# Are these horses too post legged/sway backed to be any good?



## coloradotrail (Jun 15, 2013)

These horses belong to family friends who need to get rid of them, and want to give them to me (for free). They would be my first horses, although I have horse experience, I have never owned my own horses.

I mainly trail ride, and I live in Eastern CO., so we would be riding on mild hills, country roads, fields. 

I went out to see them this weekend and noticed they are post legged and sway backed which really worries me. Are they too post legged to fulfill what I want to do? 

Are there stretches that can be done? Tack that works well with sway backed horses?

The Palomino is a mare, and the Bay is a gelding (also her son).


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

I don't see a sway backed on either (the mare is debatable as she's standing funny).

Really ODD conformation and they both have it. Such as the neck (or lack thereof, small hindquarters, abnormally short back, etc. Very strange, they don't look like horses.

The mare should never of been bred and I don't know what she was bred to but the gelding is worse.

Neither would ever be a competition horse but for casual trail riding I think they'd be OK. Except:

The legs are not negotiable for any horse. The mare seems to toe in in front and hind legs seem over straight, the better of the two.

The gelding has really bad feet (and I think with his conformation the farrier could only do so much), long weak pasterns and VERY straight behind (major post legs).

I would pass on him period.

The mare I would consider for something very casual but she's iffy. Age? Get a thorough vet check and talk about conformation. Better pics would help.

Both need major diets.

Regarding saddle fit the mare shouldn't be too hard. As I said I don't think she's swayed but there is a curve to the backs and they are very short, may be tricky.

Personally I wouldn't, if you want a horse there are a million nice cheap horses out there. I don't know dispositions/training, but I think in this case you're getting what you paid for and knowing there's so much better wouldn't compromise.


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## silverxslinky (Jul 23, 2013)

To me the mare looks better put together than the gelding. 

You're right about the gelding being very very straight behind. I would be very concerned about his long term soundness. He will also likely lack any power behind which will have a negative impact on his athleticism and overall way of going. 

If I had to pick one I would take the mare. 

Like Yogi said, there are tons of cheap horses out there. The cost off owning racks up quickly especially if you are planning on boarding as I'm sure you are aware. To me it does not make sense to spend the money on caring for an animal that is not an ideal match for you and that you don't enjoy riding and working with. If that's not what this mare is than perhaps you should consider shopping around a bit.


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

for trail riding they should be fine. They look as if they have been standing and not being ridden.
A Farrier is in need for both of them. They would probably get lame with hard hard work. 
If someone was giving them to me, I would take the chance. No horse is perfect, and they do have faults.
Also to me, it appears that they are older horses . You can find thicker saddle pads you can use , and built up pads for the withers. Have fun.


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

How much training have they had? If they are trained (and I bet they are not, or the gelding is not) then for casual trails they are probably OK. The mare has a very thick front of her neck. Both are post legged. 

IMO the first horse a person owns should be an older horse, preferably retired from competing and well trained... maybe 15 years old. These look like projects. The mare looks to be aged.


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## Nikkibella (Mar 10, 2012)

They both kind of look like someone took a normal looking horse, grabbed its nose and its tail and smushed it together. I cant see them being sound into their later years which worries me about the age of the mare. Could just be a bad photo but she looks pretty old. 

I would say pass on both of them. If you are looking for your first horse i would keep looking for something well built because they will have less issues with their body later in life and will cost you less in the long run. You will be able to find a pretty well trained, easy keeper fairly cheap, your wallet will thank you later.


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## Allison Finch (Oct 21, 2009)

They will probably be fine for what you want them for. Yes, the bay is quite "post" legged. However, there was an advanced horse called Elsiak a LONG time ago who won USCTA's horse of the year. He had an unattractive bull neck, a club foot and had the worst post legs you could imagine. Yet it didn't keep him from winning all over the place at the highest levels. It will always be more about HEART than anything else.


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

just wondering did you get these horses Colorado ?


