trainer101
Posted : 8/9/2009 4:46:20 PM
What I would try is take him from the pasture, brush and clean him down good, then do some groundwork. Lounge him a bit, flexing, and backing. Then have your saddle and pad right there on the fence and when you get done with the ground work start throwing the pad on him, then take it off, throw it on then take it off. Do it as many times as it takes for him to stand still, then move on to the other side.
After that I would put the pad back and work him some more on the ground. After a bit bring him back to the fence and pick up the pad. Throw it on him again until he stands still on both sides and then just rub him all over with it. If he is calm and standing with a bord look on his face then throw the saddle on. If he jumps or runs sideways take it off and do it again till he stands still on both sides.
What you are instilling in his mind is that the saddle and pad now means resting where as before you were probably saddling him and then working him. If he doesn't mind the cinch chances are he is nervous about the whole saddling thing where it comes over his back and then is in one eye and then the other. you might also work a bit with letting him see things coming over his back like a rain coat or something like that. If your saddle is like mine and too heavy to throw over and over again then borrow one of those abbetas from a friend and use that. Also he is most likely associating the brushing and cleaning of his feet with the up coming nervousness of being saddled. Break it up a bit and clean his feet after you UNSADDLE him once in a while. That way he will be more ready to stand still and be better relaxed. Just don't forget DON'T SNEAK!! Be very obvious of what you are doing and when you saddle him do it just the way you would if he were a broke horse. If you creep up there with the saddle you are putting him on guard long before you ever get the saddle close.
Hope that helps. Good luck and be safe.