Even though the strongest part of a horse’s body is its back, it can still suffer from back injuries and ailments. And because the back is also the horse's most important body part, a back injury can be potentially devastating for the animal.

Symptoms and Types

There are two common types of back injuries: acute and chronic. During acute cases, symptoms such as pain or immobility may occur suddenly and may only remain temporarily. Chronic forms of back injuries, on the other hand, may be due to another condition or disease and are longer in duration. Symptoms in these cases may only appear sporadically and include abnormal or strained movements, an inability to jump or perform arduous tasks, and pain while the horse is being mounted.

Causes

• Injury (e.g., fall, fight, etc.)
• Ill-fitted saddle
• Congenital defect

Diagnosis

Your veterinarian should be able to diagnose back problems in your horse with very little effort. A basic physical examination should suffice, while finding the underlying cause for the back pain may require a detailed medical history.