What Prevents Sway-Back?

Is there anything you can do to prevent sway-back from happening? Would riding your horse on the bit and working the hind end protect the topline from sinking?

Not sure if any of these links will help:

http://www.equisearch.com/horses_car...ybacks_081205/

http://www.horseshoes.com/farrierssi...s/lordosis.htm

http://www.myhorse.com/health/preven...orses.aspx#top

Lordosis, or "swayback", tends to usually be genetic, but old horses tend to develop it because all the years of gravity pulling on their mid-section causes the back and its muscles to give way.
I do have my horse do a tummy lift after I ride. After the saddle's been removed and I'm grooming him, I lightly give him a few taps with the stiff brush along his stomach.

being properly collected, with their back rounded will strengthen the muscles in the back, making the horse less apt to getting Sway Back.
Also the tummy lifts (I do them while warming up for collection work and afterwards) also will help.

Ok, thanks guys. I was also wondering if sway-back develops because of too much riding? And also, does the weight of the person add to sway-back?

As it has been posted it's more of a genetic thing I think. Tho I'm sure there are abuse induced cases of sway back or other various back problems, most cases of sway back are simply caused by age, just like in people.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Back_(horse)

http://www.horseadvice.com/horse/messages/4/122849.html

http://forum.horse.com/tm.asp?m=569932

I've heard the "theory" that bearing weight can cause or contribute to swayback, but my understanding is that there has not been a study done to confirm or refute this. Everything I've read seems to lean to towards it being more of a genetic issue than anything else.