Horse Topline Management: A System for Seasonal Back Changes
Is Your Saddle Hurting Your Horse — Or Can It Be Fixed?
How can you stay ahead of the ever changing saddle fit?
The answer might surprise you. And it could save you thousands of dollars.
You've noticed the signs. The girthiness. The pinned ears at tack-up. The shortened stride. The back that flinches when you run a brush over it. You've wondered if your saddle is the problem — and if so, whether you need to spend thousands on a new one, or whether there's something you can do right now to help your horse feel better.
There is. And I'm going to show you exactly how.
Does Any of This Sound Familiar?
Your horse was going beautifully last fall. Then winter hit, the workload dropped, and somewhere between November and February — your horse changed. The back that used to fill your saddle now has hollows behind the shoulders. The saddle that fit perfectly now tips forward. Your horse is grumpy, resistant, or just... not quite right.
Or maybe you've just brought your horse back from an injury layoff, and the muscle they lost during rehab has left your saddle sitting on bone instead of the cushion of healthy tissue it needs.
Or perhaps your horse has always been a little uneven — one shoulder bigger than the other — and no matter how many times you re-groom or re-tack, the saddle always drifts to one side.
You are not imagining it. And you are not alone.
These are among the most common saddle fit challenges I see as a professional saddle fitter — and the most misunderstood. Most riders either push through the problem (and watch their horse's comfort and performance deteriorate), spend money on a new saddle that doesn't actually solve the issue.
There is a better way.
Your horse was going beautifully last fall. Then winter hit, the workload dropped, and somewhere between November and February — your horse changed. The back that used to fill your saddle now has hollows behind the shoulders. The saddle that fit perfectly now tips forward. Your horse is grumpy, resistant, or just... not quite right.
Or maybe you've just brought your horse back from an injury layoff, and the muscle they lost during rehab has left your saddle sitting on bone instead of the cushion of healthy tissue it needs.
Or perhaps your horse has always been a little uneven — one shoulder bigger than the other — and no matter how many times you re-groom or re-tack, the saddle always drifts to one side.
You are not imagining it. And you are not alone.
These are among the most common saddle fit challenges I see as a professional saddle fitter — and the most misunderstood. Most riders either push through the problem (and watch their horse's comfort and performance deteriorate), spend money on a new saddle that doesn't actually solve the issue.
There is a better way.
Introducing:
THE SEASONAL DYNAMICS OF SADDLE FIT: A Comprehensive Guide to Monitoring and Mitigating the Changing Topline
What's covered you ask???
Table of Contents.
Introduction: The Static vs. Dynamic Conflict. 7
Part 1: The Science — Why Your Horse Changes. 8
1.1 The Winter Contraction (Thermoregulatory Autophagy). 8
1.2 The Summer Expansion.. 8
1.3 The 'Hay Belly' Illusion.. 9
Part 2: Anatomical Foundations. 10
2.1 The Thoracic Sling (No Collarbones). 10
2.2 The 'Forgotten' Muscle: Spinalis Thoracis. 10
2.3 The Nuchal Ligament Reality. 11
Part 3: The Monitoring Toolkit. 12
3.1 Manual Back Tracing: The Forensic Protocol 12
The Tools You'll Need.. 12
Standardized Stance. 12
Where to Measure — The 3 Critical Zones. 12
Taking the Tracings. 13
3.2 The Shape-Ratio System (Greve & Dyson). 13
Step-by-Step Measurement Protocol 13
The Shape-Ratio Quick-Reference Chart. 15
3.3 The Dennis Lane System & Xenophon's Ideal 16
3.4 Qualitative Assessment: TES and MASS.. 17
Topline Evaluation System (TES). 17
Muscle Atrophy Scoring System (MASS). 17
The Palpation Protocol 17
3.5 Standardized Photography for Longitudinal Records. 19
Part 4: The Decision Framework — The Traffic Light System... 20
GREEN LIGHT: Monitor. 20
YELLOW LIGHT: Mitigate — The Shim Zone.. 20
RED LIGHT: Intervene — Stop Riding.. 21
Part 5: The Philosophy of Shimming — 'Prosthetic Muscle' 22
5.1 The Core Rule of Shimming.. 22
5.2 The Physics: Bridge vs. Seesaw... 22
The 'Seesaw' Error — Creating a Fulcrum... 22
The 'Bridge' Solution — Correct Shimming. 23
Part 6: The Science of Shimming Materials. 24
6.1 Material Physics & the 'Bottoming Out' Test. 24
Wool Felt — The Gold Standard.. 24
Memory Foam — The Enemy of Lift. 24
Gel — Contraindicated.. 24
