Comments on: How old are horses when they get sway backs? http://www.segurosagropecuarios.org/horses/how-old-are-horses-when-they-get-sway-backs Thu, 09 Feb 2012 23:09:42 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: gallop http://www.segurosagropecuarios.org/horses/how-old-are-horses-when-they-get-sway-backs/comment-page-1#comment-7407 gallop Tue, 23 Feb 2010 21:18:59 +0000 http://www.segurosagropecuarios.org/horses/how-old-are-horses-when-they-get-sway-backs#comment-7407 Even a two year old can develop a swayback under the right conditions. Some breeds are more prone to it, and some horses are born with congenitally weak intervertebral ligament sheathing in the spine. Some horses are born with spinal deformities similar to human scoliosis, kyphosis, and lordosis which involve more complicated defects in the bone and supportive structures. If you combine any inherent weakness of the ligaments that support the spine with asking the spine to bear weight before the growth plates of the vertebrae are fused, there is a chance that the back will sink and become swayed. Ideally, horses shouldn't be started under saddle until the age of 4, and yet many are started before they reach the age of two years old. In a mature horse with no sinking already present, some causes include weakening of supportive ligaments during pregnancy and foaling, or a horse with marginally strong ligaments and muscling being ridden hollow-backed and strung out for years, especially with an unbalanced and heavy rider. Sometimes the horse's back may appear swayed when it actually isn't, as when the dorsal processes of the vertebrae of the withers elongate, so they look like there is a "camel hump" at the withers, making the back seem lower than it actually is. Also, loss of muscling along the topline can make the back appear sunken, especially if the horse also has a large belly. This can happen with nutritional deficiencies and certain metabolic disorders like Cushing's disease. Often good nutrition, treatment of metabolic disease, and correct conditioning exercises can improve the appearance of the topline in these horses. If you have an 8 year old with this appearance developing, I would look into the possibility that there is something nutritional or metabolic going on, and also look at whether he is being worked round, or if he is strung out and hollow backed when he is being ridden. I'd also determine whether it might just be that the withers are getting higher due to elongating bone processes. At only 8, I wouldn't guess it would be that, but it is possible.<br><b>References : </b><br>RN and 57 years with horses Even a two year old can develop a swayback under the right conditions. Some breeds are more prone to it, and some horses are born with congenitally weak intervertebral ligament sheathing in the spine. Some horses are born with spinal deformities similar to human scoliosis, kyphosis, and lordosis which involve more complicated defects in the bone and supportive structures.

If you combine any inherent weakness of the ligaments that support the spine with asking the spine to bear weight before the growth plates of the vertebrae are fused, there is a chance that the back will sink and become swayed. Ideally, horses shouldn’t be started under saddle until the age of 4, and yet many are started before they reach the age of two years old.

In a mature horse with no sinking already present, some causes include weakening of supportive ligaments during pregnancy and foaling, or a horse with marginally strong ligaments and muscling being ridden hollow-backed and strung out for years, especially with an unbalanced and heavy rider.

Sometimes the horse’s back may appear swayed when it actually isn’t, as when the dorsal processes of the vertebrae of the withers elongate, so they look like there is a "camel hump" at the withers, making the back seem lower than it actually is. Also, loss of muscling along the topline can make the back appear sunken, especially if the horse also has a large belly. This can happen with nutritional deficiencies and certain metabolic disorders like Cushing’s disease.
Often good nutrition, treatment of metabolic disease, and correct conditioning exercises can improve the appearance of the topline in these horses.
If you have an 8 year old with this appearance developing, I would look into the possibility that there is something nutritional or metabolic going on, and also look at whether he is being worked round, or if he is strung out and hollow backed when he is being ridden. I’d also determine whether it might just be that the withers are getting higher due to elongating bone processes. At only 8, I wouldn’t guess it would be that, but it is possible.
References :
RN and 57 years with horses

