ears (Photo 1) and you say you can no longer canter her without bucking may
Nine saddle pad. T ese were developed and manufactured by Mat hew Mackay-Smith, DVM, retired Medical Editor for EQUUS Magazine. He rode the Tevis Cup 100-mile-in-one- day endurance ride many times with this pad, and it is still my pad of choice aſt er 40 years. I have put this pad on horses with sore backs many times and have seen the soreness reduced as the horse worked with this pad. T e Cloud Nine has memory foam combined with a very comfortable fl eece-like cover, but I would still shim up the hollow place behind the withers. I have experienced good success with shimming and a variety of saddle pads. Good luck to you and Dena!
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