On horses' backs

In equestrian sport, the horse's back is subjected to a range of loads: it provides a bearing surface for the saddle, carries the rider and plays its part in performing various movements. Although the anatomy of the horse's back allows it to carry the weight of a person, the horse has not, from an evolutionary point of view, developed to stabilise a load on its back.

In other words, an excessive or badly distributed load on a horse's back often leads to health problems, which can result in back pain. It is the rider's responsibility to assess and monitor their horse's state of health conscientiously, so as to take the steps needed to safeguard their companion's welfare.

In this article we explain why pain is so hard to spot in horses, how common back pain is in horses, and what causes it.

Why is pain so hard to identify in horses?

Horses have been domesticated by humans for around 5,500 years and have grown used to living in their care. Although predator attacks are unlikely in captivity, domestic horses differ little from their wild counterparts in their behaviour as flight and herd animals. Most predators do not attack a herd indiscriminately, but select their prey very specifically. Their choice often falls on the weakest animal in a herd, as it is the most likely to put up the least resistance. Animals that are visibly weakened, or whose movement is restricted, therefore have poorer chances of survival.

Behavioural scientists therefore work on the assumption that the absence, or the faintness, of pain signals in horses is a protective mechanism to avoid attracting the attention of predators. This explains why horses, unlike other domestic animals, express pain only in very subtle ways.

How common is back pain in riding horses?

A study carried out in 2017-2018 by the equine sports medicine section of the Vetsuisse faculty at the University of Zurich found that 30% of the 240 Swiss riding horses examined showed signs of moderate to severe back pain (Dittmann et al. 2020). Yet according to their owners, these horses were healthy and performing well. This shows that back pain often goes unnoticed, or that riders do not regard the symptoms as significant. 30% of the horses examined showed signs of moderate to severe back pain. 70% of the horses examined showed no signs of back pain, or only mild back pain.

Causes of back pain

The causes of back pain can be varied. It may be an acute injury, for example following a fall, a bite or an unlucky kick from another horse. Equally, the saddle may not suit the horse's back and may be the source of the pain. With that in mind, there is a wide choice of quality saddles on La Sellerie Française.

There may also be conditions affecting the spine: inflammatory changes in the vertebrae and/or the joints of the spine, the spinous processes or the ligaments. Problems in the limbs may also be involved: lameness or poor conformation can cause physical tension and therefore back pain.

Back pain can also be linked to a poor riding position. For instance, a rider whose posture is very asymmetric, or who does not absorb the movement in trot, canter or on landing over a fence, can cause their horse back pain. Back pain can also be caused by physical overload, such as long, repetitive and/or tiring sessions, or an excessive number of jumps over demanding fences. Physical overload is particularly problematic for a horse that tires quickly or that is not used to the level of work being asked of it.

Poor posture can also be a very significant and complex factor in the onset of back pain. In many cases it becomes a vicious circle: the horse is ridden in a less than ideal posture, which causes back pain, which in turn leads the horse to adopt an even worse posture.