Being cold backed - what exactly is it?

Roxy's Mum

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Jul 21, 2009
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A couple of people on the yard have talked about their previous horses being cold backed but I've never really understood what this means - I thought it was a very old term, almost an old wives tale, that described a variety of symptoms? :unsure:
 
I too am confused about this term. According to Horse and Rider's vet - it means the horse has a sore back or has had one, hence being reluctant about being tacked up, so needing the rider to be gentle and take their time, sometimes using something like a padded saddle cloth (a medicinal type one). But, have also heard that it means something like remembered pain? So not necessarily that the horse is still in pain. Also have read that it means that you should get it checked as it could be something like kissing spines.....really have no idea, so come on NR's enlighten us!
 
Traditionally (ie long ago!!) cold backed horse were thought to have tight muscles and so need their back/girth area warmed before work. Common things were to use and exercise sheet or a sheepskin numnah and leave horse saddled for a while before tightening girth or mounting, some even were lunged.

Commonly a cold backed horse will tense back muscles if mounted too quickly appearing to dip the quarters away. Some may be difficult to tack up but this is more in the nature of the horse.

We have had a couple in the RS both of whom improved and the problem stopped with a bit of thoughtfulness so I would tend to go along with the remembered pain theory.
 
Agree with the above. It generally sums up a horse that is reluctant to be tacked up or mounted for whatever reason. Rocky has "remembered pain" and dislikes his girth being done up, no matter how gently it is done. Stevie was different and would bronc when mounted when he was fit unless lunged first.
 
Cold backed is the horse is difficult to tack up and can get a bit jumpy when mounted. New someone who had a cold backed nag he used to give its back a good gentle rub to get the blood flowing then put the saddle on gently and just put the girth on the first hole walk the horse for a couple of minutes then do the girth up slowly. Seemed to work cos it was a lovely horse to ride just needed patience when tacking up. Can be caused by pain from earlier on in its riding or some are just irritable when tacking up. Remember the absolutely perfect horse is yet to be born, however, there are lots that come very close.
 
We had a pony who we never allowed clients to tack up. If it was done with anything less than great care he'd pull all manner of faces. Carelessness in doing the girth up can make them mardy.
 
Mmm, ok so cold backed is remembered pain? So at the moment Flipo is a bit tense with the saddle going on, since I had him in too narrow a gullet for a few months. :redface: He tenses when he feels the girth against his sides, but I find gently touching him with it before doing it up is enough for him to relax. Once its on, he's fine.

Compare this to my friend's arab, who had a tense back from a young age, and gets regular treatments. He also has some muscle damage from an injury where he was speared between his back legs a few years ago. When his saddle is put on, he is tense, gets antsy and must be moved around within a few seconds of placing the saddle on his back. For the most part this is enough to stop him from having any issues, but he has been known to throw himself on the ground if severe, cold, and not allowed to move more or less immediately.

I'm just interested in the definition of cold backed in terms of remembered pain vs back pain. Would it be used for both? I just hope that I can resolve the remembered pain issue I have with my boy over time. (Will never make same mistake again.)
 
I think cold backed is like colic, the term can be used to describe so many root causes.
 
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