# Effects of Roach Back & And Over at the Knee?



## Tremor (Jun 28, 2011)

Hello All! 

I have a yearling Miniature Horse gelding. I already sort of know his faults, but I was wondering if you guys could either add onto that list and even tell me the effects of them. 

Pete: 

















Faults:

Roach Back
Long Back
Short Neck
Thick Neck
Over at the Knee

Pete definitely isn't a halter horse, so I've been kind of pondering what I could do with him, performance wise. 

How would these faults effect a driving or jumping horse?

Thanks!

-Julia


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## Thyme (Sep 4, 2010)

I think he would make a nice driving partner


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## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

Roach back makes saddles harder to fit - in fact next to near impossible. A straight back is hard enough! But since he's so little that's not an issue. Other than that I really don't know much about roach back but I'd personally never have one simply because of the saddle issue (I'm not into mini's, they need too much management, so I only have big horses that I ride or that I'm going to be riding someday in the future in the case of my Satin)

He is a bit bum high. That might make jumping harder for him. Over at the knee is a weakness that would mean under work he may be more likely to fall, particularly with a heavier rider, but it's better than back at the knee (ie tendons too long as opposed to too short which is what causes over-ness) and he's not hugely terribly over. As long as you keep it in mind that there are risks associated with him being over at the knee I think he will be fine.

Pleasure harness is a thing that nearly any horse or pony can do as long as its temperament is suitable. Steady, dependable, reliable types are best - that's why Clydesdales are generally quiet horses, because they were bred for harness. Show harness is a thing I don't know much about so I don't know how it's judged, therefore can't comment on that side of things.


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## Tremor (Jun 28, 2011)

Thyme said:


> I think he would make a nice driving partner


Thanks for the comment!



blue eyed pony said:


> Roach back makes saddles harder to fit - in fact next to near impossible. A straight back is hard enough! But since he's so little that's not an issue. Other than that I really don't know much about roach back but I'd personally never have one simply because of the saddle issue (I'm not into mini's, they need too much management, so I only have big horses that I ride or that I'm going to be riding someday in the future in the case of my Satin)
> 
> He is a bit bum high. That might make jumping harder for him. Over at the knee is a weakness that would mean under work he may be more likely to fall, particularly with a heavier rider, but it's better than back at the knee (ie tendons too long as opposed to too short which is what causes over-ness) and he's not hugely terribly over. As long as you keep it in mind that there are risks associated with him being over at the knee I think he will be fine.
> 
> Pleasure harness is a thing that nearly any horse or pony can do as long as its temperament is suitable. Steady, dependable, reliable types are best - that's why Clydesdales are generally quiet horses, because they were bred for harness. Show harness is a thing I don't know much about so I don't know how it's judged, therefore can't comment on that side of things.


I am very glad that I don't have to worry about saddles or riders. That's a relief!

He does have a slight roach back and has since birth. It is looking TONS better than it did three weeks ago. (I switched his grain and he gained weight in two weeks!) He actually has some fat over it now so it doesn't look as bad as it did. 

You said that with a rider is was likely that when he were to jump he would stumble. I wonder that since he wouldn't have a rider he would have less frequent stumbles?

I have lots of time to think about this (2-3 years) because he's still growing like a weed. (He went from 28 inches to 33 inches since I think December?) I'm praying that his front end shoots up after him! I just don't want to do anything with him that could potentially hinder him in anyway.

Thanks again!


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## bubba13 (Jan 6, 2007)

Over-at-the-knee, unless very severe, is harmless.


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## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

I said he may stumble under a heavy rider, but he's not very severely over. He may even straighten out yet, just watch that he doesn't get worse. It's really not a problem at all as long as his knees stay the way they are or straighten out. If they get worse, you may have some issues, but as he's only little and not undersaddle, they won't be as dangerous as they would be were he to be a riding horse.

Soemthing that I only just realised is that he's a bit straight through the stifle too, which the bum-high-ness may be causing, or it may not. They can be more likely to develop stifle lock, so watch for that, but it can be fixed. Mild stifle lock often disappears when a horse is fit, and there is surgery that can be done to fix more severe problems.

I do think he will be lovely in harness and doing miniature performance, there are just a few things that you may need to keep in mind, depending on how he matures.


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