Advanced Elastomers — ThinLine and Prolite.. 24
6.2 The Beveling (Skiving) Technique — Non-Negotiable.. 26
6.2a Shim Photos — Skiving & Beveling in Practice. 27
6.3 Template Mapping for a Precision Fit. 29
6.4 Your Shim Pad Buyer's Guide — 8 Top Brands. 29
Mattes (Germany). 29
ThinLine.. 29
Prolite.. 30
Kavalkade. 30
TSF (The Saddle Fitting Company). 30
Ecogold.. 31
LeMieux.. 31
Fleeceworks. 32
Quick Reference: Which Pad for Which Problem?. 32
6.5 Creative Customization & Strategic Placement. 33
Part 7: Corrective Protocols — Step-by-Step.. 35
Protocol A: The Wither Hollow (Trapezius Atrophy). 35
Step 1 — The Pyramid Layering Method.. 35
Step 2 — The Beveling Rule (Non-Negotiable). 35
Step 3 — Critical Positioning.. 35
Protocol B: The Sway Back (Bridging / Lordosis). 36
The Suspension Shim... 36
Protocol C: The Asymmetrical Horse. 36
Part 8: Balance Dynamics — Tipping & Wedges. 38
8.1 Downhill Balance (Forward Tipping). 38
8.2 Uphill Balance (Backward Tipping). 38
Part 9: The Green Light Strategy — Weaning Off Support. 39
9.1 The Hypertrophy Timeline.. 39
9.2 Signs That the Shim Is No Longer Needed.. 39
9.3 The Reverse Pyramid.. 39
Part 10: Red Flags & Contraindications. 40
10.1 The 'Too Narrow' Tree — The Cardinal Sin.. 40
10.2 The 'Banana' Tree — Rocking. 40
10.3 Acute Inflammation — Stop Immediately. 40
Part 11: The Mindset Shift — From Passive Consumer to Active Manager. 41
11.1 The Myth of the 'Forever Saddle' 41
11.2 The 'Permission to Wait' 41
11.3 Ending the 'Outsourcing' Trap.. 42
Conclusion: The Golden Rule of Management. 43
About the Author. 44
Inside this guide, you will learn:
About long standing methods that are under utilized. I'll explain four different methods for tracking your horse's topline over time, so you always have an objective record to compare against. You may choose the one that speaks to you, and armed with the ways you can use it to track topline health, you can follow up with the appropriate remedy for your horse.
The first is the back tracing — a simple, repeatable technique using a flexible curve or wire to capture the exact cross-sectional shape of your horse's back at critical measurement points. You will learn how to take a tracing that is actually comparable from one season to the next.
Most importantly, you will learn how to calculate the Shape-Ratio from your tracing — a single number, developed by researchers Greve and Dyson, that tells you objectively whether your horse's back is in the normal range, the shim zone, or the intervention zone. No guesswork. No "it looks about the same." A number you can track.
The second method is the Dennis Lane system — a standardized language for describing back shape that has been used by professional saddlers for decades. Based on the ideal described by Xenophon in 350 BC, Lane's coding system lets you say precisely whether your horse has a "double back" (muscles rising above the spine — the goal) or a "single back" (spine protruding above the muscle — the warning sign). Recording a Lane code quarterly gives you concrete, objective language to describe what is changing and whether your work is making a difference.
The third method is the Topline Evaluation System (TES) — a hands-on, visual and tactile assessment of the withers, mid-back, loin, and croup. You will learn exactly where to place your hands, what a convex muscle feels like versus a concave one, and how to assign a grade from A (ideal) to E (severe atrophy). The guide includes a full TES-to-shimming implication chart so you always know what your grade means for your saddle fit decisions.
The fourth method is standardized photography — a specific protocol for taking quarterly photos that are actually comparable to each other. Distance, lens, angle, and a grid overlay method that lets you measure the vertical drop from wither to the lowest point of the back over time. This is the method that turns a phone photo into a clinical record.
Together, these four tools give you something most riders never have: a longitudinal record of your horse's back. Not a feeling. Not a memory. A record.
And when you combine that record with the Traffic Light Decision Framework in Part 4, you will always know exactly what to do next.
And I'll show you how in Part 5: The Philosophy of Shimming — 'Prosthetic Muscle':
Before you can shim correctly, you need to know what your horse's back is actually doing. Not what it looked like last spring. Not what it felt like when you bought the saddle. What it is doing right now, this season, at this point in your horse's fitness and feeding cycle.
