# Preventing sway back?



## horsecrazygirl13 (Jul 16, 2012)

Is there some way to prevent sway back in horses-exercise? what kind of exercise?
Is my horse swaybacked?
















sorry if this is a stupid question.


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## 2SCHorses (Jun 18, 2011)

Sway back can be from genetics, disease, OR starting a horse too early. She does not look sway backed to me. To prevent sway back wait until your horse is about 3 to start under saddle and keep him/her healthy. But if it is genetic, there's not much you can do but make sure the pad and saddle fits well and is comfortable to the horse. Here's an article:

The Truth about Horse Swaybacks


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## its lbs not miles (Sep 1, 2011)

The horse in the photo is not swaybacked. Top line doesn't look bad. Not that it is, but it's closer to roach back than it is sway back.


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## horsecrazygirl13 (Jul 16, 2012)

its lbs not miles said:


> The horse in the photo is not swaybacked. Top line doesn't look bad. Not that it is, but it's closer to roach back than it is sway back.


 But he isnt roach backed is he?


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## Oldhorselady (Feb 7, 2012)

This is a horse with a swayed back. Yours is not. Great article 2SChorses!


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## horsecrazygirl13 (Jul 16, 2012)

Oldhorselady said:


> This is a horse with a swayed back. Yours is not. Great article 2SChorses!


 What a sweet horse! Is she yours?
My horse is a yearling is it possible for him to develop sway back? Im not planning to ride him till next year.


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## 2SCHorses (Jun 18, 2011)

Starting a horse too young can cause sway back ... AND other problems, especially debilitating problems in the joints! I recommend 3 as an age to start and keep the riding light in that time. Start longer, harder work at about 4 or preferably 5. Some trainers will start before 2, but I really don't believe that is for the horse's benefit at all (it's for the person's benefit).


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## Oldhorselady (Feb 7, 2012)

horsecrazygirl13 said:


> What a sweet horse! Is she yours?
> My horse is a yearling is it possible for him to develop sway back? Im not planning to ride him till next year.


Thank you. Yes, she is mine. I adopted her a year and a half ago from a horrible situation. She is about 17 years old and had never been ridden. She was driven, but not ridden. So no sway back from riding. She does have a very long back and foaled at least once so that could have contributed to her sway back, could be genetic.

I ride her now and she is a wonderful trail horse. No problems with her back. Just have a saddle with a round skirt so it isn't too long and digging into her butt. I also place a folded towel in the middle to even out any bridging of the saddle. The saddle is also a fiberglass flex tree so I think that may help a little. Never had problems.


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## Oldhorselady (Feb 7, 2012)

P.S. I would wait closer to 3 to start your yearling. Even if it doesn't cause sway back, it could cause many other problems. He's a baby, take your time. Just because he looks like a horse, doesn't mean he is ready physically or mentally.


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## Lexiie (Nov 14, 2011)

Kind of hijacking a thread, but if a horse has a long back and works moderately hard with a decent amount of weight, can that cause the back to sink down?


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## its lbs not miles (Sep 1, 2011)

horsecrazygirl13 said:


> But he isnt roach backed is he?


No. Roach he doesn't look roach backed. His back looks ok. He just looks closer to one than the other. He's a long way from sway backed.


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## Oldhorselady (Feb 7, 2012)

Lexiie said:


> Kind of hijacking a thread, but if a horse has a long back and works moderately hard with a decent amount of weight, can that cause the back to sink down?


I think the genetic link of having the long back may be the biggest factor, but not necessarily....maybe not unless it is a mare that has baby after baby?


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## Darrin (Jul 11, 2011)

My dad had a horse go swayback at ~12. She had been injured several years prior to that and had a couple of babies with not much exercise beyond the pasture. 

My point? Mom contacted a professor studying swaybacked horses who was convinced it was genetic. Anyway, he was doing a gene study and asked for her DNA. Wish I knew his results but I own her brother and he's not swaybacked and is 21.


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## verona1016 (Jul 3, 2011)

OP's horse doesn't look swaybacked or roached from the pics posted, but neither are very good for a critical analysis- a side view with the horse squared up on hard ground would be needed for that.


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

Not sway not roached or hog backed. I would not start heavy exercise on a young horse, saddling etc at age 2, round pen etc. Most of the sway backs I have seen are genetic. I have an Arab mare that is 4-5 inches higher at her withers than her back, it has caused her to be off balance, uncoordinated in her hind end. I would never breed a sway back mare it is a major fault.


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## Oldhorselady (Feb 7, 2012)




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## Oldhorselady (Feb 7, 2012)

verona1016 said:


> OP's horse doesn't look swaybacked or roached from the pics posted, but neither are very good for a critical analysis- a side view with the horse squared up on hard ground would be needed for that.


^^see pic above


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## Oldhorselady (Feb 7, 2012)

Here is a top view.....


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