Lordosis ?

[Johanna81]

Hello
I live in France and have a part bred Arab foal who is 12 months old and who I've had since May.
I'm very worried about him as he has a very noticeable dip in his back. I saw him at age 2 months at the breeders and he was fine and then unfortunately due to the confinement I was not able to go and visit him again until his arrival. Looking back at the photos he already had his swayback when he arrived but I put it down to a funny growth stage (he's my first foal)
Over the months I've asked two vets and the osteo who have dismissed it by saying that you can't be sure of anything until at least 3 years but people around me keep commenting on his back.

I've booked an appointment at a big horse clinic at the end of the month to get him properly vetted.
I'm really worried as he's a lovely natured boy and I've grown attached to him. I'm so scared that I'll never be able to ride him.
I would like to be able to school, do longer hacks and a bit of endurance.
I already have a 22 year old who I had to retire at age 12 and the horse I currently ride is 16 and has suffered from navicular.

Any opinions would be welcome. I've attached two photos taken last weekend (it's not me holding him), one from the evening he arrived and one from when I visited him at 2 months.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

He is a bit dipped back but as he grows and starts working it may improve as he has no top line it will look worse, I have an Arab with a dipped back he looks worse when not worked, I find I have to get his core strong so he can lift his back then he doesn't look half as bad and his belly doesn't hang so low then, saddle fit is not easy and he is in an xx wide saddle which I shim at the front, but it's a good fit and suits him tree shape makes all the difference, I bought him when he was 2 his 16 now and is still ridden and can go quite nicely i have shown him in the past so i wouldn't say its really affected him,I just don't put anyone too heavy on him I am only 9 stone so that helps, I also do carrot stretches and belly lift exercises with him and they help him keep strong.

 

[Johanna81]

He is a bit dipped back but as he grows and starts working it may improve as he has no top line it will look worse, I have an Arab with a dipped back he looks worse when not worked, I find I have to get his core strong so he can lift his back then he doesn't look half as bad and his belly doesn't hang so low then, saddle fit is not easy and he is in an xx wide saddle which I shim at the front, but it's a good fit and suits him tree shape makes all the difference, I bought him when he was 2 his 16 now and is still ridden and can go quite nicely i have shown him in the past so i wouldn't say its really affected him,I just don't put anyone too heavy on him I am only 9 stone so that helps, I also do carrot stretches and belly lift exercises with him and they help him keep strong.

Did yours have a dip when you bought him?
Do you have a photo of him you could show me?

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Youngsters really go through the fuglies as they grow. My gelding looked awful even at four years old with the tall hindquarters, the narrow, weak front end and a spine that looked like a slide connecting the two. He finally looked more balanced at five and properly filled out at six.

It is too soon to tell how he'll end up. I suspect that he'll never have that flat backed and mutton withered arab look, but he's not a pure bred so the other breeds in him will have influence on his conformation.

What do his parents look like?
Any siblings that are fully grown?

I wouldn't panic yet.

 

[Johanna81]

Youngsters really go through the fuglies as they grow. My gelding looked awful even at four years old with the tall hindquarters, the narrow, weak front end and a spine that looked like a slide connecting the two. He finally looked more balanced at five and properly filled out at six.

It is too soon to tell how he'll end up. I suspect that he'll never have that flat backed and mutton withered arab look, but he's not a pure bred so the other breeds in him will have influence on his conformation.

What do his parents look like?
Any siblings that are fully grown?

I wouldn't panic yet.

Thanks for your reply.
His parents' backs are fine. His mum is a pure bred Arab and his dad is half Arab and half rocky mountain horse.
He's the first foal his dad has sired though...

 

[Quigleyandme]

He is very croup high now so perhaps as he grows into himself his weak back won’t be so pronounced and then with correct training it might be fine.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I can't seem to find a side on of him but you can get an idea from the picture, he was a bit dipped at 2.

 

[Johanna81]

View attachment 58567

Thanks. He's lovely ?

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Thanks. He's lovely ?

Thank you I love him loads

 

[Trouper]

I think it is way too soon to start worrying - and please don't let the vets start intervening at this stage of his life. By all means ask them to check his general health but a good vet will do nothing at his age. Sometimes youngsters just do look like two different horses bolted together and you just have to wait until their growing starts to balance things out.
Try and get a look at pictures of other Arab foals at a similar age or maybe join an Arab Horse FB group to compare notes??