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## DuckDodgers (May 28, 2013)

Based on their conformation I wouldn't consider taking either of them. They may be suitable for what you want to do, but they'll be limited in a number of ways and I'd question their continued soundness. If they're extraordinarily sane and well trained then I'd put a little more consideration into it, but still probably pass.

For not much money in the grand scheme of things (particularly when you consider the costs of caring for an unsound horse down the line) you can get a couple of decently put together horses. As a first time horse owner you probably want something that's well conformed, sane, trained in your discipline, and is fairly easy to maintain.


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

I also would not waste my time on either.
If nothing else, saddle fit will be a problem. I don't know why people put in the dis claimer, that for 'just' trail riding they will be fine
For me, a trail horse has to be what old timers called a 'saddle back horse'
This is a horse with good whithers, an uphill build, short back, good feet and bone
Many of our show horses, not ridden for extended periods, have conformation traits discipline specific, but that would not have them stand up to a lot of trail 
miles.
That is a big concern of modern breeding, for those that still actually use horses , putting in full days and expect them to stand up to work
Sorry, but I both show and trial ride, and really hate it when people imply that if you just 'trail ride' good conformation is not an issue. It is even more of an issue, if you really 'trail ride', versus just 'riding out'


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## dbarabians (May 21, 2011)

Smilie said:


> I also would not waste my time on either.
> If nothing else, saddle fit will be a problem. I don't know why people put in the dis claimer, that for 'just' trail riding they will be fine
> For me, a trail horse has to be what old timers called a 'saddle back horse'
> This is a horse with good whithers, an uphill build, short back, good feet and bone
> ...


Most horse owners dont show and most only ride for short periods of time not hours over rough terrain.
Those two horses can probably be suitable for what the OP wants. 
As a breeder I would not have allowed the bay to reach adulthood. I breed horses for athletic ability, versatility and endurance.
A trail horse for light riding he is suitable for. The OP has no intentions of running barrels, eventing, or endurance racing.
OP I agree with allison for what you want the horses to do they are fine.
The mare is the better of the two and may not have soundness issues the bay might have later.
think about this carefully. good luck. Shalom


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

I have always trail rode, and do not like uphill horses, those are for dressage and 'dancing'
I like a horse that is level . i do not want uphill or downhill, and the way horses are bred now, it seems to be either or, and a lot of the paints and quarters i see are sickle hocked .
I do not do competetive trail riding, I just like to ride and enjoy my horses and nature. 
those horses should be fine.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

For light riding they should be OK - not horses I'd buy but if they're freebies and you have a use for them then why not
I would say that they're the result of a draft type crossed with something - possibly a QH, they look typical of the cobby stalwarts of so many UK riding schools and trekking centres that are the favourites of beginners and nervous riders


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

The swayback can cause the saddle to rub and make the horse sore. A pad like this can totally stop the problem.

pad

They look like they would be pleasant riding horses.


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## ridemcowgirl069 (Jul 29, 2013)

These two horses look horrible right now. Their backs are not strong enough to carry a rider and you would be putting them in a lot of pain if you did ride them. You can really tell these 2 have never been riden correctly, meaning working over their backs. Now that's not to say that you can't build those toplines and pull those sagging bellies up, but it will take at least 2 years if not more before they are correct. You would need to do a lot of correctly done lunging for many months before you would be able to even think about getting on them. you have to remember they are living things and it takes a lot of strength to carry a person. You would never ask someone who is a couch potato to throw on running shoes and run a marathon without going through a training program first. Now if you feel you have the time, patients, and skill then go for it. But if not and you want something ready to ride, I would pass and look for something more suitable for you. There's an old saying, the most expensive horse is the one who was free, so remember that. people don't just give a perfectly good horse away, so ask yourself what problems they might have and much will that cost you in the long run. I personally would pass, but I would never get a horse that needs that much work, even if I was looking for a project. Best of luck to you


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

stevenson said:


> I have always trail rode, and do not like uphill horses, those are for dressage and 'dancing'
> I like a horse that is level . i do not want uphill or downhill, and the way horses are bred now, it seems to be either or, and a lot of the paints and quarters i see are sickle hocked .
> I do not do competetive trail riding, I just like to ride and enjoy my horses and nature.
> those horses should be fine.


