Roach Back - Anyone's horse got one?

[Lippyx]

Anyone's horse have a roached back? Have you ever had any BIG issues with it, and how severe was it? Did you have problems with saddle fitting?
The last horse I had looked like she had it, but I was never sure if this was down to lack of condition?

Just wondering really.

 

[Eira]

Yes had a TB with a slight roach back , never posed any problems and he was straight forward to fit a saddle

 

[millitiger]

i once had a grey horse who had a huge roach back- he looked horrendous without a saddle on!

saddle fitting was never an issue as his roach back started behind where the saddle goes.

he found it hard to really connect and work on the flat but also had shocking hindlegs which i think contributed more!

however, he had the most awesome jump i have ever sat on- he could literally jump anything you could build for him and never flinched at the height, width or fillers we put up.

 

[Enfys]

My mini yearling has a mildly roached back, not caused by his friend there! I have never personally had a riding horse with it. Sway back yes, not the other way though.

It won't affect him at all as he is destined to be a harness pony, although I think a horse with the same degree of roaching as C has would probably just take very thoughtful saddle fitting. I think lack of condition could make it more obvious but I don't think it will do anything to cover up that kind of conformation.

 

[MissMoo]

[ QUOTE ]
Yes had a TB with a slight roach back , never posed any problems and he was straight forward to fit a saddle

[/ QUOTE ]

Same with my mare!.

 

[Lippyx]

Would a roach back fail veting?
Sorry for the questions, just curious really!

 

[Eira]

[ QUOTE ]
Would a roach back fail veting?
Sorry for the questions, just curious really!

[/ QUOTE ]

No, shouldn't do .. well my boy didn't fail when he was sold

 

[ickelshadow]

i have a friend with a 22yo TB, quite severely roached backed, but he had quite a decent low level eventing career before she retired him to dressage. well i say retired, she's now aiming to get him up to adv med this summer!

 

[finefeathers1]

Our wb/tb 7 year old eventer has a very slight roach back. Only caused problems with dressage saddle as pony is very powerful behind and slight in front. We tried about 20 different makes before settling on Bates Innova. Doesnt move an inch. Her problem is only very, very slight though and as she has matured over the past year its becoming less so.

 

[ironhorse]

Not a roach back but similar problems fitting an English saddle - our American Quarter Horse mare has massive muscles across her back and loins that just pitch the saddle forward into her shoulder as soon as she moves.
The nearest thing to a solution has been a Thorogood T6 cob saddle on a Medium tree (I know, weird combo!) which is light and soft so she can cope if it runs up her shoulder a bit.
Because a western saddle does not have a panel, this doesn't happen, altho the saddle does get pitched from side to side a bit. Apparently this is very common with quarter horses!