Hollow, Sway, or Dropped Back Horses
Most horses with sway backs werent born that way. Most often they occur because the horse has not been taught how to carry a rider properly. A horse that has a hollow or sway back will carry its head up with its back concave or hollowed. The horse will typically have a stiff stumpy gait and although the neck and head may look elegantly arched the bend is not correct. Hollow backs can lead to other problems such as lameness.
If the back problem is caused by training riding or saddle fit behavioral problems can occur. Its important to pinpoint just why a horse is hollow backed. For example trying to fix a hollow back and high headedness by holding the horses head down with a martingale or tiedown can lead to all kinds of other problems. Ultimately some hollow backs can be corrected and some can not.
Horses with long backs or sickle hocks will be more likely to be hollow backed. There is also a condition called lordosis in horses meaning the horse has a defective spine and weakness in the soft tissues that hold the spine and ribs in place. Some horses have malformed vertebrae that allow the spine to sag. This usually happens when the horse is quite young and there may be signs of it even before the horse is trained to carry a rider. These horses can be ridden if proper attention is given to riding them and finding a saddle that fits comfortably. If your horse has a hollow back its important not to write it off as a conformation fault. A few other things can cause hollow backs that have nothing to do with
confirmation and can be remedied.
Saddle Fit
One of the most common reasons for a horse hollowing out is cringing
away from a poorlyfitting saddle. Saddles can not only cause pain but muscle atrophy and nerve deadening. This is one of the first things that you should look at if your horse is becoming hollow backed.
Lack of Training
If your horse does not know how to use its hindquarters and instead goes on the forehand it will probably be traveling with its head up and back hollowed. You need to learn how to ride your horse so that its hindquarters are engaged. Many call this collection
