Old Mare Sway Backed

[Flibble]

Went to see my old mare at the weekend. She is nearly 25 and was a brood mare for a number of years.
She only pootles aroiund now and has as much turnout as she wants.

She has a coat like a yeti and looks to be in OK condition but I was shocked at how much her back has dropped.

Is this unusual and should I voice my concern to her current owner (she has not been ridden this winter) she gets seen regularly by the vet.

She is 16.1 and 3/4 tb

 

[fatpiggy]

Alot of horses dip in their old age. It is the principal reason I retired my girl at 24 - she hasn't dipped all that much but has a very narrow fitting saddle and I didn't think I could get the it restuffed to be properly comfortable again and with a proper load-bearing surface. Arab types tend to dip very badly. You could mention it to her current owner by saying, gosh the old girl is looking her age now, isn't she ? or something like. When you are close to someone or something, progressive changes are less apparent. A few years ago I took my mare to a local show just to do the in-hand veteran. I never see her as getting old, but having parked her up, I was talking to a friend a few yards away, and turned to point to my horse - and saw a little old lady. She looked so obviously old even though she was shiny and well. It really gave me a shock.

 

[Moggy in Manolos]

Well at 25yrs old it is highly likely to take effect. My girl of 20 is showing her age, she used to be quite straight backed, same with her daughter, her daughter had a table top back, no withers and at 17 this june i can see age and gravity taking hold.
My mare has had 6 foals and thus even more likely to get this, so i think it perfectly normal personally, we all age differently after all

 

[dotty1]

My part arab mare, always had a totally flat back, no withers whatsoever. Gradually as shes aged she has slight withers and I retired her last autumn. Over this winter her back has dramatically dipped and she looks like a real old lady. She has just turned 24. I think its just something tht happens to most old ponies.
I do look afteran old part arab gelding who is still in regular light work and his back is not dipped at all. Maybe it has been helped by working and keeping the muscles built up?