Saddle fitting should be done without a saddle pad on. Big thick pads and expensive specialty pads are not a substitute for a properly fitted saddle. There are many professional saddle fitters available today that can help you determine if your saddle is properly fitted to your horse. Asking your horse to work in a saddle that doesn't fit is like asking you to go hiking in shoes that don't fit.
Once you have a properly fitted saddle, you can also do these simple exercises with your horse to strengthen his back. The first thing you can do is teach your horse to lower his head for you. You can do this by using your fingers at the poll (right between his ears). This is a very sensitive pressure point. Do not try to push his head down. Keep applying pressure like gentle poking and he should eventually drop his head. Dropping his head stretches his back muscles.
After getting your horse to keep his head down for a period of several minutes, you can try some "fly catches." Stand next to your horse's shoulder, and reach under his neck to the shoulder on the opposite side. Use your fingertips (or better yet, fingernails) and gently pick at the hair on the opposite shoulder. Your horse will think it is a fly and will swing his head over to get it. Very often you will hear his neck "pop" when he does this. Do two or three fly catches on both sides.
Horses are particularly fond of carrot stretches. :) Make your horse stretch his head all the way back to his hip to reach his favorite treat. You may be surprised at how difficult this is for some horses at first. They will want to turn in a circle, but don't give in. Make them stand still and stretch all the way back. If you have read my article, "Sweets and Treats" you know I am not a fan of using treats. My own horse, Greta, became very nasty, frustrated and nippy after doing these stretches for just one week. I have been able to get her to do these stretches by using the same "picking" or light scratching against the hair that I used for the fly catches, only doing it back by her hip on the same side that I am standing on.
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