The "Prosthetic Muscle" Principle — why a shim is not a cushion, it's a structural tool, and how to use it like one
The Three Protocols — specific, step-by-step shimming plans for the three most common conditions: trapezius atrophy (the "Dire Straits" horse), seasonal sway back and bridging (the "Yellow Light" horse), and the asymmetrical horse
The Science of Materials — why wool felt works and memory foam fails, and exactly which material to use for which problem
The Buyer's Guide — an honest, brand-by-brand breakdown of major shimming systems on the market
The Red Flags — the three situations where shimming will make things worse, and what to do instead
The "Green Light" Strategy — how to wean your horse off shimming support as their muscle returns, so you don't create a new problem by leaving the shims in too long
The Beveling Technique — the one step most people skip that turns a good shim into a great one
The Pyramid Layering Method — how to build a multi-layer shim stack that you can remove one layer at a time as your horse heals
THE SEASONAL DYNAMICS OF SADDLE FIT: A Comprehensive Guide to Monitoring and Mitigating the Changing Topline
What's covered you ask???
Table of Contents.
Introduction: The Static vs. Dynamic Conflict. 7
Part 1: The Science — Why Your Horse Changes. 8
1.1 The Winter Contraction (Thermoregulatory Autophagy). 8
1.2 The Summer Expansion.. 8
1.3 The 'Hay Belly' Illusion.. 9
Part 2: Anatomical Foundations. 10
2.1 The Thoracic Sling (No Collarbones). 10
2.2 The 'Forgotten' Muscle: Spinalis Thoracis. 10
2.3 The Nuchal Ligament Reality. 11
Part 3: The Monitoring Toolkit. 12
3.1 Manual Back Tracing: The Forensic Protocol 12
The Tools You'll Need.. 12
Standardized Stance. 12
Where to Measure — The 3 Critical Zones. 12
Taking the Tracings. 13
3.2 The Shape-Ratio System (Greve & Dyson). 13
Step-by-Step Measurement Protocol 13
The Shape-Ratio Quick-Reference Chart. 15
3.3 The Dennis Lane System & Xenophon's Ideal 16
3.4 Qualitative Assessment: TES and MASS.. 17
Topline Evaluation System (TES). 17
Muscle Atrophy Scoring System (MASS). 17
The Palpation Protocol 17
3.5 Standardized Photography for Longitudinal Records. 19
Part 4: The Decision Framework — The Traffic Light System... 20
GREEN LIGHT: Monitor. 20
YELLOW LIGHT: Mitigate — The Shim Zone.. 20
RED LIGHT: Intervene — Stop Riding.. 21
Part 5: The Philosophy of Shimming — 'Prosthetic Muscle' 22
5.1 The Core Rule of Shimming.. 22
5.2 The Physics: Bridge vs. Seesaw... 22
The 'Seesaw' Error — Creating a Fulcrum... 22
The 'Bridge' Solution — Correct Shimming. 23
Part 6: The Science of Shimming Materials. 24
6.1 Material Physics & the 'Bottoming Out' Test. 24
Wool Felt — The Gold Standard.. 24
Memory Foam — The Enemy of Lift. 24
Gel — Contraindicated.. 24
Advanced Elastomers — ThinLine and Prolite.. 24
6.2 The Beveling (Skiving) Technique — Non-Negotiable.. 26
6.2a Shim Photos — Skiving & Beveling in Practice. 27
6.3 Template Mapping for a Precision Fit. 29
6.4 Your Shim Pad Buyer's Guide — 8 Top Brands. 29
Mattes (Germany). 29
ThinLine.. 29
Prolite.. 30
Kavalkade. 30
TSF (The Saddle Fitting Company). 30
Ecogold.. 31
LeMieux.. 31
Fleeceworks. 32
Quick Reference: Which Pad for Which Problem?. 32
6.5 Creative Customization & Strategic Placement. 33
Part 7: Corrective Protocols — Step-by-Step.. 35
Protocol A: The Wither Hollow (Trapezius Atrophy). 35
Step 1 — The Pyramid Layering Method.. 35
Step 2 — The Beveling Rule (Non-Negotiable). 35
Step 3 — Critical Positioning.. 35
Protocol B: The Sway Back (Bridging / Lordosis). 36
The Suspension Shim... 36
Protocol C: The Asymmetrical Horse. 36
Part 8: Balance Dynamics — Tipping & Wedges. 38
8.1 Downhill Balance (Forward Tipping). 38
8.2 Uphill Balance (Backward Tipping). 38
Part 9: The Green Light Strategy — Weaning Off Support. 39
9.1 The Hypertrophy Timeline.. 39
9.2 Signs That the Shim Is No Longer Needed.. 39
9.3 The Reverse Pyramid.. 39
Part 10: Red Flags & Contraindications. 40
10.1 The 'Too Narrow' Tree — The Cardinal Sin.. 40
10.2 The 'Banana' Tree — Rocking. 40
10.3 Acute Inflammation — Stop Immediately. 40
Part 11: The Mindset Shift — From Passive Consumer to Active Manager. 41
11.1 The Myth of the 'Forever Saddle' 41
11.2 The 'Permission to Wait' 41
11.3 Ending the 'Outsourcing' Trap.. 42
Conclusion: The Golden Rule of Management. 43
About the Author. 44
Inside this guide, you will learn:
About long standing methods that are under utilized. I'll explain four different methods for tracking your horse's topline over time, so you always have an objective record to compare against. You may choose the one that speaks to you, and armed with the ways you can use it to track topline health, you can follow up with the appropriate remedy for your horse.
