I have a 23 year old Standardbred mare.  She is long in the body, and started developing a sway back in the past two years, which seems early to me.  I am wondering if it is a result from possible injury when she was bred to a Friesien stallion six years ago.  She seemed slightly sore for a few months afterwards, but never enough to seek help, and she carried the foal with no other issues.  I am just wondering if acupuncture or chiropractic or massage might lessen the progress, or if it's too late now.

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Hi, Tracey:

It's possible that chiropractic work might slow the progression, but some horses are predisposed to the development of a sway back regardless of intervention. 21 is not early for development of lordosis, in fact, many horses' backs begin to drop as soon as a regular work schedule is relaxed. Age plus a lack of regular and good quality work will hasten the process. Given that you saw no signs of lordosis prior to the mare's ageing it does not sound like it's anything but age related. Standardbreds are not particularly noted for longevity (unlike Arabs or ponies, for instance), or for any greater soundness than many other breeds, so I'm a little puzzled about why you think 23 is early.

Breeding, in and of itself, should not cause back problems in mares, but it's possible that she sustained an internal injury which contributed to your feeling that she was sore for a few months afterwards. In my humble opinion any soreness which lasts for more than a week is a strong indication that you need to seek help, so I do think you made an unfortunate decision there. However, it's also unlikely that the breeding process caused a problem which became evident 4 years later.

Did she race, and if so, for how long? What did she do after racing? What's her pleasure career been like? What's been the work regimen? All of these things help to keep ageing horses sound and fit, and can affect development of age-related unsoundnesses, like lordosis.
Thanks Jan, for the input. Kahlua never raced, and has been used for pleasure and trail riding and driving since I got her as a two year old. She has never seen a rigourous physical work schedule. She has always been a low maintenance horse, and this is her very first sign of aging. I never did anything about her back after having her bred, as it was very slight, and of course, money was tight. Really, it was the kind of thing one would notice, only because we'd been together for fifteen years. I may have even imagined it.

I've never had a geriatric horse, and I rarely hear of the life span of other horses. It's just not something that tends to come up in conversation, except when people get talking about the oldest horse they know of. With her excellent, health, I fully expect Kahlua to live into her thirties. Is lordosis really considered an unsoundness; affecting her ridability? If it gets much worse, will I have to stop riding? I remember an severely sway-backed Arab that was used as a lesson horse into his mid-thirties.

And, yes, money is still tight, so it is a serious consideration to try chiropractic, on the supposition that it might make a small difference. I know that chiropractic stopped the early stage of arthritis I had from a car accident, so I have a lot of faith in it. I guess, the best bet would be to have someone out, and have a consultation.

Thanks again,

Tracey
I've heard that this can be a development of Standardbreds. Rysdyk's Hambletonian was way high behind, with the same rising back.
If you ride her, when sitting down in the saddle, I would scoot my seat as far forward as the saddle allows. This puts your weight on the most stable part of the horse's back. This way your weight will be directed down the sling muscles from the shoulder to the sternum. Further back the spine is not as well supported.
Hi again, Tracey:

I wouldn't stop riding if there's no evidence of pain. In fact, moderate riding on a regular basis will strengthen her back muscles and slow the process. I don't actually believe that chiropractic work can stop lordosis in a horse, given their structure, and if money were not an issue I might try it, but since it is I wouldn't bother. You'd be better to put her on something like Corta-Flx, or Recovery, and continue to ride her unless/until she tells you she's in pain.

Some horses with sway backs have a lot of pain all the time, not just when they're ridden, but their behaviour is usually a major tip-off. I wouldn't use the case of the Arab school horse as a guide - many school horses are worked through significant pain daily.

Some horses hardly show their age at 23, but most are starting to look old by then. The swayback should only be considered an unsoundness if it causes the mare pain or difficulty, otherwise it's just a blemish, like a windpuff. My DWB gelding, who's only 16, but semi-retired due to a suspensory injury, started to drop in his back last year, but is still comfortable carrying my working students from time to time (in fact, he has a ball with them). Were he still in regular work I don't think that would have happened, but the lack of work, although he's turned out in 5 acre paddocks with friends every day, has really contributed, and he is a short-backed horse!
Hey Tracey,
I would keep riding her and do lot's of stretching. That will help the muscles develop over her back.

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