The Healthy-Backed Horse
No account yet? Register
It’s the equine body part that might seem most essential to the rider. It’s where we put all our weight, where we place our favorite (and most expensive) riding gear, where we connect—directly, physically—with our mount, and where we communicate with subtle cues.
But for all its importance, equine researchers say the equine back remains largely misunderstood by many riders. How is it built? How does it work? How much weight can it hold? How do we know its health is compromised, and what are the consequences? And, perhaps most importantly, what can we do to prevent back problems, and what treatments do we pursue if they do get injured?
Back to Basics
What horse people often refer to as the “back” is simply the dipped area of the spine between the withers and the croup. But a true consideration of the equine back requires looking at its entire length, from the withers to the top of the tail, says Hilary Clayton, BVMS, PhD, MRCVS, Dipl. ACVSMR, McPhail Dressage Chair Emerita at Michigan State University and president of Sport Horse Science, in Mason, Michigan. That’s because the full spine is involved in the horse’s back movement, all the way down to the sacrum (the “downhill” croup section from the high point behind the saddle area down to the tail)
Create a free account with TheHorse.com to view this content.
TheHorse.com is home to thousands of free articles about horse health care. In order to access some of our exclusive free content, you must be signed into TheHorse.com.
Start your free account today!
Already have an account?
and continue reading.
Related Articles
Stay on top of the most recent Horse Health news with