If your horse has a stiff back (and/or leans toward the pacy side), the first step is to have a chiropractic exam.
Stiff backs can be anything from a minor, temporary condition to a chronic state. The stiffness can come from any number of sources (poor conformation,
poor riding habits of human, ill fitting saddle, etc.).
The big issue is what underlying damage has been done, if any, and what can be done to fix it. In severe cases the
horse may no longer be serviceably sound for saddle work. Or they may be suitable only for limited tasks. But if the damage is only slight or fully
correctable with appropriate professional intervention and some "tincture of time" then return to full serviceable soundness is certainly possible.
Depending on just what the problem is, it might be addressable with
exercise or vet intervention or massage/chiropractic treatment or some other method.
Riding Habits:
Honestly evaluate, or have evaluated, your riding habits. There may be something that you are doing as a rider that is contributing to the stiff back of your horse.
Riders should maintain a certain balance on the horse. If the rider does not maintain balance, this will cause the saddle to move on the back, "digging in" frequently, subjecting the underlying tissue to insult.
Position on the back is also important. Sitting too far back will cause additional stress on the back muscles. Sitting too far forward will inhibit the
shoulders, which may or may not cause additional back stress.
Saddle:
Type of saddle, position, and saddle fit needs to be considered for the stiffed-backed horse. comes in, here, also. In addition, where the rider sits on the saddle, itself should be considered. If the
saddle is properly positioned, but the rider is back on the cantle or up on the pommel, they are not where they need to be and this does not bode well for
the back.
Exercises:
Stand behind the tail, and with two pencils, ballpens or your
fingertips, "draw a line" along the back, starting as far up as
your arms reach and going down towards the tail. The horse should,
reacting to this, lift his back.
Another thing is the belly-lift, to obtain the same result; from TTEAM
as well. Two people stand right and left from the horse, at girth
height, holding a towel, folded in 4, under his belly (holding the
towel by the ends). They lift it together on the horse's belly, keep
it there with a bit of pressure for a few sec's, and then slowly
release. Do this several times, going gradually more and more
backwards. The horse will show it when he thinks they shouldn't go
further backwards anymore (usually at kidney height).
If you don't have a helper to do the back lift, stand at the
horse's ribs, spread the fingers of your hand and put your two hands
under the horse's belly. Apply pressure for a few seconds, then slowly
release. Be careful to keep your own back straight (bend your knees), otherwise it would be much too
strenuous for your back!
Massages:
Groundwork:
Make use of the labyrinth, star, tires, pile of poles, cavaletti,
trotting over poles in round pen, neck stretches (carrot stretch),
"smell your tail" exercise, pole weaving, lateral flexion, longitudinal
flexion, disengagement of hindquarters, along with turns on fore and hind.
The sovereign and ancient exercise called the "shoulder in" comes to mind. As
does the equally ancient practice of riding circles, spirals, and
serpentines. For longitudinal stiffness, transitions between gaits, up and
down the scale, to the halt are also useful. Work up and down hills (gradual
ones at first) is also helpful, along with self-collection.
