New trainer and saddle sores

Denver12 · 04-20-2007, 08:23 PM

Hi all,
I am trying out a new trainer for one of my horses.
She made promises that I could come and see my horse anytime I wanted and that she would call me once maybe even twice a week for updates.
Well the first week goes by and she tells me that my horse is doing great and ahead of others that she has trained and that she will call me next week so I can go and try my horse out so far.
The next week comes and goes and no call, so I call. She tells me that my horse is still doing great but has a saddle sore and will ride him in a couple days and that I can come next week.
How long do saddle sores normally take to heal?
Should I be worried?
Is this normal for horses in training?

Littonian · 04-20-2007, 08:42 PM

Well, if she does a lot of horses, she probably uses the same saddle on all of them. It a case of her having something she's comfortable and secure in, and not being able to buy a different saddle for every horse that comes into her barn for training.

So the saddle she's using doesn't fit, and that can often cause saddle sores.

I usually try to catch them before they're actual sores (i.e. rubbed hair and/or sensitivity in the back), but sometimes that's just not possible.

Treated properly and caught early, they heal quickly. But the key to getting them to heal is to NOT ride them. Even if she switches to a better fitting saddle, the pad will continue to rub at the sore, not allowing it to scab over and heal. Different ointments will help, but just like any other wound, it needs to scab so it can grow new skin and hair in underneath.

But if it's more severe, and she continues to ride him, it will take longer to heal. I wouldn't be surprised if the next time you talk to her she tells you it may be a bit longer before she can ride him again. It sounds like she's being quite upfront about how things are going, so I wouldn't be too concerned. Also, in regards to not hearing from her; I know, as a trainer, it's my least favorite thing to give owners bad news, especially injuries. So she may have been waiting in hopes the sore would heal before she talked to you, that way she could tell you he was back to being ridden again. Make sense?

Sorry about the book, I tend to ramble a bit.

Keep us posted.

Denver12 · 04-20-2007, 09:03 PM

Thanks for posting back so quickly.
I feel better and after thinking about it, she is being upfront and I appreciate that very much.
I have had a bad experience with a trainer before and am just paranoid about this time and she is 3 hours away so I cant go and check the progress as often as I want to.
I'll let you know how the first ride on him for me goes.

Carri · 04-20-2007, 09:06 PM

I second Littonian! I am glad the trainer is being so upfront, since she is 3 hours away she could easily have told a fib and made it sound like she was still riding him.

04-20-2007, 08:23 PM
Denver12 Newborn Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Minnesota Posts: 31	New trainer and saddle sores Hi all, I am trying out a new trainer for one of my horses. She made promises that I could come and see my horse anytime I wanted and that she would call me once maybe even twice a week for updates. Well the first week goes by and she tells me that my horse is doing great and ahead of others that she has trained and that she will call me next week so I can go and try my horse out so far. The next week comes and goes and no call, so I call. She tells me that my horse is still doing great but has a saddle sore and will ride him in a couple days and that I can come next week. How long do saddle sores normally take to heal? Should I be worried? Is this normal for horses in training?

04-20-2007, 08:42 PM
Littonian Weanling Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 338	Well, if she does a lot of horses, she probably uses the same saddle on all of them. It a case of her having something she's comfortable and secure in, and not being able to buy a different saddle for every horse that comes into her barn for training. So the saddle she's using doesn't fit, and that can often cause saddle sores. I usually try to catch them before they're actual sores (i.e. rubbed hair and/or sensitivity in the back), but sometimes that's just not possible. Treated properly and caught early, they heal quickly. But the key to getting them to heal is to NOT ride them. Even if she switches to a better fitting saddle, the pad will continue to rub at the sore, not allowing it to scab over and heal. Different ointments will help, but just like any other wound, it needs to scab so it can grow new skin and hair in underneath. But if it's more severe, and she continues to ride him, it will take longer to heal. I wouldn't be surprised if the next time you talk to her she tells you it may be a bit longer before she can ride him again. It sounds like she's being quite upfront about how things are going, so I wouldn't be too concerned. Also, in regards to not hearing from her; I know, as a trainer, it's my least favorite thing to give owners bad news, especially injuries. So she may have been waiting in hopes the sore would heal before she talked to you, that way she could tell you he was back to being ridden again. Make sense? Sorry about the book, I tend to ramble a bit. Keep us posted. __________________ Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely, but rather to skid in sideways, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO - what a ride!"

04-20-2007, 09:03 PM
Denver12 Newborn Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Minnesota Posts: 31	Thanks for posting back so quickly. I feel better and after thinking about it, she is being upfront and I appreciate that very much. I have had a bad experience with a trainer before and am just paranoid about this time and she is 3 hours away so I cant go and check the progress as often as I want to. I'll let you know how the first ride on him for me goes.

04-20-2007, 09:06 PM
Carri Bombproof Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Alpharetta, Georgia Posts: 10,604	I second Littonian! I am glad the trainer is being so upfront, since she is 3 hours away she could easily have told a fib and made it sound like she was still riding him.