how important is a short backed horse?

[Malibu]

what the title says.

Rupert is not long but has a rather long neck which can extend VERY VERY VERY far out of the stable door if he smells food! lol but i was wondering for eventers and sj, short backed horses are important to a certain extent but what about for dressage?

 

[not_with_it]

Short horses tend to find it easier to engage and track up. If I was to buy another dressage horse I definatly wouldnt go for one with a long back, IMO they are harder to ride as they are harder to keep together and they find it difficult to collect.

 

[Blizzard]

LOL at long neck, my new boy can just about reach the floor over the stable door it seems! Feels like a giraffe!

 

[airedale]

short backed - plus are usually that they are easier to get 'up together' and engage the hindquarters

downside - they should have stronger backs due to less length unsupported by ribcage but can therefore have a more 'sensitive' back to riders sitting on back of saddle

for a mare a slightly longer back is more acceptable than a gelding as for a mare it gives more 'foal room'

 

[Malibu]

its a dun thing, same here so can rupert, about a few inches away from ground AND he can bend like no tomorrow, the horses physio could not belive it when i showed her his carrot stretches!!! he really is bendy!!!!

 

[Ferdinase514]

Finni is rather compact and very easy to connect up. I personally don't like long horses as i find them harder to ride

 

[Bossanova]

I'm a big fan of compact horses but Moon is fairly long and tbh, she doesnt seem to find it hard to engage and power herself.
Short backed horses can tend to have more of a buck in them and they can be more prone to broncing when theyre broken, in my experience!!

 

[annie02]

My mare has a longer back, she is harder to put together than my shorter backed gelding but she can lengthen like a son of a gun. Makes her unbeatable in jumper courses that have longer strides or spots to run.

 

[bexj]

My horse is very short backed, and we have had issues finding a saddle which is not too long yet will accommodate my rather large posterior!

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

My lad has a short back, he's 16h2" & has 6'03" rugs. He has a huge overtrack & engages well. As a result he does a good dressage test & showjumps well with good turning ability. He loves his work & he'll be evented eventually. I'm a fan of short backed /close coupled horses.

 

[LEC]

I have always had short coupled horses and find they tend to have less muscular problems. Its easier to engage and ride upwards. I also find they tend to shorten easier but it all depends on the horse.

 

[seabiscuit]

I do agree with you LEC but have noticed that actually a lot of the worlds top eventers and showjumpers seem to be pretty long in the back!

 

[Tempi]

well you know my Archie is 17'2 and will probably go up a bt more, however hes only a 6ft-6'3 in rug size!! I didnt buy him for his short back, but he has (in my eyes) for pretty much spot on conformation for what id want in a dressage horse. His short back is a bonus as when he gets stronger through it he will have imense power for piaffe/passage. His canter work (like ive said to you) is just amazing which i believe is due to his short back. Hes seriously balanced for such an inexperienced horse.

However, i digressed.............i think as long as the horse does the job in hand then the length of back isnt an issue.

 

[Bananaman]

I have been fortunate enough to have taken two horses to PSG, (and hopefully Henry hasn't stopped yet!), at opposite ends of the scale back wise.

The first was rather long in the back and as most of the posters here have already said, it can be much harder to collect these ones. He sailed through Prelim to Medium but when the demand for greater collection came he, or rather 'we', definately struggled. He could float round an arena and had a huge aura of presence about him but he was a lazy toad, and at nearly 17h and me at 5', it was always an uphill struggle.
Having said that, his lateral work was to die for, much more back to wrap around your leg!

Henry, on the other hand, is short in the back, can sit for england but can really struggle with the lateral work.

So you pays your money, you takes your choice.

Short back = stronger, easier to collect but less flexible laterally,
Long back = weaker, harder to collect but more flexible and therefore more impressive lateral work.

 

[seabiscuit]

[ QUOTE ]
well you know my Archie is 17'2 and will probably go up a bt more, however hes only a 6ft-6'3 in rug size!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Goodness- that is amazing!!!

Wow he must be very short coupled!!

 

[4whitesocks]

Sid is short backed, he can turn on a sixpence but can also buck for Ireland!