Roach back - does it happen in non-dwarves?

[Flying minis]

My 2 year old gelding has developed a slight roach back - I didn't notice it last year, but I can tell this year (although he can be set up so it's not so visible.) It's not at all severe, and I'm not sure if everyone would even notice it, but I do.

My question is - is this only a dwarf characteristic, or can it happen just as a conformational fault (or for that matter, do we even know, since there's no dwarf testing)? He doesn't seem to have other dwarf characteristics, and since he's a gelding it's probably not a huge issue since he'll never be bred, but mainly, I don't want to take him to shows if people more educated than I think he's "dwarfy". I'm still pretty new to the minis, and maybe I'm just being paranoid, but with all the dwarf discussions I've read, I'm not sure I would recognize an animal who had minimal dwarf characteristics.

Here's a picture of him. Please be honest with what you think, if he has any dwarf "look" to him.

 

[disneyhorse]

Your horse does not look like a dwarf to me.

Roach backs can definitely be a conformational fault with its own genetic factors unrelated to dwarfism.

 

[ohmt]

A roach back can be from a variety of things, dwarfism being only one of them. Your boy is definitely not a dwarf so don't worry. Please check out the dwarf forum on here (on the main page, by the Back Porch). I actually don't see the roach back in this picture, but i'm using my phone so maybe it's because for me the picture is small.

 

[sihri]

I am asking similar questions so I may not be the best person to reply but if you don't mind I will give you my opinion. Your gelding does have some conformational faults but has good length of leg and neck so my opinion would be no (he does not look dwarfy) but let me know what you find out.

 

[ohmt]

The big thing to remember here is that dwarf characteristics does not always equal dwarf, as John Eberth often said on the dwarf forum here. There was a thread there where he gave general descriptions of each of the known types of dwarfism (more have been discovered since, but all of those do not live past utero) and this horse is far from matching any of those descriptions.

 

[Matt73]

I don't see a roach back, either. To answer your question, though, yes a horse that is not a dwarf can have a roach back; my riding coach when I was young had a 16.3h Thorougbred with a severe roach back.

 

[Flying minis]

Thanks guys, I'm feeling better - he's going to just be a performance horse, so I'm not so worried about his conformation issues.. . but he's such a lovable and friendly little guy!

 

[MindyLee]

I am asking similar questions so I may not be the best person to reply but if you don't mind I will give you my opinion. Your gelding does have some conformational faults but has good length of leg and neck so my opinion would be no (he does not look dwarfy) but let me know what you find out.

Not sure what you see as conformation faults.... But I dont see any...

 

[LittleBittyBritches]

I think he is a pretty handsome gelding. I dont see dwarf either, and I'm not seeing the roach back in this pic either.

 

[earthchild]

Can someone post some pics of minis with roached backs so us less knowlegdeable can compare? I believe one of our lilttle guys has a roached back.

 

[MiLo Minis]

Is'it possible that he just needs more feed? At his age he is doing a LOT of growing and his nutritional demands are high. The first place you will notice low weight is their back when their spine comes up perhaps giving the illusion of a "slightly roached back".

 

[Sandee]

Just a thought but could it be he is just "hunching" his back when you notice this roach you are referring to? I know that my old gelding when cold or tense will round his backup so you can see his bone but it goes down as he relaxes.

 

[Flying minis]

Thanks MiLo, he seems to hold weight pretty well, but yes, I've upped his feed a little and added some additional beet pulp to bring up his topline. When you run your hand along his back, it's possible to feel the roach - it's nice and straight and then just above the loin, I feel his backbone come up into my hand. It has changed since last year, so I'm hoping that he's about done growing and it won't continue to increase - as is, it's not very noticeable.

 

[mdegner]

I just don't see a roach back here. Maybe he is cold or nervous like Sandee mentioned?? Of course a picture isn't as accurate as being with him in person, but I just don't see an issue.

 

[Flying minis]

I just don't see a roach back here. Maybe he is cold or nervous like Sandee mentioned?? Of course a picture isn't as accurate as being with him in person, but I just don't see an issue.

I think I must be paranoid, since I can "feel" it I see it more easily! I think Sandee had a point, it was a chilly day and he was a little uptight, so I'm holding off judgement for now. I'm going to halter him at the Sioux Falls show, we'll see how it goes. . . mainly taking him for some experience, and getting him into the obstacle class.

 

[minimule]

I have a stallion that gets a roach back occassionaly. He got hurt in a pasture full of mares and when his back goes out he gets a roach back. Once the chiropractor adjusts him he goes back to normal. He could be a little out of whack.....

I've heard that if they are in pain they can have a roach back too.