This genetic component of swayback horses is probably why there are so few, less than 1%. Saddle pads are used primarily to protect your riding partner's back from the saddle rubbing against the skin or hair of your horse and to absorb the sweat and moisture of your horse. Shipment time varies from 1-7 business days, depending on your proximity to Delaware. Bridging Shim Placement. How a proper tack will help prevent symptomatic lordosis. Does your horse also have high withers? Saddle pads for swayback houses for rent. This change in gait over time will lead to degenerative changes in the horse's spine. Horses are her passion and her ultimate goal is to be selected for the US Para-Equestrian Team and represent the US at the Paralympics.
Best Saddle For Swayback Horse
Important Points to Note While Saddle Fitting a Swayback Horse. The condition, clinically called equine lordosis, happens when the horse loses muscle tone in the back and abdominal area, along with the ligaments stretching out and getting weaker over time. Daily care for your equine partner must be done by you or a caretaker, such as a good diet that is focused on muscle and bone-building, as well as daily exercises and specialized bodywork. The entire back should display consistent dampness. Specialty saddle pads, specifically gel pads, are made to help prevent sore backs by distributing the weight of the rider on their riding partner, lessening the pressure on the back. Shampoos & Conditioners. Login/Create account here. Frequently Bought Together. Saddle pads for swayback horses. A swaybacked horse can be short-coupled, young and underdeveloped, or an older horse. She does point out a few likely suspects: poor saddle fit and the natural conformation of the horse. If your saddle is bridging. No matter how much bodywork is performed, you will not have lasting and or optimal results if the tack is not ideal for the horse.
A second saddle pad, an English bump pad or varied layering and folding can help create a more comfortable fit for your horse. When a horse has the right tack with a well-fitting saddle, it allows your four-legged friend to move with comfort and ease. These pads can also be a good fit for ranch horses and using horses, and fit can be specific to the horse's build and saddle fit. Sway Back Horse - How Can You Fit A Saddle On A Sway Back Horse. Is your horse experiencing an early onset of lordosis?
This is mostly true for horses that develop curved backs slowly over the years. For an average backed rope horse, a 1-inch with fleece in Kush or OG wool or a 1 1/4-inch Kush pad usually does the trick. Generally, there are two key considerations when shopping for a saddle pad: material and shape. Lunge her properly in side reins beforehand to build her back. If you are not completely satisfied with an item, simply return it in its original, unused condition within 30 days of receipt along with a copy of the original invoice or return form (if applicable) and it will be refunded, replaced, or exchanged for you. Reinsman Tacky Too Contour Swayback Square 30 x 30 x 3/4in Pad. Best saddle for swayback horse. When learning how to saddle a swayback horse with a corrective pad, it is important you are able to place a bridging shim in exactly the right place to provide even contact along the full panel of the saddle. Yes, as long as the necessary safety precautions are in place, such as a proper tack with a fit saddle, and with the corresponding specialty saddle pad. Swayback (equine lordosis) is a common condition that horses and horse people will face together. Cashel Swayback English Cushion Pad. Bony Pony Logo Merchandise. The wrong saddle can also give a rider balance issues and lead to poor riding. However, not all horses who have two copies of the marker have swayback, so the gene cannot be a direct cause of the condition. She describes swayback as "extreme lordosis, " saying, "Lordosis refers to the curvature of the horse's back.
Saddle Pads For Swayback Houses For Rent
Gear & Apparel Bags. Is a swayback horse in pain? One of our popular pads that does this well is the Reinsman Contour Swayback Saddle Pad. Growing up around horses has given me a natural affinity for the equine species and I've been able to hone my riding and training skills from an early age. Best saddles for swayback horses. I remember seeing a swayback for the first time and just feeling sympathy at the shape of the horse's back. If the case is mild and appropriate precautions are taken, a horse can still be ridden, although its performance potential may be impacted. We recommend trying a Cordura or flex tree saddle, which is significantly lighter than the traditional leather with a wood tree combination.
