Dipping back

[vickers22]

hey not a real worry just wondering if any of your horses dip there backs. My friends horse is real tb type, and is very ticklish

!But when you put pressure on his back he dips it, and occasionally drops to his knees. It looks like some sort of circus stunt!Reason im not too worried is because she said the vet said that she has seen others that do this, and is mainly because he is very sensitive and also because he overeacts to everything. Any thoughts?

 

[AmyMay]

Sounds like an extremely sore back to me. What's is musculature like??

 

[hollyzippo]

well you do see it commonly, mostly due to back pain in my experience! Nearly all the horses I go out to with thoracic pain dip, but buckling the knees a quite a marked pain response! Sounds like it needs its back looking at to me!

 

[vickers22]

his muscle is fairly good on his back, she thought it could be due to the saddle?Only he doesn't show any pain in his expression ie ears back wrinkled nose etc

 

[hollyzippo]

may be saddle causing the pain. Usually dipping not shown when saddles on as the weight is spread, if its not fitting properly will make it sore, then when you run hand over back more concise pressure so actively dips away from pain

 

[PapaFrita]

PF is very ticklish and dips her back when you poke and prod at her back, but not to the extent that she goes on her knees, and if you keep at it the ticklishness goes and she's ok with it. I think the horse you're describing has some pretty significant back pain. Does he look unhappy when the saddle appears, does he try to move away from it? How does he move under saddle? If there's lots of tail swishing/bucking or even stiffness/crookedness/other resistance, the tack might well be to blame.

 

[vickers22]

From what i have seen he does not flinch away from the saddle at all, and as described above after a while he does not flinch at all when it is continuously touched on his back, this is why it is confusing me if he has a problem or not!I looked after him for two weeks and there would be days when he would not flinch at all and others when his knees would buckle.However the saddle she uses is a wintec which prob isnt the best for him.When ridden he absolutely fine, has never bucked, doesnt swish tail and is well balanced.

 

[PapaFrita]

Perhaps he IS very, very ticklish then!! Has he been seen by a vet or back person? Perhaps that would be the next step, just to make sure nothing is wrong.

 

[vickers22]

I think he has, however i know that when she first got him it wasnt that bad, so maybe saddle making it worse?If so what saddle to chose!!

 

[PapaFrita]

Wisest thing in this case I think would be to get a proper saddler with a van full of saddles to try them out.

 

[vickers22]

Yeah i think that is what she may have to do!thanks for all the advice

 

[hollyzippo]

Good advise above re. trying lots of saddles. But please make sure he has his back treated as well. Just because the saddle stops being there to cause the pain, doesnt mean the damage instantly goes. Once saddle is sorted, get back checked and then its like starting afresh!