worried about my horses topline

N

narkymare

Well-Known Member
Joined
1 July 2010
Messages
1,019
Visit site
Im a novice rider, weigh 13 stone (i am 44)and ride my boy in a treeless saddle
I have weekly lessons with an excellent private instructor who says my horse is fine
But i am worried - my 14,3 cob has absoluteley no top line - his back dips.
Am i right to be worried?
I want honest true advice please - it really is worrying me x
 
no - he refuses, ive had one lesson on lunging (he resists so is difficult to lunge) but to be honest i have concentrated more on my riding - we have one lesson per week
 
If you are worried you could lunge him in a Pessoa that will strengthen his back. Also I have fed Baileys Top Line Conditioning Cubes, Dodson and Horrell Build Up Cubes and Baileys Outshine and all of them have put top line on. But to be honest if your good, trusted instructor says he is ok then he probably is and I wouldnt worry!!!!
 
this is why i would appreciate advice - if lunging woudl help him more, i would concentrate on that - this horse was bought fo rmy teenage daughter who rode but has lost interest, i love him to bits so am learning to ride and do everything - i just dont want to hurt or ruin him
 
My cob didn't start to develop properly till he was 7 or 8, and his shape has totally changed again in the last 12 months, he's now 11.
Unfortunately they tend to take a little longer to mature physically and mentally... not saying its the case with all of them but maybe worth considering...

Becky x
 
If I was you, I would get someone to check his saddle is right for you and the horse.

Just my personal opinion, but I am not a fan of treeless saddles. May I ask why you are using one? As I understand it, unless you are a very correct, and balanced rider, using your hips correctly it is easier to cause damage to the horse in a treeless saddle. There are a couple of people on our yard who ride in treeless sadddles, and our yards chiro checks their horses thoroughly every time he's there and has even asked to watch them ride in them. He's told us that many people seem to find the trouble with their horses backs starts to occur about 3 years after switching to treeless.

My friend has a Heather Moffett and she used to swear by it, until now, about 4 years since she got it, her horse has developed tenderness and muscular problems in his back.
 
thank you pc - my instructor actaully knows my horse more than i do!
By chance it turned out she helped break him in when he was with another owner, she has known him since he was a baby
- i just worry she is beign "kind" to me lol - she advises me on everything, including his feed - she comes weekly but i still worry - thank you for replying, i just needed confirmation im not squashing him, I hate his dipped back - ty xxxx
 
narkymare said:
this is why i would appreciate advice - if lunging woudl help him more, i would concentrate on that - this horse was bought fo rmy teenage daughter who rode but has lost interest, i love him to bits so am learning to ride and do everything - i just dont want to hurt or ruin him
Click to expand...

Dont worry you wont ruin him or hurt him!!!! Maybe you could get your instructor to lunge him a few times???? Its a good skill to learn anyway:)
 
narkymare said:
thank you pc - my instructor actaully knows my horse more than i do!
By chance it turned out she helped break him in when he was with another owner, she has known him since he was a baby
- i just worry she is beign "kind" to me lol - she advises me on everything, including his feed - she comes weekly but i still worry - thank you for replying, i just needed confirmation im not squashing him, I hate his dipped back - ty xxxx
Click to expand...

She obviously sounds as if she cares for the horse so Im sure she would let you know if you needed to do something about it!!!! Ask her if he has always had a dipped back?? Maybe its just the way he is :p
 
Misinterpreted said:
If I was you, I would get someone to check his saddle is right for you and the horse.

Just my personal opinion, but I am not a fan of treeless saddles. May I ask why you are using one? As I understand it, unless you are a very correct, and balanced rider, using your hips correctly it is easier to cause damage to the horse in a treeless saddle. There are a couple of people on our yard who ride in treeless sadddles, and our yards chiro checks their horses thoroughly every time he's there and has even asked to watch them ride in them. He's told us that many people seem to find the trouble with their horses backs starts to occur about 3 years after switching to treeless.

My friend has a Heather Moffett and she used to swear by it, until now, about 4 years since she got it, her horse has developed tenderness and muscular problems in his back.[/Q

Thank you miss - i chose treeless because he is a cob who changes shape weekly. When i bought him, he came with tack - but his saddle slipped terribly.
I bought him a new wintec, that wasnt right - we tried 3 different gullets.
A yard friend suggested treeless so that is why i bought one and he seems much better suited to it, it doesnt slip -
Now im very confused, he is not in pain at all - i think i will get a saddle fitter out to check - some people love treeless, others dont - as a novice first time horse owner it is very confusing
I think i need a saddle fitter xx
Click to expand...
 
PC Steele said:
She obviously sounds as if she cares for the horse so Im sure she would let you know if you needed to do something about it!!!! Ask her if he has always had a dipped back?? Maybe its just the way he is :p
Click to expand...



I have and she says he is fine - she has checked all his tack - oh im sorry, maybe its just me worrying too much - yes your right pc, she does love this horse - she would tell me if anything was wrong . thank you x
 
becca_norrey said:
My cob didn't start to develop properly till he was 7 or 8, and his shape has totally changed again in the last 12 months, he's now 11.
Unfortunately they tend to take a little longer to mature physically and mentally... not saying its the case with all of them but maybe worth considering...

Becky x
Click to expand...

oh thanks becky - i thought this is how he would be forever! ty xxx
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top