Building topline/hindquarters - ground work, hill work, schooling?

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_Acolyte_

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Amazingly, just for the moment, Bob has the all clear to be in work, and is not waiting for a vet/physio appointment
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When the vet came on Tuesday (to assess the 1/10th lameness which is apparently nothing to worry about) he mentioned ground work and hill work to build topline/hindquarters.

I am not very good with ground work, so would lunging in a Pessoa be adequate? I was thinking of starting on the lowest setting, and beginning with 5 minutes each side then building up to 15 minutes each side?

Also hillwork - is walking or trotting better, and how many times should I go up and down the hill?

And finally what ratio would you advise between lunging/schooling/hillwork?

Sorry about all the questions, but thanks in advance
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Hillwork is best slow and powerful IME. My mare is on walking rehab for a long time and is getting very fit walking up all the hills in the area! If she finds a hill particularly steep or difficult she is liable to come above the bridle and jog up it - proof I think that it works more muscles to be round and engaged and walk or trot up slowly. She's not been doing hill work long enough yet to show much improvement in topline but i's only a matter of time before her huge backside appears
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When she was allowed to be lunged (before her tendon injury, when she was in full work) I'd stick her in a Pessoa for half an hour a week (sometimes I'd do it twice) which also helped a lot - not only to balance her long, heavy canter with the help of lots of transitions, but also she grew a lovely topline.
I used to try to hack two/three times a week, school twice a week, and lunge once or twice. She would work hard in each session apart from one easy hack in the middle of her week where we'd take it steady and plod round the woods for a bit for a nice change.
 
We do slow trotting up hills and Pessoa work to build topline.

Well I say do....its been well over a year since due to foalie and lameness!!! When shes back in work (fingers crossed) it will be hillwork and Pessoa work when shes allowed again
 
Ah thats really helpful - thanks both
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Typical that I sold my Pessoa when I sold my last horse (I have no flipping foresight at all
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) but should be able to borrow one from someone at the yard I hope
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I have the JW version and it is my lifesaver during the winter months, as I don't finish work until it is dark and I find it helps to do just a couple of sessions during the week and then can hack out at weekends in daylight.
For hillwork I am walking up them at the moment as I find it makes my boy work a little bit more (and I don't really like doing any prolonged trotting on roads).
My week at the moment is hacking out Sat and Sun, day off Mon, lunge in Pessoa Tues, lesson Weds, Lunge Thurs and Day off Fri
 
I was always taught to do hill work in walk because it is more effective for muscle development than it is to trot. Like an ealier poster said, if they find it hard work they are more likely to break into a trot (because its easier).
 
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I recommend the book The Injured Horse by Amanda Sutton. It has a lot of ideas in their for bringing a horse back into work and stretches/exercises you can do to help your horse.

Doing work over poles that are raised at one end is a really good exercise.

Ditto walking on hill work.

I'm not a huge fan of pessoas but I know a lot of people rate them. I'd prefer to long rein than lunge. If lunging I would walk with the horse so that I used the whole arena rather than circling in the one place.

Good luck
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Thanks for your replies everyone
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Walking up hills it will be, unfortunately it can only happen at the weekend but I suppose 2 days is better than none
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TPO - I have tried long reining in the past but am absolutely pants at it
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There is a girl at the yard who is really fantastic at it, but I can't afford to pay her to do it for me at the moment.... might just ask her if she would be willing to spend 10 minutes showing me the basics!

But YO is also keen that we use the whole school when lunging (so we dont trash the school surface) so I am always running up and down getting as much exercise as the horse when I lunge
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Actually, walking downhill is much better than walking uphill, hence why most horses will jog downhill or walk sideways.

Need to keep the pace slow and even with your seat and really let the horse balance itself downhill and not just lean on the bit.

Same thing for uphill - as slow as possible.

Have a look at the equiami as well - I hate the action of a pessoa as when the horse is truly working from behind it gets gobbed in the mouth. Lunging in a chambon is much better, although for rehabbing my horses I use the equiami as it has a self righting system.
 
I know the feeling! I'm not the best at longreining either. I got a wee lesson in it which helped plus I had a very patient horse!

The book I recommended and/or your back person will be able to show you stretches and massages to do that will help on the days you can't get out and about.
 
I found with my TB who I got straight out of racing that he COULD not walk down hills let alone trot or canter and trotting up hills was incredibly hard. I posted on here that I thought something was wrong with him and was firmly told that he needed to build up the muscles to be able to do it. He had no topline whatsoever and his neck was totally underdeveloped. I spent all summer walking down steep hills and walking and trotting up them slowly and now he is brilliant at it. His topline has improved beyond all recognition and he is so much more balanced.

My instructor kept telling me in our lessons to slow down because the slower we went the harder he worked. I also found it did wonders for our brakes!

I think both of us found it much more interesting than going round in circles in the field. Perhaps do a bit in the school during the week and then go for nice long rides at the weekend incorporating as many hills as possible!!
 
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I know the feeling! I'm not the best at longreining either. I got a wee lesson in it which helped plus I had a very patient horse!

The book I recommended and/or your back person will be able to show you stretches and massages to do that will help on the days you can't get out and about.

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Yes my physio has already got me doing carrot stretches daily, plus an amazing thing which makes him tilt his pelvis, and massaging for 3 minutes before and after riding (I cheated and bought a massage ball
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) - he is getting very good at the carrot stretches now, particularly before his tea
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We have some excellent hills around us, so I will concentrate on doing them very slowly
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Luckily I can do this in our XC field or out hacking so we will get a bit of variety.

Slowing things down is a technique I always try and use to get them working (and concentrating) when schooling - Bob is obviously wise to this as he drops into walk very readily, so it also teaches me to keep my leg on
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