# Roachback Horses: Exercises?



## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

I think he looks that way because he's totally lost his top line and once he builds back up it will become barely noticeable
Roach backs don't 'just happen' - some visits from a good chiro or Equine Physio might help and be able to tell you if there is something odd going on with his spine


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## lilruffian (Jun 28, 2010)

Try a chiropractor but as for exercises, uphill work is always good for a horse's back and hindquarters


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## 40232 (Jan 10, 2013)

jaydee said:


> I think he looks that way because he's totally lost his top line and once he builds back up it will become barely noticeable
> Roach backs don't 'just happen' - some visits from a good chiro or Equine Physio might help and be able to tell you if there is something odd going on with his spine


That's kind of what I was hoping to hear. He totally lost what topline he had over winter. May I ask what exercises are good for building his topline then? I just made some cavaletti x's, so those will be part of his new exercise regimen.

Are transitions good for building the topline? We have mainly been working on walk to trot, walk to stop, trot to stop, and vice versa.


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## verona1016 (Jul 3, 2011)

Transitions are good for building topline, but the key is to make sure the horse is using his back properly. All the exercises in the world won't help if he's running around with his back hollowed out.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

Yes transitions are good, so are trotting poles and hill work - start small and slow and build up to it especially since he's an older horse
There has to be something to build muscle on though so you need to get his weight back to normal too - I know that's an old photo so you might have already done that.
I've seen horses change dramatically on their topline just from being turned out on good pasture.


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## 40232 (Jan 10, 2013)

jaydee said:


> Yes transitions are good, so are trotting poles and hill work - start small and slow and build up to it especially since he's an older horse
> There has to be something to build muscle on though so you need to get his weight back to normal too - I know that's an old photo so you might have already done that.
> I've seen horses change dramatically on their topline just from being turned out on good pasture.


I've been on vacation for the past two weeks, and after revamping his diet before I left, I hoped to come back to a good looking horse.. But I didn't unfortunately. He is still ribby, slightly better, but doesn't look nearly good enough to go back in the show ring. My parents neglected how much I wanted fed and when, so I will be really pushing to get him back to 100%.

His diet is:
-2 qts of Senior Glo in the morning with Psyllium added (sand clear substitute)
-Practically free choice hay, just cut. They have been on the same hay for 3 years from our hay field, but the hay guy procrastinated cutting it this time, so they aren't nuts for it.
-2 qts of Senior Glo at night after riding/lunging/whatever
-Poor pasture, over grazed, can't be rotated. Poor planning from when we moved our horses here.

I temporarily fenced (jump standards with rope in between, attached to twine for breakaway) between our wooden fence and my neighbors electric. Would it be a terrible idea to graze him there at night, for at least a few hours? I would most likely stay up until it is time for him to come in.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

The feed you're using sounds pretty good - and low molasses too. I didn't look at recommended amounts but you probably should work towards him getting the maximum he can
The hay doesn't sound great - going by how you seem to describe it - could you maybe buy some really good stuff to mix in with what you have?
I always soak hay in the summer - to give them that extra bit of hydration in hot weather
I honestly can't comment on the grazing idea - is he likely to touch on the electric, scare himself and end up jammed into the other fence? Depends on how much room there is really - perhaps you could hand graze him?


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

That isn't a roach back. The muscles give that appearance because the muscles that run along the top of his back need building. One way you can help this is to run your hand under his belly and locate his mid line. Start just behind the girth area and dig your fingers in. It's trial and error but you will hit a spot where he will lift his back. It is in front of his navel. He may react when you first hit the spot as it's unfamiliar but if you do it each time you're around him it won't take much to get him to lift.


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## 40232 (Jan 10, 2013)

jaydee said:


> The feed you're using sounds pretty good - and low molasses too. I didn't look at recommended amounts but you probably should work towards him getting the maximum he can
> The hay doesn't sound great - going by how you seem to describe it - could you maybe buy some really good stuff to mix in with what you have?
> I always soak hay in the summer - to give them that extra bit of hydration in hot weather
> I honestly can't comment on the grazing idea - is he likely to touch on the electric, scare himself and end up jammed into the other fence? Depends on how much room there is really - perhaps you could hand graze him?


I will get him up to the max amount he can have. 

I can't buy any hay - our hay field is a very nice mix, the dang hay guy just didn't get it done before it grew too much.

To soak hay, do you just spray it with a hose or? I have never soaked hay.

He has been in electric before and respects it, same with the wood. It is about a 400'x15' area, with a really long, tasty grass and clover mix (I've heard clover can make horses hot, but as long as his weight goes up, I can deal with it).


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## 40232 (Jan 10, 2013)

Saddlebag said:


> That isn't a roach back. The muscles give that appearance because the muscles that run along the top of his back need building. One way you can help this is to run your hand under his belly and locate his mid line. Start just behind the girth area and dig your fingers in. It's trial and error but you will hit a spot where he will lift his back. It is in front of his navel. He may react when you first hit the spot as it's unfamiliar but if you do it each time you're around him it won't take much to get him to lift.


I've been doing that before I ride along with neck and leg stretches.


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

Like saddlebag posted, belly lifts, I use a hoof pick, great exercise before you ride.


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