]]> By: DARK NIGHT MYSTERY(my horse) http://www.segurosagropecuarios.org/horses/how-old-are-horses-when-they-get-sway-backs/comment-page-1#comment-7406 DARK NIGHT MYSTERY(my horse) Tue, 23 Feb 2010 21:03:59 +0000 http://www.segurosagropecuarios.org/horses/how-old-are-horses-when-they-get-sway-backs#comment-7406 horses can get sway back from many things but i dont think that one of them is old age... a few are if they are ridden when they are to young, heavy people ride them a lot... horses can be from the time they are born to the time they die they can get sway back.... that is all i can really think of right now hope i helped<br><b>References : </b><br> horses can get sway back from many things but i dont think that one of them is old age… a few are if they are ridden when they are to young, heavy people ride them a lot… horses can be from the time they are born to the time they die they can get sway back…. that is all i can really think of right now hope i helped
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]]> By: kayla http://www.segurosagropecuarios.org/horses/how-old-are-horses-when-they-get-sway-backs/comment-page-1#comment-7405 kayla Tue, 23 Feb 2010 20:52:59 +0000 http://www.segurosagropecuarios.org/horses/how-old-are-horses-when-they-get-sway-backs#comment-7405 sway back has very little to do with age. it has everything to do with poor conformation or overworking. the age only brings it on in a horse that already has it. a horse that is 8 can only get sway back if it has VERY POOR conformation and shouldnt b riddin period! sway back comes from, like i said, over working and a physical deformity that has been bred down resulting in worse and worse deformity at each generation.<br><b>References : </b><br>owner of 27 race horses sway back has very little to do with age. it has everything to do with poor conformation or overworking. the age only brings it on in a horse that already has it. a horse that is 8 can only get sway back if it has VERY POOR conformation and shouldnt b riddin period! sway back comes from, like i said, over working and a physical deformity that has been bred down resulting in worse and worse deformity at each generation.
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owner of 27 race horses

]]> By: KJ http://www.segurosagropecuarios.org/horses/how-old-are-horses-when-they-get-sway-backs/comment-page-1#comment-7404 KJ Tue, 23 Feb 2010 20:02:59 +0000 http://www.segurosagropecuarios.org/horses/how-old-are-horses-when-they-get-sway-backs#comment-7404 I just read an article in Horse and Rider about a mare who started developing a sway back as a yearling. It said her withers and rump continued to grow, but her back stayed much lower. They tried to give her away, and eventually trained her to ride when she was older. She has won shows and gone on to compete and ride pain-free. I was amazed, I figured a sway backed horse would have problems and not be rideable. I'm sure it depends on the severity of the swayback, and overall muscle and balance of the horse. If she got it so young, I'm sure an 8 year old could get it. Edit, after reading Lilian's post, above: This mare was an appaloosa as well...could it be a breed-related deformity?<br><b>References : </b><br> I just read an article in Horse and Rider about a mare who started developing a sway back as a yearling. It said her withers and rump continued to grow, but her back stayed much lower. They tried to give her away, and eventually trained her to ride when she was older. She has won shows and gone on to compete and ride pain-free. I was amazed, I figured a sway backed horse would have problems and not be rideable. I’m sure it depends on the severity of the swayback, and overall muscle and balance of the horse.

If she got it so young, I’m sure an 8 year old could get it.

Edit, after reading Lilian’s post, above: This mare was an appaloosa as well…could it be a breed-related deformity?
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]]> By: Lilian http://www.segurosagropecuarios.org/horses/how-old-are-horses-when-they-get-sway-backs/comment-page-1#comment-7403 Lilian Tue, 23 Feb 2010 19:42:59 +0000 http://www.segurosagropecuarios.org/horses/how-old-are-horses-when-they-get-sway-backs#comment-7403 I don't think the age of the horse has as much to do with it as the horses conformation. A horse that is long backed and also rafter ribbed and weak loined will be more prone to sway back than a short backed horse. I have had a 20 year old horse that was in great condition and no sway back. There must be something genetic that will cause a beautiful halter colt to all of a sudden start to have a sever drop right behind the withers, not like a regular sway back. I have known two of them that were beautiful halter quality colts and at about 6 mo it happened. Both were appolosa and both were put down. When I was Equine sup. at a school we had a big race bred app given to us he was bad that way. We had to have a special saddle blanket made for him but he was rideable.<br><b>References : </b><br> I don’t think the age of the horse has as much to do with it as the horses conformation. A horse that is long backed and also rafter ribbed and weak loined will be more prone to sway back than a short backed horse. I have had a 20 year old horse that was in great condition and no sway back.

