Girthy Horse...

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horsecrazychick

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Dec 23, 2004
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How do you train a girthy horse not to bite when you tighten the girth? I've tried ignoring her and I've tried popping her in the nose but nothing works. My horse will bite whoever she can reach when I tighten the girth, and if her head is tied too tight to reach me then she'll bite the fence. :rolleyes: Tack fits fine though, and it can't be the tack because she does this with her english saddle, her western saddle, and her bareback pad. Yet she doesn't so much as blink when I tighten the girth while mounted.
 
I'd still be thinking its a pain reaction. Even if the gear fits fine now there can be back and girth (rib) problems that won't resolve on their own. Also once onboard you may find she's resigned and already 'boarded up' against the pain.

Is there any reaction if you run your hand over the area - try taking your hand from the mid point of the belly in the girth line and run it up toward the back. Once lightly and then use your hand to try to 'lift' the muscles and push them upwards. They should roll quite nicely upwards until you reach the shelf of the ribs.
 
Id be thinking pain reaction aswell. My horse is girthy, but used to be soo much worse, now she just looks at you with the evil eye and occasional nips in your direction.
I changed her saddle to a treeless and used a stud guard as this seemed to spread the pressure more. I also did a bit of a poke in the shoulder if she came to close, I do this with her rug aswell as she gets nippy then.
 
I got my mare massaged the other day by a bowen theropist/massage and she found that she was tight in the girth area now its fixed.

My mare used to swish her tail or go for the post when i was doing up the girth.

I paid 50.00 for an 1 1/2 and she doesnt do it anymore

it maybe worth getting someone out to see if she has any back pain the saddle may fit but she may be trying to tell you something.

Jacqui
 
Well I can touch her anywhere and she doesn't glare or flinch (have done the friendly game) but I will try lifting the muscles like you said tomorrow. I really don't think we have the money for a massage at the moment- my parents are making me sell one of my horses and my sister as well because we can't afford to keep more than two horses any more.
 
I've got a very girthy mare (will bite anything and anyone she can reach) and she's been given the all clear by physio's. I think it's a reaction to pain- even if the pain is no longer there. if her back was sore at a point in her life and the saddle made it worse and hurt her, chances are she remembers it as a negative and doesn't want it on.
My gelding loves his girth done up - where it sits on his belly is his 'tickle spot' and he loves his tummy rubbed and tickled around the girth area - weird horse, huh?
 
First make sure that pain is not the issue.

This is how I fixed this problem with a young horse using a western cinch. Maybe you can modify it a bit for a girth.

I stood beside the horse and pulled the cinch up to his belly and instantly released it. Do this until he doesn't even notice anymore. You want to desensitize him to something contacting his belly.

The other thing I do with him is tighten it in increments. I start out with it fairly loose, then put his bridle on, then tighten the cinch a bit, then walk a bit, then tighten, then ask for his hip, then tighten, ... and gradually take up the slack. Eventually I didn't have to do this anymore.

Hope this helps.
 
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I always do Storm's girth up gradually - bless her, she still pulls faces though, cos I think she expects it to hurt / nip (she must have had rough treatment in her past life ;) ) but when we get to about 3rd / 4th hole, she still puts her ears back for a split second and then when she realises its not actually hurting her she relaxes :p I do her up finally when I'm on her back - I try to be as kind as possible. :)
 
Paddy bites the wall when his girth is being done up but he also does it when I groom him between his front legs and I genuinely think he is just sensitive, ticklish even, in that area. He is such a poppet at all other times. He's an ex-racehorse and it may be related to how he was treated in his younger days because he really loves life now and never shows any signs of being in pain or discomfort. He also has no complaints whilst I tighten his girth once aboard. I think his is just habit from many years and his owner and I ignore it.
 
it can also be remembered pain - they're very sensitive souls, and just one pinch or too-abrupt girthing can make them snap for a long time, or a badly-fitting saddle that has now been fixed, but they still snapp a long time afterwards.

if you're certain it's not pain, then just be calm and kind, do it gradually, lots of praise when you can do anything with no faces, and let her know that actually biting you is unacceptable. let her make faces though - you want her to tell you when she is in pain.
 
I would consider checking your girth. My horse was never girthy, and I bought him a new girth, and he started pulling faces when I tightened it up. Changed it back to the old one and the problem stops. Just make sure the girth has a nice smooth edge, and it cant pinch or rub anywhere. My horse prefers a padded girth.

I also remember someone with a girthy horse with no physical problem, telling me how she put her horses saddle on, and then fed the horse with the saddle on everyday for a week, and the horse became a lot easier to girth up because it associated gorthing up with something positive. After the horse ate, she just took the saddle off. She makes sure she does this at least one day a week now, so that the horse keeps on associating it with food and not just work. The horse is still slightly apprehensive, but it was a vast improvement from him turning around and taking a chunk out of her arm.
 
Hi horsecrazychick
So sorry to learn you have to sell your sister and one of your ponies too!!
Seriously, I alway tighten the girth in stages which helps soften the blow somewhat.
 
How much is your sister??? Is she "passported" is she easy to "shoe" (or does she demand the latest fashions???).... my daughter may appreciate a "companion"..... :D

On a more serious note..... Paddy's girth does-up on the third hole on each side. I have noticed that if I do it up on hole number one on each side then faff around and do each side up one hole at a time gradually, faffing around and distracting him in between, he no longer tries to take chunks out of the wall. I think it is so gradual that he doesn't notice. I think his owner just puts it on, does it up and ignores him (she's had him for 7 years so she's pretty familiar with him!!)
 
domane said:
How much is your sister??? Is she "passported" is she easy to "shoe" (or does she demand the latest fashions???).... my daughter may appreciate a "companion"..... :D
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LOL I had no idea what you were talking about for a minute. hehe :D Too bad I can't just sell my sister and keep my pony. :p
Anyway... Trainer mentioned that the saddle is tilting forward a little and I've found a little bit of soreness in the girth area and the croup area so I'm giving her a break until Tue., at which time I think I've talked my mom into taking Jazzy to the chiropractic. So hopefully that'll be all she needs. Obviously any soreness in the girth or wither area is often caused by the saddle, but why would she be sore right by her croup? She kind of flinches when I reach that spot while running my hand down her spine and pressing.
 
Soreness by the croup:

The muscle on which the saddle sits is long and wide, going from the neck all the way back to the pelvis. When the horse is uncomfortable in one area of the back, the whole muscle often tightens up in response. This tightening of the muscle can cause soreness in the lumbar region or the sacroiliac area, both of which are right by the croup (one on each side).
 
My horse will bite anything in site when I do up her girth. She has the sweetest nature and would never bite normally, but she turns into a different horse. She is fine with me touching her girth area and grooming her but she really tenses and puffs out the second that I put the saddle on. I do the girth up really slowly but it doesn't make any difference. If I walk behind her she sometimes kicks out if she thinks that I am going round the other side to do her girth up more. She is much better when I do the girth up when she is actually moving - she doesn't bat an eyelid then.

I have had people in the yard check her out and they all say that is is due to her being in the riding school for most of her life and having her tack put on and off by lots of different people. I have put a girth cover on but this didn't help. I haven't actually investigated this problem further but after reading these replies I feel that I should and I might try a few different types of girth. Hers is leather with a sheepskin cover on. Any suggestions on what might be better? The only problem is that she is much bigger than most of the horses on the yard so I would have to buy the girths rather than borrow them to test.
 
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