meandmyself
Well-Known Member
I'm the poster WanderWomble. Am I right in saying that horse isn't going to change much as he grows?
Horse confo question
- Thread starter meandmyself
- Start date
I'm the poster WanderWomble. Am I right in saying that horse isn't going to change much as he grows?
ycbm
Overwhelmed
I think so, the poor beast. He can't seem to stand over his back legs and he isn't a horse I'd ever want to see being ridden except perhaps as a lead rein pony led by someone on foot for a small child.
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webble
Well-Known Member
Jeez that's not a horse that I would be expecting to stand up to work or possibly even stay field sound in middle age, poor thing
meandmyself
Well-Known Member
Thank you! I thought I was going mad with how the other poster was going on!
Flowerofthefen
Well-Known Member
There was a post on face ache of a horse, a grey I think, worse than this. People said from his photo that they would run a mile. Turns out he was some sort of international showjumper that had won a lot of money and medals if I remember correctly!
ycbm
Overwhelmed
He is extraordinary, I agree!
He's been on the forum too, I don't think he is worse, he can stand over his own legs ok but just has a very dipped back just behind the wither and he has a back long enough to get a saddle on. The other looks all wrong from the withers backwards and isn't standing right on his back legs and has an unhappy demeanour to go with it.
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LEC
Opinions are like bum holes, everyone has one.
What would bother me most is the back is so short. I had a chronically sway backed horse who I used to ride but quite long so gettting a saddle to fit wasn’t that hard. She was ace - jumped round 1.10m. She also looked a bit more leg in each corner even though TB.
sbloom
Well-Known Member
That's at least as much postural as it is conformation and in her situation I would be trying some gentle postural work to see what progress could be made. A short, steep drop at the back of the wither almost always indicates postural issues through the thoracic sling and ribcage, and being camped under with poor angles behind can be so much to do with an inability to flex the pelvis and/or poor hoof angles, the two usually go together.
He might be "sound" but he's got to be at least uncomfortable, hence the demeanour, and possibly in pain but with vets not looking for compensatory movement patterns it's a binary sound/lame.
I'd not recommend an equiband personally, we can help the horse find its own balance, not artificially drive the hind legs under in some effort to get the core working and longlining is tricky to use for postural work unless you're a real expert.
If the back lifts there'll be a little more space for a saddle - not only does a straighter spine visually give more space but the distance along the spine between two fixed ribs does actually increase, but that shoulder blade will move too. So little about how a horse stands is fixed. Trusted vet, bodyworker who knows how much to unravel or not, and understands correct movement patterns, then groundwork. Saddle would be a fair way off, and might never happen, sure.
He might be "sound" but he's got to be at least uncomfortable, hence the demeanour, and possibly in pain but with vets not looking for compensatory movement patterns it's a binary sound/lame.
I'd not recommend an equiband personally, we can help the horse find its own balance, not artificially drive the hind legs under in some effort to get the core working and longlining is tricky to use for postural work unless you're a real expert.
If the back lifts there'll be a little more space for a saddle - not only does a straighter spine visually give more space but the distance along the spine between two fixed ribs does actually increase, but that shoulder blade will move too. So little about how a horse stands is fixed. Trusted vet, bodyworker who knows how much to unravel or not, and understands correct movement patterns, then groundwork. Saddle would be a fair way off, and might never happen, sure.
MidChristmasCrisis
Well-Known Member
Our welsh/hackney cross has always had a sway back but kept fit and active she s been fab, it’s more noticeable since retirement. With saddle on you couldn’t tell..although my lovely saddle fitter in Scotland spent a long time getting the mare comfortable. We saw that her back profile improved greatly when in work.