There must be something genetic that will cause a beautiful halter colt to all of a sudden start to have a sever drop right behind the withers, not like a regular sway back. I have known two of them that were beautiful halter quality colts and at about 6 mo it happened. Both were appolosa and both were put down. When I was Equine sup. at a school we had a big race bred app given to us he was bad that way. We had to have a special saddle blanket made for him but he was rideable.
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]]> By: Starlight 1 http://www.segurosagropecuarios.org/horses/how-old-are-horses-when-they-get-sway-backs/comment-page-1#comment-7402 Starlight 1 Tue, 23 Feb 2010 19:32:59 +0000 http://www.segurosagropecuarios.org/horses/how-old-are-horses-when-they-get-sway-backs#comment-7402 This depends on the horse, on the amount of work the animal has done in its life, the breed of the animal, and also to a certain degree on gender- mares which have had lots of foals are prone to developing sway backs as they age, because of the demands that pregnancies place on their systems. Swayback is also related to the animal's nutritional level and overall state of health. We have one horse who is 27, and he has a mild form of this- but he's still going strong. The condition is harmless in most cases.<br><b>References : </b><br>I'm a horse owner and professional. This depends on the horse, on the amount of work the animal has done in its life, the breed of the animal, and also to a certain degree on gender- mares which have had lots of foals are prone to developing sway backs as they age, because of the demands that pregnancies place on their systems. Swayback is also related to the animal’s nutritional level and overall state of health. We have one horse who is 27, and he has a mild form of this- but he’s still going strong. The condition is harmless in most cases.
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I’m a horse owner and professional.

]]> By: charm http://www.segurosagropecuarios.org/horses/how-old-are-horses-when-they-get-sway-backs/comment-page-1#comment-7401 charm Tue, 23 Feb 2010 18:47:59 +0000 http://www.segurosagropecuarios.org/horses/how-old-are-horses-when-they-get-sway-backs#comment-7401 To add to the mix, I'm aware of (although not knowledgeable about) certain bloodlines of Saddlebred horses that are predisposed to swayback at a young age. I've been told that such a swayback doesn't damage or ruin the horse's show ability, although as I said, I don't have firsthand experience working with such horses.<br><b>References : </b><br> To add to the mix, I’m aware of (although not knowledgeable about) certain bloodlines of Saddlebred horses that are predisposed to swayback at a young age. I’ve been told that such a swayback doesn’t damage or ruin the horse’s show ability, although as I said, I don’t have firsthand experience working with such horses.
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]]> By: Suzy http://www.segurosagropecuarios.org/horses/how-old-are-horses-when-they-get-sway-backs/comment-page-1#comment-7400 Suzy Tue, 23 Feb 2010 18:14:59 +0000 http://www.segurosagropecuarios.org/horses/how-old-are-horses-when-they-get-sway-backs#comment-7400 Marianne has a good answer, all these problems can happen or be made worse by having a horse with a longer back than normal.<br><b>References : </b><br> Marianne has a good answer, all these problems can happen or be made worse by having a horse with a longer back than normal.
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]]> By: Marianne http://www.segurosagropecuarios.org/horses/how-old-are-horses-when-they-get-sway-backs/comment-page-1#comment-7399 Marianne Tue, 23 Feb 2010 17:34:59 +0000 http://www.segurosagropecuarios.org/horses/how-old-are-horses-when-they-get-sway-backs#comment-7399 They can develop them at any age. Some causes include: 1. Being backed too early in life (That's why you shouldn't be riding 2 or 3 year olds) And carrying too much weight. 2. Genetics 3. Old age 4. Foaling. We have a mare who developed a sway after her first foal, which caused her to be retired from breeding. 5. Injury.<br><b>References : </b><br> They can develop them at any age.
Some causes include:
1. Being backed too early in life (That’s why you shouldn’t be riding 2 or 3 year olds) And carrying too much weight.
2. Genetics
3. Old age
4. Foaling. We have a mare who developed a sway after her first foal, which caused her to be retired from breeding.
5. Injury.
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]]> By: GOODD http://www.segurosagropecuarios.org/horses/how-old-are-horses-when-they-get-sway-backs/comment-page-1#comment-7398 GOODD Tue, 23 Feb 2010 17:13:59 +0000 http://www.segurosagropecuarios.org/horses/how-old-are-horses-when-they-get-sway-backs#comment-7398 Not all horses get swayed backs. We have a 34 year old TB at my barn that isn't sway backed. There's a 20-something Clydesdale/QH that is sway backed so bad he needs a breast plate. I think it depends on the genetics of the horse and what they're used for. Any horse at the age of 8 that has a sway back has some SERIOUS issues. Youngest horse I have personally seen with a sway back was in her mid-teens.<br><b>References : </b><br> Not all horses get swayed backs. We have a 34 year old TB at my barn that isn’t sway backed. There’s a 20-something Clydesdale/QH that is sway backed so bad he needs a breast plate.

I think it depends on the genetics of the horse and what they’re used for.

Any horse at the age of 8 that has a sway back has some SERIOUS issues. Youngest horse I have personally seen with a sway back was in her mid-teens.
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