Building muscle on a horse that doesnt lunge

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walkers_dream

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How do you work mucle tone up with out lunging, i cannot ride him as hes too young, and want to start building him up for his driving career, We long rein, go for long walks, is fed twice a day, but he still looks like a foal with how close his legs are, i need to start some form of exersize routeen but unsure whats best for him as dont want to over work him. He is 3 in may/june:confused:
 
While you're long reining stand off to one side and increase the angle until you are standing level with his girth and one line is round his backside. Voila you are now lunging with two reins and your problem is solved.
 
If he still looks quite foal like I would think he needs a bit more time to mature. Just keep everything gentle at this stage and dont worry about muscle yet. You may need to postpone the driving career untill he fills out a bit more
 
mini-eventer said:
If he still looks quite foal like I would think he needs a bit more time to mature. Just keep everything gentle at this stage and dont worry about muscle yet. You may need to postpone the driving career untill he fills out a bit more
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I agree, some horses just take a long time to strengthen up, and other than allowing them time to roam in summer, and feeding in winter, there is little one can do.
Use the time to do plenty of handling, he can get used to the harness, particularly the breeching [I just turn mine loose in the arena].
I think it is very important that he stands when asked and knows that when the harness is put on he needs to behave properly.
If he needs another year to mature, there is no point in asking him to do any serous work, there are plenty of other things to do, including long reining, grid work, exposure to country roads, light traffic, maybe travelling to shows, grooming etcetera.
 
This is what i have been thinking, he has shot up in the past two weeks from 13.2 to 14.1 which has amazed me! didnt think that quick of a growth spurt was possible!

But just a comment that was made by a friend has been niggling at me maybe ive done something wrong for him not to have any mucle tone, and still look baby like!

ive been focusing on trying to teach him to lunge, we work with pirelli most of the time, and im always complimented on how well behaved he is in dificult situations (i personally put it down to him being lazy!)

he accepts the whole harness, has been long reined with it all on, and tbh even i was shocked at how well behaved he was! old head on young shoulders thats for sure. esp as he is still a colt (well till the 2nd :/ urgh dawning on us bless him!)

i dont normally let comments get to me but for some reason this has! lol his life of leasure with a little education will continue, He will be driven when hes ready! x
 
You could start doing some pole work from the ground, and progress up to raised poles, can you long rein up some nice hills - that will be good work for both of you ;) :D
 
If he is growing in spurts then he will not be muscling up, he has diverted his grub in to growth not muscle, he will probably be the type do do this for a while, my own boy has only matured at aged eight!
Before this he was nearly always croup high, with almost no withers and a long straight back line, when they are croup high, they find it difficult to balance and so on.
 
mini-eventer said:
If he still looks quite foal like I would think he needs a bit more time to mature. Just keep everything gentle at this stage and don't worry about muscle yet. You may need to postpone the driving career until he fills out a bit more
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Excellent advice.
 
I'm not a breeding guru, but all youngsters develop in different ways, some at 3 can be more like a green 5 yr old, others look like yearlings. My 14.2 was the ugliest thing going at 3, had adult size head & legs & scrawny yearling like body & measured 13h, but caught up very quickly by 4. Do whats best for your horse, not what anyone else thinks of his appearance.
 
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