Building Muscle

[warrior_pony]

I have been reading on the best ways to build up neck muscles and I was wondering if long and low work or lunging with side reins is best?

Also does strapping help?

 

[tallyho!]

I have been reading on the best ways to build up neck muscles and I was wondering if long and low work or lunging with side reins is best?

Also does strapping help?

Whatever you do, the best thing is time - shortcuts always end up making the horse either on the forehand or hollow-backed/sided. What have you been reading so far?

 

[rosiesowner]

Whatever you do, the best thing is time - shortcuts always end up making the horse either on the forehand or hollow-backed/sided. What have you been reading so far?

I agree with this totally. In one of my anat and phys lectures I was surprised to learn just how long it takes for muscle to change and form. It really wont come overnight! Having brought my horse back into work after she was on holiday and consequently building muscle I can give you some recommendations:

-Depending on what type of condition your horse is in, remember that if they're a little skinny and don't have much weight on them they need some to turn into muscle. Which leads me to my next point...
-FEED!! Good condition truly comes from the inside out. My personal choice of feed for promoting topline is Bailey's No4. Not the most expensive conditioning feed so affordable and I have had great results. You can also add oil to feed, I use sunflower. However, again this depends on what type of condition your horse is in. If they're over weight you don't really want to be pumping them full of conditioning feed. I'd say talk to a feed company online. So many of them are really helpful and I especially liked the Spillers website.
-Work. A varied routine will benefit a horse more than the same thing over and over. I'd recommend a Pessoa style training aid for use on the lunge. However, I always make sure to use the full school when I lunge as well as circles, even if it means me power walking around to keep up! Start with the pessoa on not too demanding a setting. As your horse gets stronger and fitter, you can increase the demand of the pessoa. It's about common sense and good judgement, really. Have a read up about the different settings and degrees of difficulty of work a Pessoa can provide. As for ridden work, anything that will get a horse genuinely working long and low (not just dragging their nose along the floor) is good, though ensuring to vary their frame is important.

Mostly, what I've found most useful is endless PATIENCE. I've had my mare just shy of a year and can understand how frustrating it can be and how tempting short term solutions can be. HOWEVER, correct feeding, a varied and beneficial exercise routine and time are your keys. Also making sure all your tack fits and that your horse's back and teeth are good so that they're not compensating in any area of their body which may cause them to work incorrectly and therefore at no benefit to themselves.

WOW. Long reply.
Congrats if you read all that!
Keep us updated-before and after pics are always very satisfying.

Harriet and Chilli x