05/03/2026
Is your horse in pain under saddle?
There are many different ‘behaviours’ that horses can display under saddle. In some cases, particularly young horses it can be a lack of understanding and the rider not giving a clear enough aid as to what they are asking. In most cases though if your horse is displaying negative behaviours it’s because there is something wrong.
Some of the common behaviours include bucking, napping, putting ears back, tail swishing, reluctance to go forwards.
Some of the less subtle signs include opening of the mouth, a ‘glazed over’ expression, frequent blinking, head above the vertical for prolonged periods.
Now many of the latter issues we are not going to be able to see as the rider so it can be hard to really know if your horse is starting to show signs of pain, especially in those stoic type horses who are more complacent and put up with things for longer.
Sue Dyson is a very well known researcher and passionate about animal welfare- as am I! She created a checklist of 24 common behaviours linked to pain after watching thousands of horses being ridden across different disciplines.
Horses scoring 8 or above are most likely suffering from pain in some form. This could be muscular pain, pain due to poor saddle fit, joint pain etc.
So next time you ride, have a think, really observe your horse as much as you can from what you see in the saddle. Is your horse trying to tell you something? Often all we need to do is learn how to listen.
If you would like a full assessment with eyes on the ground I have trained in how to assess using the 24 point ridden behavioural guide with Sue Dyson herself. I offer this as part of my extended equine physiotherapy sessions which includes up to 30min of ridden observation (less if your horse is really unhappy under saddle and not safe to continue).
If you would like more information just drop me a message 😊