The first is the back tracing — a simple, repeatable technique using a flexible curve or wire to capture the exact cross-sectional shape of your horse's back at critical measurement points. You will learn how to take a tracing that is actually comparable from one season to the next.
Most importantly, you will learn how to calculate the Shape-Ratio from your tracing — a single number, developed by researchers Greve and Dyson, that tells you objectively whether your horse's back is in the normal range, the shim zone, or the intervention zone. No guesswork. No "it looks about the same." A number you can track.
The second method is the Dennis Lane system — a standardized language for describing back shape that has been used by professional saddlers for decades. Based on the ideal described by Xenophon in 350 BC, Lane's coding system lets you say precisely whether your horse has a "double back" (muscles rising above the spine — the goal) or a "single back" (spine protruding above the muscle — the warning sign). Recording a Lane code quarterly gives you concrete, objective language to describe what is changing and whether your work is making a difference.
The third method is the Topline Evaluation System (TES) — a hands-on, visual and tactile assessment of the withers, mid-back, loin, and croup. You will learn exactly where to place your hands, what a convex muscle feels like versus a concave one, and how to assign a grade from A (ideal) to E (severe atrophy). The guide includes a full TES-to-shimming implication chart so you always know what your grade means for your saddle fit decisions.
The fourth method is standardized photography — a specific protocol for taking quarterly photos that are actually comparable to each other. Distance, lens, angle, and a grid overlay method that lets you measure the vertical drop from wither to the lowest point of the back over time. This is the method that turns a phone photo into a clinical record.
Together, these four tools give you something most riders never have: a longitudinal record of your horse's back. Not a feeling. Not a memory. A record.
And when you combine that record with the Traffic Light Decision Framework in Part 4, you will always know exactly what to do next.
And I'll show you how in Part 5: The Philosophy of Shimming — 'Prosthetic Muscle':
Before you can shim correctly, you need to know what your horse's back is actually doing. Not what it looked like last spring. Not what it felt like when you bought the saddle. What it is doing right now, this season, at this point in your horse's fitness and feeding cycle.
The "Prosthetic Muscle" Principle — why a shim is not a cushion, it's a structural tool, and how to use it like one
The Three Protocols — specific, step-by-step shimming plans for the three most common conditions: trapezius atrophy (the "Dire Straits" horse), seasonal sway back and bridging (the "Yellow Light" horse), and the asymmetrical horse
The Science of Materials — why wool felt works and memory foam fails, and exactly which material to use for which problem
The Buyer's Guide — an honest, brand-by-brand breakdown of major shimming systems on the market
The Red Flags — the three situations where shimming will make things worse, and what to do instead
The "Green Light" Strategy — how to wean your horse off shimming support as their muscle returns, so you don't create a new problem by leaving the shims in too long
The Beveling Technique — the one step most people skip that turns a good shim into a great one
The Pyramid Layering Method — how to build a multi-layer shim stack that you can remove one layer at a time as your horse heals
Need an Immediate Answer for any current fit issues?
Let Me Do the Diagnostics.
Don't have the time right now to learn the forensic monitoring protocols yourself?
If your horse is actively showing signs of pain, resistance, or your saddle is consistently slipping, let's bypass the guesswork. My Diagnostic Saddle Assessment (DSA) is a forensic "Deep Dive" into your current saddle to identify the structural root cause of fit failures.
You provide the photos and tracings; I do the complex mechanical analysis.
Winter Special: $59 through March 15th (Regularly $75)
Let Me Do the Diagnostics.
Don't have the time right now to learn the forensic monitoring protocols yourself?
If your horse is actively showing signs of pain, resistance, or your saddle is consistently slipping, let's bypass the guesswork. My Diagnostic Saddle Assessment (DSA) is a forensic "Deep Dive" into your current saddle to identify the structural root cause of fit failures.
You provide the photos and tracings; I do the complex mechanical analysis.
Winter Special: $59 through March 15th (Regularly $75)
Not Ready for the Deep Dive?
Start with the Free Decision Tree.
Unsure if your horse's back changes require immediate intervention or just monitoring? Download my free Seasonal Saddle Fit Decision Tree. This quick-reference guide gives you a simple, step-by-step framework to figure out exactly what your horse's seasonal symptoms mean and what your very next step should be.
Start with the Free Decision Tree.
Unsure if your horse's back changes require immediate intervention or just monitoring? Download my free Seasonal Saddle Fit Decision Tree. This quick-reference guide gives you a simple, step-by-step framework to figure out exactly what your horse's seasonal symptoms mean and what your very next step should be.