01/09/2026
OBJECTIVE TOPLINE MEASUREMENTS
Why, how and who should take them?
We talk a lot about a horse having a “good topline”, but how do we know whether the horse is actually developing and maintaining functional topline musculature under the saddle? Answer – We measure
WHY?
Because the topline is dynamic.
One of the changes we commonly look for is a loss of muscular volume and functional tension around the base of the withers and underneath the front of the saddle — potentially producing the shape you can see in the red outline in the video. 👇
Our goal is to see the horse able to lift, engage and maintain functional muscular support through the back, represented by the green outline.
Using the VBR measurement methodology, we would expect to see measurable changes in the horse's back profile following ridden work — including approximately 1–1.5 cm of lift at the base of the withers and around 0.5–1.5 cm of widening after approximately 20 minutes of riding.
These measurements provide us with an objective way of monitoring how the horse's back is responding to ridden work. If the expected change isn't occurring, that doesn't automatically tell us what the problem is — but it does give us a reason to investigate further.
HOW TO MEASURE?
The VBR methodology uses a Flexicurve to objectively record the horse's cross-sectional profile at specific points along the back. Measurements are taken at the tree-point and stirrup-bar positions — approximately 5 cm and 15 cm behind the scapula respectively for an ErgoX2 of Sweden saddle.
The cross-sectional angle behind the shoulder is also assessed. We use approximately 90° as a reference, with angles below 75° considered a potential concern, indicating a flatter profile and reduced functional muscular development in this area.
The longitudinal profile of the back is also measured from the shoulder towards the deepest point of the back. Within the VBR system, approximately 20–21 cm is considered the reference range, with 16–19 cm classified as short and 22–24 cm as long.
These measurements give us something that photographs and visual assessment alone cannot: Objective data that can be compared over time.
WHO SHOULD MEASURE?
At Equimech, we take these measurements before and after the ridden section of our E360 Rider–Saddle–Horse Assessment.
The measurements form just one part of our overall assessment — they don't tell the whole story.
And importantly, we encourage riders to learn how to monitor their own horse.
Why? - Because the Rider–Saddle–Horse relationship is dynamic.
Waiting until the next saddle check — perhaps six or twelve months later — means potentially missing changes that could be identified much earlier.
Riders have the power to take regular objective measurements to help them spot trends, monitor changes and ask better questions about why their horse's back is changing.
WANT TO LEARN MORE?
VBR have produced a free Horse’s Topline Guide which can be downloaded from the VBR Education website.
The measuring sheets and Flexicurves are available to purchase from the accessories section of the ErgoX2 of Sweden Webshop.
When it comes to the Rider–Saddle–Horse relationship, what we can measure objectively, can help us understand what we see.
