# Why would anyone want to ride a razor back horse?



## JohnTx (Nov 21, 2013)

There is one woman at my barn that has one and seems to enjoy riding it, I'm fairly new to riding but everything I've heard of the ride is that its pretty unpleasant.


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

What on earth is a razor back horse?


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## DuckDodgers (May 28, 2013)

Endiku said:


> What on earth is a razor back horse?


That's my question as well...


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## JohnTx (Nov 21, 2013)

Endiku said:


> What on earth is a razor back horse?


Razor-backed - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary

" having a sharp narrow back"


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## JohnTx (Nov 21, 2013)

I don't know if its an official name or whatever but a lot of people at my barn call them that


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## Inga (Sep 11, 2012)

Are you suggesting someone has a skinny horse and is riding it? Not sure what your point is as I am still lost on "razor back" as a term of a horse. I thought those were pigs. ha ha


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## rhosroyalvelvet (Sep 5, 2013)

Em it's not really different... Just get a saddle to fit and then when you work on muscles and feed it up its back will be normal. Mabey I'm thinking of the wrong thing? I'm thinking The same as you Inga... just a skinney horse it's no different to ride...


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## JohnTx (Nov 21, 2013)

rhosroyalvelvet said:


> Em it's not really different... Just get a saddle to fit and then when you work on muscles and feed it up its back will be normal. Mabey I'm thinking of the wrong thing? I'm thinking The same as you Inga... just a skinney horse it's no different to ride...


I'm not exactly sure what is it but I think its that the withers are more "coming out" of their back


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## PunksTank (Jul 8, 2012)

Do you mean Roach back?









Or Sway back?










Or just really high withers?


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## JohnTx (Nov 21, 2013)

the high withers


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## rideverystride (Jul 19, 2013)

Am I the only one who thinks that would be no different…..=/ or have I lost it….?


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

Well...if razor backed means high withered, I suppose it would be a bit hard to fit a saddle to the horse- but that isn't a _huge _deal. I've worked with TBs for years and we've never not been able to find a suitable saddle for even the shark finned ones. It _does_ make them a little less comfortable to ride bareback though, especially if they aren't smooth movers and you accidently move forwards- but that just means maybe they aren't the best candidates for that particular activity. lol!


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## JohnTx (Nov 21, 2013)

Endiku said:


> Well...if razor backed means high withered, I suppose it would be a bit hard to fit a saddle to the horse- but that isn't a _huge _deal. I've worked with TBs for years and we've never not been able to find a suitable saddle for even the shark finned ones. It _does_ make them a little less comfortable to ride bareback though, especially if they aren't smooth movers and you accidently move forwards- but that just means maybe they aren't the best candidates for that particular activity. lol!


Yeah she rides it bareback, and was trying to convince me to try it bareback


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

Ha, well it isn't _that_ bad. I used to ride my BO's 16.3hh high-withered TB mare and she wasn't any harder to ride bareback, just a bit uncomfortable if you didn't have a steady seat (which, admittedly, I don't when she goes into her jackhammer trot!). If you sit straight and make sure you're in the right spot on their back though, it really isn't too terrible.


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## JohnTx (Nov 21, 2013)

Endiku said:


> Ha, well it isn't _that_ bad. I used to ride my BO's 16.3hh high-withered TB mare and she wasn't any harder to ride bareback, just a bit uncomfortable if you didn't have a steady seat (which, admittedly, I don't when she goes into her jackhammer trot!). If you sit straight and make sure you're in the right spot on their back though, it really isn't too terrible.


oh I heard it could feel like ur bouncing on knives lol guess its not that bad!


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

If you bounce, it might feel that way! Makes you learn to soften up your body and move with the horse pretty darned fast  I mastered my sitting trot on that horse because it hurt not to do it well. Well, and I was slightly terrified of falling off of her. That's a LONG way to the ground....

Use a bareback pad o.-


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## JohnTx (Nov 21, 2013)

Endiku said:


> If you bounce, it might feel that way! Makes you learn to soften up your body and move with the horse pretty darned fast  I mastered my sitting trot on that horse because it hurt not to do it well. Well, and I was slightly terrified of falling off of her. That's a LONG way to the ground....
> 
> Use a bareback pad o.-


Scared of falling off the side or the back?

She told me as long as I kept my weight back I would be fine


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

Yep. I'm not even 5' tall and the horse is 16.3hh. I would imagine that would make for a rather far fall!


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## 4horses (Nov 26, 2012)

Wither height does not make a horse more or less bouncy.

My TB cross mare with high withers is very smooth to ride. I ride almost exclusively bareback, and I find the higher withers hold you in place, as there is a dip in the back where you sit. A thinner horse is easier to wrap your legs around. 

The worst horse to ride bareback is a flat backed, round horse with no withers. There is nothing to hold you in place and if the horse is bouncy or sweaty, than it is twice as hard to stay in place. I had a QH/STB cross that was 17 hands and flat backed. Riding him bareback was not fun! 

His mother was also a horrible ride bareback! She was 5 gaited and you were okay as long as you did not trot. Her trot about killed you.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

John, I think you are projecting your own feelings onto the other rider. your own concerns for your vulnerable bits.


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## sarahfromsc (Sep 22, 2013)

My definition of a razor backed horse would be a horse with a prominent/protruding spine/no muscling.

A shark fin wither is just that; a very prominent wither.

Would I want to trail ride bareback for five hours on either, hell no!


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## RedTree (Jan 20, 2010)

It's honestly not that bad riding a high withered horse bareback, not as comfy as a flat no withered horse but it's still rideable 

I wouldn't do it everyday though, that would get painful


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## ZaneyZanne123 (Nov 9, 2013)

Razor back is not nessesarily a horse with just high withers but prominant withers with a spinal column that sets high, ridge like (ribs that come off low from it). It is often associated with slab sided horses, older horses or horses built like grey hounds. Saddles are usualy hard to fit and often built up pads are used to aid in keeping saddles from riding the "ridge" and friction. Sometimes having a narrow twist and thicker that usual flocking in a well made english saddle will fit these horses more comfortably. They are not fun to fit saddles to though either way you look at it.

Riding them bareback definatly makes the rider become more softer, up thier buttocks and thighs more effectively. I had an older walking horse mare that had a prominant spinal column "ridge" (though not realy bad) and I rode her backback often. I learned relaxation and learned not to ride with my pubic bone so much and also learned to use by buttock muscles more effectively. Severly "razore backed" horses I thwarted riding them bareback and opted for the saddle. Easier on the both of us.


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## Inga (Sep 11, 2012)

sarahfromsc said:


> My definition of a razor backed horse would be a horse with a prominent/protruding spine/no muscling.
> 
> A shark fin wither is just that; a very prominent wither.
> 
> Would I want to trail ride bareback for five hours on either, hell no!



LOL Me either, though if you got your butt crack in just the right spot, it might hold you in place. All kidding aside, I would never ride a horse whose spine was showing. That horse would be in poor condition and should not be expected to carry anyone until it is fed and muscled up enough to do so comfortably. 

High withers are not that big of a deal.


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## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

Agreed. Mutton withered horses allow saddles to slip forwards. I'll take prominent withers any day over that.


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## Ale (May 8, 2013)

What Type of Saddle for a High-Withered Horse? | Animals - PawNation

I believe that they actually make saddles with padding/fittings that make the ride more comfortable with that kind of conformation.


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## 6gun Kid (Feb 26, 2013)

tinyliny said:


> John, I think you are projecting your own feelings onto the other rider. your own concerns for your vulnerable bits.


 That is why I dont ride _any_ horse bareback


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