build up his neck, help?

[beetlejuice]

ive got a 6 year old show cob that i plan to compete next year,

whats the best way of building up his neck muscles, if you look at all the top class cobs like the humdinger and tommy tucker etc they all have well muscled necks.

my horse is schooled regularly, hacks and does hill work and lunge work etc etc.

has regular physio, saddle checks everything. eats off the floor has ad lib haylage and is on baileys topline cubes, chop and blue chip in one feed a day.

he is not scrawny as it is but would like to get some more muscle on his neck. is it just a case of carrying on as i am and waiting for it as he matures? anyone else with young cobs found this?

any suggestions? thanks!!

 

[tallyho!]

Plenty of collected/gymnastic work. Spread out your feed into 2/3 a day - you're wasting it otherwise, what isn't absorbed will just come straight out.

 

[trendybraincell]

good old fashioned strapping

 

[schneeko]

schooling wise, carry on with what your doing and try to get him to do some stretching work, but he probably will get better with age and maturity

 

[bronchobarb2]

My boy is 5 and has the same issues, I feed pretty much the same as you. I think time is the answer, lots of work, lots of stretching and waiting for natural maturity. Granted though how muscular maturity varies I have a 3 year old, Pru has not been backed yet and she is just packed with natural muscle. Where as I my 5 year old in 5 days a week work - well I get excited if he builds a mm!