The Horse That Carries Tension in its Back

Tension in the horse's back is very paralyzing to the rest of its body. It basically inhibits the horse's hind legs from coming sufficiently underneath its body to balance itself. Riding the horse with tension in its back can often cause back soreness, which will then perpetuate the problem. It can also cause spooky and disobedient behavior, as the horse tries to communicate his unhappiness with the state of his back. Lets talk about how to tell if your horse is tense in the back, and what you can do about it.

The horse with tension in its back will typically either tend to rush with short, choppy, and often irregular strides that have no suspension - or will tend to feel "stuck", with the rider finding it difficult to get the horse to really go forward. The rider will often feel resistance in the bridle because of the tension in the horse's back, and will find it impossible to keep a good connection.

You can learn to spot tension in the horse's back by watching their tail carriage, as the tail is usually an accurate mirror of the state of the back.....(Click on Article Title above (in blue) to read full article)