How do I know if my horse has high withers?

How to Tell if Your Horse Has High Withers

The withers are an important part of your horse’s anatomy, and understanding their conformation can help you and your saddle fitter in selecting the appropriate saddle and ensuring your horse’s comfort. High withers refer to a horse that has prominent or elevated withers compared to the rest of its back. In this blog post, we will discuss where the withers are located on a horse, how to determine if your horse has high withers, what high withers may look like and what saddle features your horse may need,

Where are the withers on a horse?

The withers are located at the base of the neck, between the shoulder blades of a horse. They are formed by the spinous processes of the thoracic vertebrae, which protrude upward. The highest point of the withers is typically found just behind the shoulder blades.

Horse Types/Breeds That Often Have High Withers

Several breeds of horses are known for having high withers, including:

Thoroughbreds: These horses are known for their athleticism and often have high withers due to their slim, angular conformation.
Arabians: Known for their elegance and endurance, Arabian horses typically have high withers as well.
Warmbloods: Warmblood breeds, such as the German Warmblood, Dutch Warmblood, and Holsteiner, often have high withers due to their large size and athletic build.

What Do High Withers Look Like?

High withers can vary in appearance depending on the individual horse, but there are some common characteristics to look out for:

Prominence: The withers will appear more elevated and prominent compared to the rest of the horse’s back.
Sharp Angle: The angle formed between the neck and the withers may be steeper in horses with high withers.
Muscle Development: Horses with high withers often have msucle atrophy behind and on the wither which has to be factored in during a saddle fitting.
Saddle Fit Challenges: Due to their conformation, horses with high withers may require special attention when fitting a saddle to prevent discomfort or restricted movement.

It is important to note that while high withers can present certain challenges, they do not necessarily cause any health issues for the horse. However, improper saddle fit can lead to discomfort, soreness, or even behavioral problems.

On the image below it shows a high withered horse, you can see from the lines how much high the wither is to the back in your saddle fitting area. Not all horses with high withers are as high as the horse pictured but this is an example of what they can look like. Next we'll look at what features to look for in a high withered saddle.

Saddle Features for High-Withered Horses

High-withered horses require saddles with specific features to ensure their comfort and prevent pressure points. Some essential features to look for in a saddle for a horse with high withers include:

Drop panels: Drop panels are often found in high wither saddles, they provide additional support to the side of the withers where high withered horses can often have some atrophy. The drop is panel is shaped differently to accommodate more flocking, which supports the tree's front and aids in maintaining wither clearance.
Deep rear gussets: A deep rear gusset is a feature that balances out the high withers to the rest of your horse's back, allowing the saddle to sit more securely and evenly on the horse’s back. This reduces the chance of pressure points and results in more equal weight distribution.

If you are looking for a high withered saddle for you horse click here to see the range of saddles we have in stock suitable for high withered horses.

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To learn more about saddles suitable for high withered horses click here to read our super handy blog.

Still not sure what saddle you need why not let our experts guide you with our saddle recommendations form, simply fill it in here and get personalised recommendations through from our qualified fitters.