The Science of Deduction...for dummies.

Yes, I just made a Sherlock reference. No, I don't feel the tiniest bit bad about it, because... Sherlock. But I do promise that I won't bore you with an analysis of tobacco ash.

However, whenever I see an ad online or a person at the auction who suddenly developed horse  problems, "out of nowhere" I get to feel like Sherlock. However, I am not a high functioning sociopath so I usually keep my mouth shut. Because this is the south, not England, and people here have guns.

So I bring you, this ad!

16 year old mare green - $350



"This mare is what I would consider green broke. We were under the impression that she was much better broke when we got her. She is very easy to handle, load, saddle,shoe,etc. I've rode her about three times but each time she starts to act up some. She was supposed to be for my daughter but we don't have time to put into her. She will need a tie down. I believe she was a trail horse and has no idea what to do without a horse to follow. She is current on. Cogins and shots. Has had her teeth looked at 3 months ago"


Okay, my fellow investigators, what do we see?

I see a horse with a tight back cinch, a badly fitting saddle, a tie down too loose to be of any use, and a hackamore that is so low it's actually physically touching the nostrils.

When I read the ad, I deduce: the horse has developed a head throwing problem, probably severe. The horse is fine on the ground but acts up under saddle. The horse has no idea what you're asking her to do.

Put two and two together and you get: the tack is probably the problem!

Your horse can't breathe and since horses tend to like oxygen, or so I hear, she's throwing her head in the hopes of getting that crap off her face long enough to inhale some.

Your horse is physically uncomfortable with the way the saddle fits, pinches and doesn't move with her body. She would like it to go away please.

The fact that this horse hasn't yet exploded says great things to me.

Now that didn't exactly take Sherlock Holmes so why the heck don't people see that maybe they or their stuff, is the problem?