I've been pretty lucky over my years of horse experiences to not have many ailments afflict my animals. So while I consider myself a pretty experienced horseman, I'm really a novice when it comes to dealing with horse afflictions.

So I am looking for better answers to problem my gelding has developed this summer. I have a 10 year old gelding that has been my main riding horse for the past 5 years. This past April we did a tough ride into the Robbers Roost area of Southern Utah. After two days of serious riding he developed a sore back with some swelling centered over his spine where the back of the saddle ends.  No hair rubbed off, no galling, just some slight swelling, sore to my brushing him. I gave him a few weeks off and the swelling slightly reduced.

I then rode him near canyon in late May and notice him short stepping his walk. He seemed a little sore in his front right shoulder.  He moved just fine at faster gaits. But just seemed a little off at walk.  And the soreness to brushing/pressure came back when I removed the saddle,

I took him to equine chiropractor. Who told me he damaged a tendon along his back. she adjusted him and told me to give him a month off.  Which I did. I was also in to my regular vet a week after that for teeth and coggins. While working on his teeth we discussed his soreness.  He looked him over and felt the gelding was just sore in the front shoulder and that was causing the short stepping and to change out my saddle pad for a little more padding for the back.

I've keep him on light duty this summer. He is still being rode/worked, I'm just not putting as many miles on him as past years. I did change him out to much thicker wool felt pad in place of the Navajo blankets I used in the past. The bump on his back has receded but is far from being gone. He does still show some signs of soreness on long rides or when I ride him several days in a row. Such as camp out where he gets 15-20 miles a day for multiple days.

An Outfitter I bumped into in the Wind Rivers a month ago had a horse with a similar bump.  He had cut out his pad to avoid contact with his bump. I noticed this and ask.  He called it a Kidney Bump and said once a horse has it, It never goes away. He told me to just adjust my padding to avoid pressure to prevent soreness and live with it.

Any thoughts or advice from you that may have seen this on your horses?

Thanks Bob,

I too had a similar experience w/ one of my horses who was later diagnosed w/ a roach back - no amount of chiro work would fix the issue.  I ended up purchasing a flex panel saddle that eleviated the issue.  The new saddle corrected the issue we were having w/ the proper saddle fit and no more lameness or soreness.  I would contact a saddle fitter or look for a flex panel saddle.

On a side note, I do have one for sale if you would be interested.  It is a custom made saddle w/ the orthro flex panels built in.  I used this saddle on one of my OTT horses I purchased a few years back and have since sold.

I bought a new Wool saddle pad at my Vets recommendation.  Now to bring myself to cut a hole in it.

I too have this same exact problem with my mare. Sore back where the cantle of my saddle sits. She does not want me brushing her after a ride. I almost think it might be a friction issue? She sweats so profusely (nerves) that the saddle moves a lot even with a breast-collar. (she also has a huge swinging walk gait-almost a camel walk) The only saddle that does not make her back sore was my Sommer Oakfield endurance saddle. It is a panel saddle. There is complete spinal clearance so that the saddle never touches the spine. All the other western saddles I have used, sit on her spine in the rear part of the saddle and make her sore. Unfortunately, dummy me, sold the saddle : (   I have also tried every saddle pad out there. The endurance ones are the best as these people really ride. A lot. I have a few Skito pads and now an Equipedic saddle pad. Hopefully I will find something that works or get a new saddle.

An interesting saddle that has the spinal clearance and is not too pricey....the new Abetta Stealth saddle. Has the separated back panels in the saddle. The back part of the saddle does not sit on the spine at all. These saddles are synthetic and super comfy if you get the one that has the memory foam seat. But you have to get one seat size larger as the foam takes up one seat size. I really want to try one of these and wish a local tack store had them. I just can't afford to purchase a panel saddle right now.

Gosh, I have sympathy for your situation.  I've got a short coupled (bodied), high hipped QH/Paint who got swollen withers from a standard treed Jack Brainard saddle because it was too long.  I first went thru pads, doing cutouts, to keep the pressure off those areas but it didn't work for the horse.  Then finally started testing treeless saddles (demo's on loan).  Long and short is had to go Freeform western treeless with an Equipedic pad.  One of the tests I did was after short periods of riding, used a "laser temperature gun" to find the hottest spots.  Sure enough, it was the withers area.  Those temperature guns are also good for detecting hoof trouble.

Anyway, good luck.