# Swayback?



## minstrel (Mar 20, 2012)

Another pic, yes I know he's standing over himself a bit weirdly but ignore that, just look at the back.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

He's not swaybacked, he has high withers. Really now, have _horse_ people become so uneducated that they don't know the difference between swayback and high withers?


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

I wouldn't call him swayback.


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## minstrel (Mar 20, 2012)

Thank god, I didn't think I'd have made that bad a call, but she was so sure of herself it really made me worry... 

And SpeedRacer, I know I should know better but whilst I'm confident in a lot of areas I've never taken the time to learn properly about conformation, other than just noticing what looks 'wrong' in a horse... So I suddenly got worried. Thanks for backing up that I'm not a total idiot though!


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

If he was sway backed it would make a high percentage of TB's sway backed too. I see a horse with high withers that still needs his topline building up - and you said that yourself so you must be working on it already
I think you're a worrywort like me and have lots of sleepless nights thinking of things to stress about!!!
Love to Geoff :lol:


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## minstrel (Mar 20, 2012)

I'm such a worrier... When it's my horses anyway! Other people's, riding for clients etc, no worries at all, but my own I worry about every little thing, and comments like that really set my brain off! Thanks, I never even considered him being swayback until that comment, then I was suddenly, 'oh, his withers are *awfully* high, aren't they?' I should learn to trust my instincts a bit better! Thanks for backing me up


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Minstrel, my comment was directed at the people who told you he was swaybacked, not you. :wink:

I figured you knew better, which is why you were asking!


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## Wheatermay (Aug 22, 2011)

Nope... no expert... but I'd say high withers too. Would never think he was swayback. There is a way you can measure.... You measure from the highest point of the wither to the highest point of the rump, and use the difference as your comparison. Abnormality starts with contours greater than 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 inches... copied and pasted some of this, lol....

Here's the link though. I used it a few months ago on a rescue we got.
The Truth about Horse Swaybacks


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

if you follow the back liine, I see a hint of a hunters bump. There's a very small dip in front of the pelvis, then the back humps up a very tiny amount, then back to a concave line toward the withers.

Not sway backed.


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## minstrel (Mar 20, 2012)

A hunters bump? Haven't heard of that one before? A flaw or just a trait?


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## KountryPrincess (Oct 23, 2012)

No swayback. I see high withers and a topline that could stand some development.

Sometimes people who are not experienced with horses will call a horse without an even topline "swaybacked". Sounds like inexperience on the part of the person who made the comment, I would pay them no mind


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