page_title: Back (horse)
section_title: Length of back
hierarchical_section_title: Back (horse) / Back conformation / Length of back
caption_attribution_description: Yearling horse with short coupling and short back
context_page_description: The back describes the area of horse anatomy where the saddle goes, and in popular usage extends to include the loin or lumbar region behind the thoracic vertebrae that also is crucial to a horse's weight-carrying ability. These two sections of the vertebral column beginning at the withers, the start of the thoracic vertebrae, and extend to the last lumbar vertebra. Because horses are ridden by humans, the strength and structure of the horse's back is critical to the animal's usefulness.
  The thoracic vertebrae are the true "back" vertebral structures of the skeleton, providing the underlying support of the saddle, and the lumbar vertebrae of the loin provide the coupling that joins the back to the hindquarters. Integral to the back structure is the rib cage, which also provides support to the horse and rider. A complex design of bone, muscle, tendons and ligaments all work together to allow a horse to support the weight of a rider.
context_section_description: Ideally, the length of a horse's back from the peak of the withers to the point of the hip should be 1/3 of the horse's overall body length  (from the point of the shoulder to the point of the buttock, excluding head and neck).  A horse's back is called "long" if the length exceeds 1/3 and "short" if less than 1/3. Long backs are more often seen in "gaited" horses, such as Saddlebreds or Tennessee Walkers. They are sometimes, but not always, associated with long, weak loins.  The advantage to a long back is that it is flexible, making the movement of the back flatter, quieter, and makes a smoother ride.  Even horses that are not gaited often have a smoother trot and long strides, making them comfortable to ride. On the other hand, it makes it harder for the horse to lift or "round" the back to develop speed or engage the hindquarters for high levels of collection.  It takes longer to develop the muscles in a long back, and they are more prone to muscular strain and swayback as they age. 
  A moderately short back is generally a desirable trait and can be seen in any breed, though it is more common in American Quarter Horses, Arabians, and Morgans.  The advantage to a short back is that the horse is quick, agile and strong, able to change direction with ease.  A horse with this conformation is less likely to have back pain associated with the weight of the rider, especially if well-muscled.  A short back is usually associated with being "short coupled," that is, short in the loin, making a horse of this conformation ideal for such agility sports as polo, roping, cutting, and reining. However, a short back can be less flexible if too short, and even ideally-conformed horses with short backs can have "springy" gaits that may cause difficulties for inexperienced riders. A too-short back can lead to spinal arthritis if the horse has difficulty bending.
caption: This yearling has a very short back, noted by the overlapping blue rectangles, and is also a bit roach-backed.  It has short coupling and will be a sturdy animal, but could be rough-gaited
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