A Redmond Story: The Solution for Erin's Cinchy Horse

June 21, 2001

If you've saddled many horses, you've likely run across a few that balk at being cinched. A "girthy" or "cinchy" horse can act out in ways that are frustrating, a bit scary, and potentially dangerous—for both you and the horse. Behaviors might be as innocuous as stomping a hoof or pinning the ears, or more worrisome biting or kicking.

Are you dealing with a girthy horse? Want your horse to feel more comfortable when tacking up? Erin Click had a mare whose digestive problems caused pain and girthiness. Read on to find out how Erin used Redmond Daily Gold to ease her horse's saddling sensitivity.

Meet Erin and Her Mare Patches

My mare Patches was very cinchy and getting to the point of becoming aggressive at just the sight of me bringing out the saddle pad. Each time she acted up, I engaged in a battle of trying to make her realize that misbehaving wasn’t going to get her out of riding.

Patches has foundered and had major weight issues in the past, and getting her digestion where it should be has been a real struggle. Eventually I realized why she was acting out was due to digestive pain, not just because she didn’t want to be worked or rode. She was trying to tell me, and I finally listened.

I started Patches on a sample pack of Redmond Daily Gold to see if it would really work. The first time I cinched her up, I gritted my teeth and waited for her to pin her ears and give me the “mare stare.” Instead... there was no reaction at all. I couldn't believe it. Just to be sure it wasn’t a fluke, I loosened then tightened the cinch a little more—and still no reaction. My mare wasn’t in pain, and I was truly amazed!

Now I’m looking forward to seeing how much better Patches works under saddle since she’s not experiencing the pain from the cinch while tacking up. Daily Gold has changed her digestion, and she truly feels better and acts happier.

Simply put, this product works. I don’t normally vouch for companies, but Daily Gold does the trick like nothing I’ve seen before. Thank you for making a product that backs itself.

— Erin Click

What Causes Girthiness in Horses?

Is it an ill-fitting saddle, behavior issues, or a case of digestive pain, like Erin's mare Patches, that causes a horse to become aversive to tacking up? Each horse's situation is unique. However, this Journal of Equine Veterinary Science study concluded that girthiness is a common sign of gastric ulcers in horses, and ulcers should be ruled out first when dealing with a saddle-sensitive horse. Of 37 girthy horses evaluated at the University of California, Davis, the study found 12 were diagnosed with equine ulcers. Others had orthopedic problems, ill-fitting saddles, or various internal diseases that contributed to cinchy behavior.

Redmond Daily Gold Helps Girthy Horses

Do you suspect your horse has become cinchy due to digestive pain or gastric ulcers? Daily Gold Stress Relief can help. Our Redmond-brand Bentonite clay eases digestive pain for horses by buffering acid, soothing irritated stomachs, and allowing ulcers to heal naturally. It also has 60+ loose minerals to improve horse health. And Daily Gold is vet-approved! Check out this study by Dr. Jessica Huntington detailing the healing effects of Daily Gold on five horses diagnosed with ulcers.

Click below to purchase Daily Gold today and get your horse's health and happy saddling routine back on track.