Poor saddle fit is the main cause of this. Swaybacked horses cannot carry an excess of weight because it will weaken their back muscles even further and make the curvature worse. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Not available for express postage. In general, horses with swayback are used for light riding to protect them from long-term damage. The Kush wool comes in a ½-inch, ¾-inch and 1-inch for build-up pads; the OG wool comes in a ¾-inch or 1-inch for build-up pads. Seeing a horse with swayback has the power to make anyone who has worked with horses feel down. Additionally, the top layer of ThinLine will automatically span the area and create contact. Make sure the excess material is even all around the saddle. These two products are what I am going to share with you. Saddle Fitting for Swayback Horses (Comprehensive Guide. There are two ways of performing the belly lift, depending on whether you work with a partner, or alone. I have bought, sold, and broke racehorse yearlings. The Middle Riser pad works very well with swayback horses because it provides extra cushioning over the area of the horse's spine where it dips down which helps to take the pressure off the front and back of the saddle, " Riser pads are also used to solve small issues with saddle fit, such as filling the empty space caused by the curved or hollow back of the horse, but pads shouldn't be used as the long-term solution to an ill-fitting saddle. The Cashel Cushion pads are engineered to provide outstanding back protection and shock absorbency, made with a unique closed cell foam originally designed for the aerospace industry for weight distribution and shock absorbency.
"Swayback in a Young Horse – the Horse. " Just like a saddle, the type of pad you choose should be based on the horse's conformation. Kentucky Equine Research. While "kissing spine" cannot be completely healed, what can be done is to prevent it from worsening and from your horse feeling any pain. Identifying the gene would help horse breeders selectively eliminate or reduce swayback in their gene pools. If you notice large dry areas in the middle of the horse's back, this typically means that the saddle doesn't align with the back's curvature and is causing painful pressure on the horse's front and back's topline. This could also be caused by poor riding or riding too long on unfit horses. A swayback occurs when the muscles supporting the back and spine no longer hold the horse's back in a straight line. Does swayback hurt a horse? She says, "I do feel that the horse's conformation plays a role in the development of kissing spine, so it may not be completely avoidable, but there are things an owner can do to decrease the progression of it and decrease the chances of the horse becoming symptomatic. Sway Back Saddle Fitting Shims. Morgan Murphy's Blog – Community – Spalding Labs. " Round-Backed Horses.
Saddle Pads For Swayback Horses
To help answer these questions, we spoke to Dr. Angelique Barbara of Holistic Animal Studies about all things swayback. A horse who is usually easygoing will be cranky and unresponsive. An article on Fitting Saddles and there solutions can be found here. Swayback also referred to as saddleback, lowback, and hollowback seems to have genetic and environmental causes. What is true is that our horses need to be extraordinarily comfortable in their tack in order to gait in a functionally healthy way with a moderately rounded back. How Can You Fit A Saddle On A Swaybacked Horse? "Checking and correcting saddle fit will aid in preventing a recurrence of pain and progression of symptoms, " she shares. Dr. Barbara states that since many horses don't feel the pain of already suffering from severe lordosis, or the swayback is not visible to caretakers, kissing spine can only be known for sure through your equine partner undergoing an x-ray. This section will go into all the reasons why saddle fitting for swayback horses is a must. Most way backs are not congenital, are not a true sway back. The middle portion of the pad is filled in with gradual layers of felt to provide more fill where your horse needs it most. First figure out your seat size and what size tree your horse takes. Broodmares are prone to displaying signs of swayback or equine lordosis because they have spent many months carrying the weight of a foal, which places extra strain on their back muscles.
Cashel 30" x 30" Western Swayback Cushion Pad. Here he is: But under saddle, no one notices: We have a Black Country Eden dressage saddle with upswept panels, an Amerigo CC jump saddle, a Prolite Triple Pocket Shim pad, and anatomic girths. As with humans, good equine abdominals make for a stronger back. Bridging in Saddles Can Aggravate Swayback. Fleece inserts, like the ones used in the Best Ever Chronic collection, are great for a horse that is having "chronic" back pain or is more sensitive. This technique should be practiced routinely at least once every day. Should you ride a swayback horse?
We'll include Western saddle pad fitting tips, as well as some great saddle pad options available from NRS. All-in-one Pad for your swayback horse. Letting the horse get too fat obviously contributes to strain on the back. Experiment by arranging different pads underneath your saddle and continuously checking the fit as you work your horse on the lunge line or ride him. Swayback is caused by weakness and laxity/stretching of the supporting ligaments along the horse's spine, often with weakness and loss of bulk/tone in the top line musculature. View qualifications. Currently, there is no way you can correct a swayback horse to a standard shape.