Sore Back Treatments for Horses

A horse's back is a series of interlocking vertebrae that are held together by ligaments, cartilage, tendons and muscle tissue. In many ways these mirror the cables of a suspension bridge; also in that if any become weakened or outright fail, the whole structure is at risk. Diagnosing the exact cause of a horse's sore back is a precise undertaking and the various treatment options reflect that.

  1. Horse Back Anatomy

    • There are three sections to a horse's back. The thoracic consists of the 18 vertebrae that the ribs are attached to. This section is also relatively inflexible, much more rigid than in most other mammals. This prevents upward and downward motion. The lumbar has six vertebrae that are heavier, flatter and wider than those in the thoracic. This area allows for more up and down and side to side movement. The sacral contains five naturally fused vertebrae. The area between the lumbar and the sacral, often called the "croup" has flexibility as its main function.

    Causes and Types of Horse Back Pain

    • Saddle fitting issues often cause horse's back soreness and pain. A horse cannot rotate its shoulders effectively if the saddle is place too far forward and if it is also too narrow, painful pressure points can be developed. Poor rider balance along with poor saddle fit on top of that can also cause the lumbar-sacral area to lock up, losing its important flexibility. Mid to lower back pain on both sides of the horse is a good indication of rider imbalance.

    Diagnostic Techniques

    • One indication of general back problem issues is if the horse is moving with an elevated head and shoulders and with a dropped back and hindquarters. This means the horse is putting all its weight on its front legs and not its back. A horse could also indicate its discomfort by refusing to be saddled. If the horse reacts in an agitated manner after repeated running of the fingers down its spine at moderate pressure, the animal likely has back soreness or pain. When palpating the withers area, which is the area between the shoulders, the horse's reaction to the pressure there is a sign the saddle may be too narrow. If the horse reacts to pressure on its sides, this could indicate that a saddle is not sitting evenly and creating undue sores on the areas of contact.

    Treatments

    • Massage is known to make sore muscles in a horse's back much more comfortable. Effleurage involves long, gliding open-handed strokes along the muscles. This is partially to get the animal used to touch. Skin rolling, by lifting it with the thumb and two fingers, massages connective tissue. The C-stroke applies moving pressure with the thumb. Direct pressure on problem areas with fingers, thumb or elbows, for 30 seconds to a minute each, can help the muscles relax.

      Medications, lincluding muscle relaxers and non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs, can be used to control the symptoms of back soreness and pain. Even acupuncture is a treatment. However, the most important treatment to permanently eliminate a horse's back pain or soreness is to fix the saddle, rider and other equipment mistakes that cause it.