Sore backs

I just found this piece of information, posted on some forum by a guy called Ronald Aalders.

"It's a wide spread mistake to think that the response of a horse to a finger or blunt object along it's spine -bending down ward or dorsi flexion of the back- is a sign of pain.

It is not!

Every healthy horse without back problems has this response. It is a perfectly natural reflex response called 'spina prominens reflex' (thank you Dr. Rooney).

Why so many people continue thinking that it's a sign of pain is beyond me. It's rather the opposite. A horse that does not have this response, is likely to have a back problem. By tightening it's muscles the horse overrides the reflex, because the reflex hurts him."

I don't think this statement is 100% correct, but it's an interesting observation, and I will have to investigate further. I hope the three horses, and pony, in the paddock are feeling ready for testing tomorrow. What fun!