Croup high conformation on a horse means that the horse stands taller over the croup than the withers. It is often seen in thoroughbreds for running fast and driving horses for pulling. You can also see this in some breeds like warm bloods (that were originally bred as carriage horses), traditional cobs and larger native pony breeds (which often too have a driving history in their breeding).

 

A horse that is croup high naturally puts more weight on the forehand making the rider feel as though they are riding downhill. This also affects saddle fitting and it can be quite tricky to get the balance correct for the horse and rider.

 

If there is too much weight tipping into the shoulder the rider cannot balance, and the horse will be uncomfortable, often causing the horse to stumble or buckle in front.

 

The horse may have a back that can take a larger saddle but it’s better to fit the flat space on the horses back, often using a smaller seat size can eliminate a lot of saddle fitting issues when fitting croup high horses.

 

Alternatively a saddle with a shorter footprint can be fitted.

 

It is important to look at all options and see what works best for horse and rider's comfort.