Ride a lot of up and down mountains, and a horse with a good whither , build slightly up hill is a plus
Dont generalize on stock horses being sickle hocked-you must have seen a lot of poor conformation horses.
Yes, pleasure bred horses esp, have a level topline, but that does not mean mutton withered, built down hill
I do have one trail horse that is different from the rest of my horses in build, and must be a throwback, as she is from our breeding program.
Nice horse, very sensible trial horse, but she has a flat back and no withers. I have to cinch tighter then the rest of my horses, doing that back cinch up, almost as tight as I would on a pack saddle
Having said that, these horses are free, so might be worth the time, esp for light trail ridiing
At the same time, the purchase price, even free, is the cheapest part of horse 'buying
If you wind up with a horse that is hard to saddle fit, comes up sore, due to conformation problems, have to invest training, then that horse becomes not quite such a bargin, JMO


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

If I were to pick, my choice would be the gelding. His back looks stronger, and with conditioning, might even have a decent whither
Yes, his back is extra short, but there are saddles with bars to accommodate a shorter than average back
The mare looks sway backed
How old are they and are they broke?
I think for the Op's purpose, the gelding might work


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

The confo of both horses would be better suited to driving. Saddle fit will be a big issue as it will bridge, meaning only the front and rear of the bars will rest on the horse's back, not the entire length of the bars.


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

That's why they need an anti-bridging pad.


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## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

I agree that "Trail Riding" is not the easy backup plan for a horse that has failed everything else. It takes a very safe horse with many miles under saddle to make a good trail horse. 
These two horses are not emaciated and both look fed well enough. *My only concern is their training.* The cost of a horse begins the moment you own them, so find that out before you venture into any horse, or YOU will be the person rehoming a horse.
If you can afford them AND they are really safe horses, don't bite, kick, a child can ride that horse safely, then, yes, I would consider them. Since it's family, they should be able to prove these things to you, but ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS make the owner ride and show you EVERYTHING about the horse. IF the horse is dangerous, than THEY can get hurt. IF not, YOU get hurt, don't own a horse, and have to recover. Yes, Virginia, horses can be THAT dangerous.
They can also be a joy.
You needs are small. I have never seen anybody but my family trail ride 6-8 in a day, who camp where we have camped. People usually do 2- 4 hours max, and then complain that they are sore. Any sound horse even with these faults can handle that.
AGAIN, don't take in haste, or you will repent in leisure.
FYI, I always thought my old herd were the best trail horses ever, but I never trained any to ground tie. I've seen some posts recently with that, and I am VERY impressed.


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## FlyGap (Sep 25, 2011)

They aren't that bad. Overweight and have obviously been sitting for quite some time. How broke are they?
If they are dead broke, the kind you can hop on whenever bareback and with a kid... Then they are even better looking. I bet the gelding has a longer neck than it looks from that photo, his legs are posty especially in the back but won't be too much of a problem with easy work. Some of the best conformed horses don't hold up and if these have been pasture pets for most of their lives they haven't had enough wear and tear to do much harm. After you get about 100 pounds off each, 6 months of good trims, and do plenty of controlled lunging they will shape up.
IMHO the mare looks long if she's standing at an angle, but I've seen miracles done with "sway" backs here on the forum. She just doesn't have muscle and depending on her age, can be corrected or at least greatly improved.

How old are they?
For flat and mild riding they will be just fine. If they aren't dead broke I'd pass though. Neither are IDEAL for strenuous retraining/conditioning or are too old, and there are better free horses out there more worth the time. But again if they are well trained they could be worth taking on.

I do agree that a trail horse needs excellent confo, for how we ride, but they would make nice enough pleasure hacks with 6 to 12 months of diet, trims, and exercise.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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