| A horse will alter the way it carries or balances itself | | | | hindquarters that don't seem to match could point to |
| to compensate for an injury (however slight), poorly | | | | difficulty in using the hindquarters. |
| fitting tack, bad rider position, a bump, strain, landing | | | | - Has he got a sunken or sway back? Do not |
| heavily while jumping, a twist or even if he has just | | | | assume that because your horse is older his back |
| "tweaked" something out in the field. | | | | should naturally sink. |
| This often results in excess strain to parts of the | | | | - When compared to his workload has he got a |
| horse's back and, even after the original cause has | | | | "topline"? Horses who use themselves correctly and |
| gone, can show up in a change in the horse's | | | | work in an outline should develop muscle from poll to |
| muscular structure, gait, performance or behaviour. | | | | tail. |
| Signs and symptoms of possible back problems | | | | - Any hollows behind the shoulder? This usually |
| The following are guidelines to help you assess | | | | suggests that he is wearing, or has recently worn, an |
| whether your horse seems generally comfortable and | | | | ill-fitting saddle. |
| is moving to the best of his ability within the | | | | Other symptoms |
| limitations of his conformation. Obviously all horses | | | | Things to note when handling the legs: |
| are different and some are far more sensitive than | | | | - If you start to have trouble picking your horse's |
| others, so the secret is to know what is "normal" for | | | | hind feet out. |
| your own horse. Any deviation from his normal | | | | - If your farrier reports that he's having trouble |
| behaviour, performance or posture should be looked | | | | holding one or the other of your horse's hind legs up. |
| into to. When trying to get to the bottom of any | | | | - This can be a sign of hock trouble or it may be a |
| problem you are having with your horse you need to | | | | sore back. Hock problems cause referred back pain |
| eliminate all possibilities, and, you should consider | | | | and soreness can make the back muscles go into |
| structural changes such as arthritis, other lameness | | | | spasm when the horse tries to keep his hind leg up. |
| problems, the foot and shoeing, dental or biting | | | | Equitation and ridden problems |
| problems, saddle problems, training, rider error and | | | | - Does your sweet natured, relaxed, happy horse |
| general management. You may therefore need to | | | | turn into a raving lunatic as soon as you sit on his |
| enlist the services of your vet, farrier, therapist and | | | | back? |
| other professionals in order to get to the root of the | | | | - Does he have difficulty engaging his hindquarters or |
| problem. | | | | stretching his neck and going 'long and low'? |
| General behaviour | | | | - Does his back swing with his stride? |
| - Is your horse grumpy, fidgety, does he swish his | | | | - Does he resist bending on one particular rein? |
| tail or pin his ears back when you groom him or tack | | | | - Is he slow to warm up or relax? |
| him up? | | | | - Is he resistant to work, difficult to ride in an outline |
| - Does he try to move away or turn his quarters | | | | or has difficulty maintaining an outline? |
| towards you, tighten his back muscles, or dip his | | | | - Does he have difficulty changing the rein and/or |
| back when you put a saddle on? | | | | changing the lead in canter? |
| - Is he difficult to mount or "cold backed"? | | | | - Does he consistently go on the wrong canter lead |
| - Can you see or feel him tighten up his muscles or | | | | on one rein? |
| brace himself? | | | | - Does he go disunited in canter? |
| - Does he sink or lower his back when you mount? | | | | - Collection and maintaining impulsion is difficult. |
| - Are there any rub marks, white hairs, lumps and | | | | - Does he swish his tail, pin his ears back, grind his |
| bumps under the saddle area? | | | | teeth, grunt or toss his head around? |
| Remember that you are looking for a change in his | | | | One-sidedness |
| behaviour, if your horse has always been ticklish and | | | | - Is he particularly stiff on one side - ridden or |
| fidgety some or all of this behaviour may be normal. | | | | lunged? |
| Musculature and Asymmetry | | | | - Does he have problems with incorrect bend or |
| What does it mean when a horse is described as | | | | always looking to the outside on one particular rein? |
| "asymmetrical?" | | | | - Is he difficult to turn? |
| It's when the size and shape of the muscles and/or | | | | - Does he only ever roll on one side? Horses |
| the position of the horse's body on one side is | | | | normally roll both sides, if it's only ever one side that's |
| different from its corresponding part on the other | | | | muddy he may be uncomfortable. |
| side. Like us, horses tend to be right- or | | | | - Does he carry his tail to one side? |
| left-handed, and this "handedness" can lead to | | | | Trouble going up and down hills |
| uneven development in the horse's body. However, | | | | - Does he rush downhill, go very slowly downhill or |
| injuries and other outside influences can also | | | | regularly catch or drag one or both hind toes? |
| contribute to compensatory movement from the | | | | - Does he pull uphill with his front end, unable to use |
| horse which then becomes a habit, causing unequal | | | | the back or hindquarters properly? |
| building of the muscles. | | | | Jumping |
| Asymmetry may create lameness and/or movement | | | | - Does he rush to or from fences and/or refuse |
| problems and may also masquerade as a training, | | | | jumps? |
| behavioural, or attitude issue. Asymmetry can be | | | | - Does he uncharacteristically knock jumps down? |
| caused or aggravated by rider interference, poor | | | | - Is he unable to travel straight, twists over fences |
| saddle fit, hoof imbalances, the need for dental work, | | | | or always veers off to one side? |
| injury etc. | | | | - Is he unwilling or unable to round the back and/or |
| Things to look for: | | | | neck properly and athletically? |
| - Muscles evenly developed on both sides of his | | | | - Does he have difficulties with combinations? |
| body. The muscles should look equal in size on both | | | | If your horse has or develops any of the above |
| sides of the body. Easily spotted differences are | | | | symptoms, get him checked by a professional |
| the shoulders, gluteals (over rump), hamstrings (point | | | | therapist who will work with your vet to get to the |
| of the buttock either side of the tail) and second | | | | bottom of the problem. |
| thigh. | | | | Find out more information: check out - looking after |
| - The hindquarters should match the front end. | | | | your horse's back. |
| Well-developed shoulders and necks but weaker | | | | |