So my horses' back is fine - why is she hollowing under saddle?

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Ziggy_

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Question in the title - physio has checked my mares' back and she is fine. However she is still hollowing under saddle, and I lunged her in side reins yesterday and she hollowed then as well and seemed to 'brace' her neck against them.

She never used to do this, preferring to stick her head between her knees and lean than to go hollow. She works nicely in a chambon, and can work long and low under saddle. She goes forward willingly and uses her back end.

Dentist is booked for two weeks time, and saddler the week after that, despite the fact that both were checked just 5 months ago. I've given up on the idea of turning her away for the winter and just want to get to the bottom of it now. Anyone got any suggestions?
 
It could still be the saddle. Does she fidgit or brace when you go to put it on her back? My mare did this and a well respected sadller said her lovely new albion saddle was fine and was luxury for her, but it wasnt for some reason even though the saddle seemed to fit perfectly she hated it, shes got a saddle company saddle now and shes fine.
 
Hi, I've had a few thoughts here so have just typed as I've thought!!...

It sounds like it could be a few things, not sure how old she is? , If she uses her hind end and pushes evenly and goes truly forward willingly as you say and you aren't blocking her in any way, it doesn't add up that she is hollowing!, I would eliminate the teeth and saddle as you are doing and then go from there- assume the vets have checked her over and theres no problems in the hind limbs/or behind the saddle/ joints?

Also is she happy in her bit, noseband?/ she isn't restricted by the saddle in any way esp over the muscles at the front of her withers? is she better on striaght lines rather than circles?

If someone else rides her does she evade the contact?, also rather than side reins, does she do the same in a Pessoa?.

If you're certain that she is ok behind, then it sounds to me like she maybe needs to learn to go forwards in to the contact and accept a soft elastic contact. If you work her forwards with stretch thru her back and neck and then up and together, as you have been then that's great, without seeing it's difficult to explain more, but if you work on softness/suppleness exercises and her rhythm when you are schooling this really should help the contact issue. Lots of transitions and transitions within the paces to really get her swinging over her back should help too and a little bit of lateral work like leg yielding- thats what I do on a horse that hollows anyway!- don't know if it helps/ you're probably doing all that anyway!

Good luck with her and hope you get to the bottom of it!
 
K27 - I know it sounds weird, but it does genuinely seem to be from the neck upwards that is a problem! She is 11. She is very forward going and a TBx - her front end has always seemed to have trouble keeping up with her back end. She can work nicely in a low outline, when the side reins are fitted low she can work nicely also but tends to lean. However, she can't lift her head and neck and work in a more 'together' outline, although she used to be able to?!
 
Hmmm How odd re the neck-! to be able to get more lift in front, you would need them to be more active and stepping through from behind with lift in the forehand so she is uphill!

Have you tried riding her on a weeks bute to see if you notice an improvement / is she on a good joint supplement?

Did the physio notice if she was out in her poll?

Have you tried (or did your physio show you) Carrot stretches to loosen her up before/after you ride!- she'll probably love that!- would be interesting for you to note if she has any probs in lifting her neck then.

Whatever it is, good luck!
 
She is really good at carrot stretches too - she can touch her toes, arch her neck so her chin touches her chest, bring her nose round to her hip, you name it. I don't have access to a Pessoa. Her whole neck, poll and back were OK. I hadn't thought of trying bute but that might well be worth a shot. Its really weird, something really isn't right but I'm clueless as to what to try next. Thanks for the suggestions so far.
 
Have you changed her bridle recently? does her bridle fit properly? I recently changed my mares bridle and she was very unwilling to take any form of contact forward and generally just stuck her head in the air. Changed back to her old bridle and hey presto i have a normal horse back... when i fitted the bridle i was perfectly happy that it fitted but she told me otherwise!

Also, mabe worth getting someone else to look over her as there could be alot going on in the neck if thats where you think its comming from - sorry havnt properly read over all the responses so someone has prob already said all this. Anyway, hope you get to the route of the problem.
 
I would certainly have your Vet examine her before you try training aids in case there is something mechanical going on as the training aids will just increase her pain and prevent you training her correctly as she will carry herself in such a way to avoid you forcing an outline.
 
Hi Ziggy!

Sounds like you've looked at lots of reasons, and i firmly agree with Dressage-Babe's reticence on the training aids route, and K27 came up with LOADS of good stuff!
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Maybe it'd also be worth getting a good trainer to have a look at how you and your horse work together, also? (Apologies if you're already doing this)

Wishing you well, BS x
 
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