The horse’s back is comprised of the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae. The 18 thoracic vertebrae all have a corresponding rib attached, to provide protection the internal organs.
The lumbar vertebrae are what we refer to as our lower back; they begin where the ribcage end and have large, flat transverse processes which provide attachment points for many soft tissue structures.
Similar to humans, the horse will sacrifice the integrity of their lumbar spine to compensate for other areas of pain in the body.
Issues like poor saddle fit, unbalanced rider position, stifle, hock or hoof pain will manifest as tension and ultimately restriction in the horses back. Often times back pain is a secondary, compensation response to different issue.
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Has your horses started bucking, rushing, nipping or developed other behavioural issues?
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Does your horse struggle to bend through their body?
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Does your horse’s back flinch when you run your hands over their spine?
If you think your horse could be suffering with a sore back, why not clink on this link and invest in some bodywork to help them get back to feeling and performing at their best.
