I have a very well broke rope horse that I'm turning into a barrel horse.  He is very very spooky around his hind end (mainly on the ground, when saddling).  I've had him looked at by a vet and there is nothing super obvious going on.  He moves beautifully and rides like a dream.  He gets very nervous when we saddle and spooks very frequently around his hind end only.  Anyone have experience with this?  I'm working to get him chiropracted this weekend (maybe ribs or hips out) but wondered if anyone has any ideas on what else i can check for. I've had his "bean" removed, as well.  His responses are very dramatic and I'm concerned either my daughter (she uses him for breakaway) or I may get hurt while working with him.  Thanks!

Did you get his eyes checked out? And his SI? What about his saddle pad - is it long enough or short enough for his back/saddle? I have had short backed horses who were made uncomfortable with too long pads and long backed horses who wanted a longer pad. In both cases the saddle pads were not too short/long for the saddle. Just brain storming here.

Daughters barrel horse does the exact same thing when his poll is out.  Strange I know, but everytime our chiro has worked on him for this specific reason it's the poll.

From what I am learning from Masterson Method this makes perfect sense! The atlas and sacrum are connected, so if there is pain/tension in the atlas, then you will usually find the same thing in the sacrum area and vice versa. The nuchal ligament runs from the poll to the tail area. Thanks for the reminder.

So hes only spooking while being saddled? Are spooking all the time like being groomed, being tie. Does he get spooked while being shoed?  

He is almost always spooky while being saddled but a lot of times he is while grooming or just in the pasture.  His reactions are like he’s being hit.  It’s very dramatic.  

He is out in the poll. That I was able to check.  Weird that it might be that.  I’m working to line up a chiropractor for the weekend.  The other day I just slid my hand up under the saddle pad near his flank and he panicked.  It was weird.  I was looking for a rib out but not sure what he was reacting to.  He didn’t respond like t was pain. 

Does he get tensed up? I would be worried also if he does this just out of the blue. What are you feeding him? I would look up Pssm 2 and read up on this some. If he was mine I woud get him on a Magnesium supplement, it could help maybe. Not saying this is the problem of Pssm 2 but sometimes just reading might help, have you talked to the vet about the way your gelding is reacting? I would maybe get eyes checked just for the sake of it, would not hurt. Does he react when bushed? Sorry for all the questions, but what a mystery.

Epm. Mine was extra spooky and that's how I figured it out

He's on Strategy and equinety.  Nothing else.  I tried a calming supplement but i didnt really notice a difference so at $100 a month, I'm quitting it.  I'll investigate Pssm 2.  My vet did notice a cataract in his left eye (this is the side he's jumpier on, for sure).  Ive tried to see if he has any vision issues but he doesnt react like it.  His responses are very appropriate when i check his range of vision.  

Is this a new horse or have you had him a while? We recently got a new rope horse for my daughter to learn on. Hes so extremely head shy you have to be super slow when you go put on his bridle or halter.  I went to put on a fly mask the other day.. I forgot he was sensitive and he flew back so fast. It took me a good 10 minutes to get him to where I could even touch his face again. Someone wasnt very nice to him in his past... I'm wondering if that's the case with your horse, if you just recently got him, that is. 

He is new to me but i'm very familiar with the home he came from.  I highly doubt abuse.  My research is showing a possible magnesuim deficiency.  Im adding that to see what happens while i wait for additional tests to be done. (PSSM, HYPP)

Did you ask the previous owner if the horse was like that ? 

I did - she said just a bit around his hind end but not like what im seeing.  My feed has no magnesium so im adding that.  its a really inexpensive option while i get more information.  

Sure enough is cheap enough to try and it certainly wont hurt him to have it. The man we bought our horse from said he was a little "funny" about the top of his head being messed with. Oddly enough the horse let me clip him a bridle path. He hadn't ever had one done by the looks of how his name growth was. It's really just if you move too fast towards his head he has an issue. But he will be seeing a chiropractor soon enough anyway.

I have a mare that does this same thing. It was REALLY bad when I first got her but now, after 8 years, she only does it occasionally. It's mostly if I move too quickly - it seems to startle her. I have always felt that someone must have been rough with her (she is sensitive) and so she always fears saddling. She is jumpy naturally...not spooky though...just kind of flighty. I have had her on Magnesium for about 5-6 months and havnt noticed too much of a difference but I'm leaving her on it for the time being. I have never suspected EPM or PSSM. But you never know.