May 2005

The Old Gray Mare’s Back Ain’t What It Used To Be

A swayback is a physical deformity that can limit your horse’s usefulness.

Swaybacks aren’t pretty, but they don’t necessarily cause the horse to be in pain.

Swayback—technically called “lordosis”—is the deeply sagging top line that develops in some older horses. It’s caused by weakness and laxity/stretching of the supporting ligaments along the spine, often with weakness and loss of bulk/tone in the top line musculature.

Risk Factors

To a large extent, lordosis is an aging change caused by the forces of gravity on the spine over the years. The weight of the horse’s chest and abdominal contents constantly pulls the back down. It’s common in aged broodmares, who have had the added weight of a pregnancy stressing the back. Letting the horse get too fat obviously contributes to strain on the back. Similarly, carrying a heavy rider…