Big Red Big Scare

I had a big scare today with Red. I went to the stable and Courtney and I were going to ride. I took Red from his stall & had him near the wash rack and the lead rope was looped around the wash bar. I groomed him a little - he is dusty from the new shavings blowing like crazy. I carefully put on his new saddle and was amazed at how light it is compared to the other one.

I proceeded to cinch up his saddle but not overly tight. I was fiddling with the strap and all of a sudden he folded up at the knees and collapsed on his front knees. I stepped back and my brain went in a zillion directions. He popped up so fast it was like it never happened. He just stood there like it was nothing. I quickly felt the cinch and asked Courtney if she saw it but she kinda missed it as she was on the other side of her horse.

I stuck my fingers in his cinch but it wasn't tight. I quickly took off his saddle and told Courtney I might not ride. I walked him over to the grass and called Margaret to see if he had ever done that before. She said no and to put the saddle back on and slowly cinch it up while walking him in between cinching.

I carefully put the saddle back on him and walked him while slowly cinching the saddle. I got on him and rode him in the arena. He seemed fine. No issues but I think I am scarred for life.

I got out and posted on the the horse forum and several people thought it was a pinched nerve - a vagus nerve. I will change the cinch to the natural colored one that I had bought. It has a wider leather piece on the breast side of the girth and hopefully is more comfortable.

I found this blog midwesthorse.blogspot.com/2008/10/well-we-didnt-get-down-field-but.htm.?showComment-1225407240000 and it had some information about this very thing. I will never just cinch up Red or any other horse for that matter. I think I went white headed.

I went back to the barn later to check on him and he was fine. It is me that is having hissy fits.