[lilypop1357]

My horse has never had a problem with being back sore before, but of course a couple days before we're leaving for a big show, she's back sore. I don't think it's a problem with my saddle fitting, but i'm going to have a professional saddle fitter look at it just in case. I didn't do anything different the day before when I rode her! But when I got her out to ride her the next day she was cringing when I brushed her back! Any ideas on why she's sore all of the sudden? And what's a quick way to get her over it?!

 

[cowgirl4753]

My suggestion would be a chiropractor, she coulda rolled and torked something or who knows with horses! This would be were I would start, if your sure its not a saddle fit problem.
As always if you think its serious or are unsure talk with.your vet.
Best of luck!
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[Cherie]

I have had horses that were so tender skinned and so sensitive to being brushed that you could not touch their backs.

I learned that this is something that can be greatly helped or completely eliminated with a good Equine Chiropractor. Many top level H/J, cutting, reining, race trainers, etc have every horse worked on before a big event.

 

[bellagris]

Agreed, I always get Chiro and Acupuncture on my horse if she is moving stiff and sore consistently -fixes the problem and keeps her supple. If you can find a vet who does it, I find that the most beneficial as he is oftentimes able to see other problems if they aren't just chiro issues, but all in all, that is the direction I go first.

 

[Saddlebag]

Some horses become "cold backed", usually those that stand around in a stall. The back is overly sensitive at first but it seems to walk out.

 

[Cherie]

A horse that is 'cold backed' is one that will buck, usually when they are fresh, right after they are saddled. They are similar to a 'cinchy' horse and many 'bronchy' horses are both.

The horses that have tender skin and/or sore backs are horses that will literally 'scrunch' down to avoid even a soft brush or light hand being run over their backs. They will drop down 6 inches to get away from brushing or rubbing their backs.

The one that made a believer out of me (about 20 years ago) was a big, gray, beautiful OTTB that I bought at an auction. He took short, mincy steps and would not even come close to stepping in his front tracks with his back feet at either a walk or a trot. He showed no lameness or was not 'off' in any front or hind foot. He just did not travel very well.

The other thing I found out was that you could not even brush this horse without him scrunching and scooching down and away from even a soft brush. I ended up having to softly bathe him very carefully to clean him up for saddling. He even scrunched down from the water hitting him. He had the most tender skin I had ever seen. Even his shoulders could not be brushed.

I had seen race horses that were diagnosed as 'body sore' and the Vets diagnosed 'turn-out' for them. He was worse than any of them.

What was really baffling was that there were several race track 'wins' listed on the back of his papers. He had run successfully, 'cheap' (all cheap claiming races), but wins just the same. He did not win them with his little short, mincing stride -- even cheap races.

I took him to the Chiropractor in Weatherford, Texas. He walked into his barn with his hind feet missing his front track by 8+ inches. He walked out of the barn over-reaching his front track by a foot, after one Chiropractor visit that took less than a hour. Even more amazing, I could brush him as hard as any other horse. ALL of the tender skin and sore back was gone, for good.

I paid $900.00 for him at the auction and 6 months later, well started over fences, I sold him for $15,000.00 and he made a high level hunter a year later.

I bought him at the auction from someone that had taken him from the track and tried to do the same thing, only they gave up on him because he was a poor mover and always had a sore back no matter what they did with saddle fit, special pads, medications, etc. One Chiropractor visit to a GOOD Chiropractor was all it took.

 

[Jetson]

Ask your vet to do a lameness exam and rule out possible joint pain. Sometimes joint pain or hoof pain can show itself in the back. My horse had back pain, 3 professional saddle fittings, an equine chiro, 3 farriers and 2 vets later arthritis in the hocks! jeesh, I could have saved myself a whole lot of time and money if I just would have had a lameness exam done and xrays to start. Im not saying this is your horses issue, Im just saying that pain in the back can be due to pain from some other area, or it can be truly pain in the back.