What Causes Hollow Back In Horses?

As a horse ages, its muscles weaken. This can lead to the swayback we often associate with old horses. This is just one of the reasons why a horse needs to get exercise throughout its life, to keep muscles in tone. Lack of muscle at any age can cause a horse’s back to hollow out.

What does it mean when a horse hollows its back?

If you hear someone say your horse is hollow it means their head is up, they are fighting or evading contact with the bit, and they aren’t rounding over their backs and engaging their hind end. A hollow horse will have it’s head up and blocking your view most of the time and a choppy, hard to sit stride.

What causes a dipped back in horses?

A dipped back often occurs in older horses when the back muscles, ligaments and other soft tissues responsible for holding the vertebrae in alignment weaken, allowing the spine to sag. When lordosis appears in younger horses, it often is caused by deformed vertebrae that prevent the spine from aligning correctly.

Can you ride a horse with a dipped back?

Whether a swaybacked horse can be ridden depends on the severity of the sway and the horse’s expected activity. Mild deformation in a horse gentle enough for small children to ride quietly may be perfectly acceptable.

What are 3 symptoms that a horse may exhibit when he she is having back pain?

Symptoms of Back Pain

• Poor performance/reduced performance which may progress to behavioral problems (rearing/bucking/stopping or running out at fences).
• Discomfort to grooming or pressure over the back.
• Resistance to saddling, increased “girthiness” or abnormal gait after being saddled.

Can a rearing horse be cured?

Whether a horse is rearing out of fear or a lack of respect, the best cure is to teach him the Fundamentals groundwork exercises. If you’re not confident enough to handle the situation from the saddle, dismount and work with your horse on the ground.

How can you tell if a horse is hollow?

When a horse is hollow, the muscles under the neck are flexed and the horse pulls itself along with the shoulders. The front legs often stab at the ground, and the hind legs drag behind as if they are stuck in mud. The horse is uncomfortable and often cannot see where it is going because its head is too high.

How do I get my horse to lift his back?

Pole or cavaletti work on the lunge line or under saddle are great exercises to encourage a horse to lift his back (along with his legs) and drop his head and neck.

How do you tell if a horse has a blockage?

Pain is the most common sign of intestinal obstruction in horses. The horse may pace, stretch, kick at its abdomen, and, upon occasion, roll or vocalize. Otherwise, the signs are the same as for colic.

Why do horses backs dip with age?

Swayback associated with old age occurs with slackening of the soft-tissue attachments and loss of muscle tone in the belly and back that allow the spine to sag somewhat. Even with these age-related changes, which are far from universal, old horses’ backs are still considerably more rigid than other species’.

Do horses backs dip with age?

One telltale sign of aging, especially as horses segue into their late 20s and 30s, is progressive dipping or swaying of the back. Age-related swayback is no different than the grizzling of the facial hair or the deepening of the hollows above the eyes. They are usual signs of aging.

Is it OK to ride a horse with swayback?

But Can You Ride A Swayback Horse? Swayback horses can usually be ridden. Before riding a swayback horse, however, it is a good idea to have your veterinarian out for an examination. They can rule out any back pain or underlying conditions that may make riding infeasible.

How do I get my horse’s topline back?

Horses that have poor topline sometimes require additional protein in their diet. For muscle growth to occur, your horse’s diet needs to provide sufficient energy and protein. Good quality forage should be the basis of the diet and hay should be selected based on the horse’s work level and individual needs.

Can rearing horse be fixed?

If your horse rears up, lean forward and put your reins towards your horse’s ears. DO NOT pull back, as this can cause your horse to flip over backwards. When your horse comes back down, kick them forward and disengage their hindquarters to avoid further rearing. Put them to work right away.

Can lordosis be corrected in horses?

While there is no cure for swayback in horses, there are certain exercises that can be done to help strengthen the back and keep their ligaments comfortable. These exercises include: Proper lunging to encourage a horse to use their back and abdominal muscles to carry themselves.

How do I build my horses back end?

1. Bounces and/or Polework. If your horse jumps, bounces are a great way to build muscle without putting too much strain on their joints. Because the horse has to rock on to their back end and push off the ground to jump, it’s particularly beneficial for strengthening the hindquarters.