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Location: Cocoa, Florida | Anyone run a horse with a real long back? We got a rescue a while back who has really turned out to be a nice mare, she's a grade mare but she's quite athletic and I'm going to leg her up and pattern her. Her biggest confirmation flaw is she's long backed and has a slight hump which the vet and chiropractor said was nothing to be worried about.
So what can I expect? Any certain training exercises I can do or what not to keep her sound? Will this effect her hocks, slow her performance or anything of that sort? Other then the fact that she may need more room around the barrels? |
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 Veteran
Posts: 253
Location: EDGE OF INSANITY | i don't have any experience with one, but i can say that the horse Charmayne rode at the american last year looked reeaaallly long in the back, and he smoked it, so i guess there's hope lol |
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  Angel in a Sorrel Coat
Posts: 16030
Location: In a happy place | I have always tried to ride longer backed horses. I love the way they feel in a turn. The colt I have now has a shorter back and that is the only thing I would change about him. |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | sorrel horse ranch - 2014-10-21 9:49 PM
I have always tried to ride longer backed horses. I love the way they feel in a turn. The colt I have now has a shorter back and that is the only thing I would change about him.
And how is that colt coming along, we need some updated pictures of him,,  |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1034
| A very good friend of mine won several rodeos and jackpots on a horse I always thought looked like a brontosaurus. It's possible! |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 591
Location: here | Our daughter use to have one he was awsome and could really wrap a barrel. She won a lot on him loved his style. I dont like a real short backed horse. |
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Expert
Posts: 1612
Location: Cocoa, Florida | 
This is her |
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 Making the post season
Posts: 7288
Location: your guess is as good as mine | Love mine...wish I had more like her - and she could shut down & bend around a barrel like nobody's business.
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 Buttered Noodles Snacker
Posts: 4377
Location: NC | Here is my girl. She can definitely wrap a barrel. No advice about keeping one sound because this girl at 17 years old has never had any lameness issues. Goodluck. 
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 Expert
Posts: 2457
| They can wrap and they can clock for sure. Sometimes the turning style will be different than what you are used to but I sure wouldn't let it stop me from running one :) D. Kirpatrick has some great video's up on youtube that explain turns and she talks about working with a horse that is longer sided/backed.
Good Luck! |
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Expert
Posts: 1226
| I have ways ridden horses with a longer back. I guess I just gravitated to that type of horse. They have always had great turns and are easy to ride around the turn. I would say don't let it stop you from starting a horse with a longer back or buying one. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 784
Location: USA | I love my long backed horse... Smooth as glass, long strided, very easy to ride. I have always rode short backed horses... not any more! I've never had problems with him having a sore back either.  |
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 Expert
Posts: 3782
Location: Gainesville, TX | I would think that your benefits would be the long stride. I could see over time a horse with a long back having some issues. But every horse has some kind of conformation issue to deal with that's going to cause problems. I wouldn't let this one stop me. I would think back pain would be your first issue. Keeping her in good shape, regular massage with some sore no more, a good saddle and pad would help combat this. Maybe some rest when she seems sorer. Chiro is good too for short term stuff I've noticed. Maybe a magnetic blanket. :) |
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This just made my day! I've always been told that her long back is her biggest flaw, I was worried that it would affect her chances of being a successful barrel horse. But now im excited to get her going on them! |
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Angel in a Sorrel Coat
Posts: 16030
Location: In a happy place | RnRJack - 2014-10-21 11:00 PM This is her
I think that is a very pretty mare! As far as someone saying that they could have sore back problems......I never had one that had a problem and I have had a lot of them. I think one think to look at on the long back horse is how strong are they in the loin. But even if one is weak/weaker I haven't had problems. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 747
| I always thought my long backed gelding was going to be super awkward in the turns, just because he is so long backed. But, he will just wrap a barrel like no one's business! He's 15.3 and super long backed, the other day he got so low coming around his first that when I looked up to my second, I realized that my shoulder was almost level with the barrel! He smoked that puppy! |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 747
| oija - 2014-10-22 8:22 AM
I would think that your benefits would be the long stride. I could see over time a horse with a long back having some issues. But every horse has some kind of conformation issue to deal with that's going to cause problems. I wouldn't let this one stop me. I would think back pain would be your first issue. Keeping her in good shape, regular massage with some sore no more, a good saddle and pad would help combat this. Maybe some rest when she seems sorer. Chiro is good too for short term stuff I've noticed. Maybe a magnetic blanket. :)
My long backed guy has a stride a mile long, it feels like you're just barely moving when he's running, but he clocks well! And for back problems, I didn't have any issues with him (knock on wood) until he was about 12. He started to act funny, so we had a chiro out and he was slightly out in the back and one shoulder. Now, we have been using a BOT sheet on him and he seems to really enjoy it and it keeps him feeling good! He gets all excited when he sees it coming, and kind of moody when you go to take it off. LOL |
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Posts: 212
| My horse is super long backed and like everyone else said, her stride is huge she can look and feel like shes loping and is 1d... I defintely wouldnt let it stop you :) especially since you already have the horse. Mine is 15.2 and i attached youtube links of how she turns http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEeFgi-0AWg&list=UUuniJSxRttR9TRWGtP... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YPFJVyXyXI&index=1&list=UUuniJSxRtt... |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 461
Location: Illinois | My new mare has a super long back and she can wrap right around the barrels and quickly too. I love a longer backed horse, they seem to move so much smoother.
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 You get what you give
Posts: 13030
Location: Texas | I get told Bunny is long on a somewhat regular basis. I don't really notice it because she's just a big mare altogether, but I've had several people see her at a race and go, wow, she's long! I think she's proportionally elongated, LOL.
When I was growing up I had a 12.3h quarter/welsh cross. His back was as long as a regular horse but he just had short legs. LOL. He was pretty cool. |
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 Regular
Posts: 59
| I think a long back is fine, as long as it is a strong back, good muscling over the top and through the loin area. I think the other thing people need to look at is were the withers actually end and how much of the length is actually back. Some of these running bred horses have big shoulders, and withers and therefore the back isn't as long as it may look at first glance. |
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 boon
Posts: 4
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I just bought a long backed horse and love her and her style of turning.
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Expert
Posts: 1612
Location: Cocoa, Florida | I posted an ad for sale but each day I ride her I see her potential, I may keep her around longer and see what she can do. Here's a few more pictures. All I know of her history is that she was bought at an auction in ocala, Florida as a 1-2 year old. I'm guessing she's probably very cow bred, impressive or king/doc bar she has a giant head and stocky build.
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 554
| Look at Hollywood Dunit!!  |
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 Expert
Posts: 1631
Location: Somewhere around here | Longer in the back, longer in the stride |
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