Building topline/muscle for showing....confused!!

[Ziggy_]

ok, so i posted a pic on here a few days ago asking what show classes my horse could do and everyone said "with more muscle, she could do riding horse / maybe LW hunter".

Anyone got suggestions for building topline and how long should it take to get her in show condition?
Compared to how she was when i first got her she has a lot of muscle, but needs a lot more...
Atm I lunge in side reins twice a week, school twice a week, jump (maiinly basic gridwork) once a week and hack on hills once a week.

Also I'm confused about what muscle they need for showing as opposed to other sports eg jumping/dressage. Obviously show horses look different but how do you get them to muscle up differently depending on what sport you do?

Sorry if i sound a bit dim, i'm a complete showing novice, i fancy giving it a go this summer cos i can use a pelham and i don't trust her in a snaffle so dressage is out of the question! She has nice, but not flashy paces and no obvious confirmation faults, and does go in a nice outline.

 

[AmyMay]

You've got to work her regularly - and I always favour hacking work to school work. Strapping will also help, and feeding something like Baileys top line conditioning cubes will help add muscle - but be careful it doesn't turn to fat.

As I said in my previous post - why not get in touch with FMM who will be able to give you lots of brilliant advice. She shows very successfully at top level.

 

[sfward]

Not really a showing expert, but I would suggest lots of hillwork (long slow climbs in walk and trot) and lunging in something like a chambon which will help build up the muscles over her topline. That and a conditioning feed as AmyMay suggested, you could try sugarbeet and/or linseed; my father who was a big showing man years ago always used to feed boiled linseed which gives them fantastic coat and condition. They would also feed boiled barley but that's a bit old fashioned now and I'm sure lots of the modern conditioning feeds on the market would do the same thing.

 

[AmyMay]

[ QUOTE ]
They would also feed boiled barley but that's a bit old fashioned now

[/ QUOTE ]
We still feed boiled barley to all the hunters and young stock at my yard.

 

[sfward]

Oh! I stand corrected

 

[Colleen_Miss_Tom]

Correct feeding is very important for the building up of muscle , Topline conditioning cubes or mix is great , Also as far as work goes, hill work , hacking and just general regular work should help .
Have always boiled linseed for shine and condition , along with soya oil .

Set yourself up a rota and stick to it , As far as how quickly you notice a chance , it really does vary .

 

[CrazyMare]

Working in a Pessoa on the lunge rather than side reins is my preferance. Also start strapping and if you can feeding from the floor for all bucket feeds and hay/hayledge.

Since putting my mare onto TopSpec balancer, along with plenty of strapping and being fed from the floor alongside her normal work, really helped build her up.

 

[Theresa_F]

I had instruction from a professional producer.

He says 2 months to get into show condition - this is for a youngster - youngstock classes. I am starting now to get Chancer ready for April as this year we are out of babies. I am slowly giving him more greengold (Simple Systems alfa a) and increasing the instant linseed as he starts to do a little more work.

I have again started to work him with vienna reins - I did a post about this a few days ago if you are interested. This gives him a nice rounded top line and muscle. As he is only 3 1/2 I do groundwork to build him up. I alternate between lunging (using the whole school) and long reining. He won't be as built up as older ones but will have good muscle tone for his age.

FMM is the one to get tips from. I am only in my second year of affiliated showing and have tonnes to learn. I stewarded at shows last year and this is a great way to find out what Judges like as you can earwig on their conversations

If you can go to a producer for an assessment and tips, it is worth every penny - without Darren at Pferde Stud, I would never have done so well at the BSPA WCC last year.

Standards are getting so high and this includes local level, that you now need instruction for showing as much as you would any other aspect of competing.

Hence, Stinky and I are off the the BSPA training day on Saturday

 

[AmyMay]

[ QUOTE ]
if you can feeding from the floor for all bucket feeds and hay/hayledge

[/ QUOTE ]
Or a hang on the door manger for hard feed. Which is how most the show horses on my yard are fed - helps with the neck

 

[SpruceRI]

Hi Teresa-F....I know I asked this on another post and have probably missed the answer, but what is a Vienna rein?

thanks

 

[conniegirl]

correct feeding and work.

Lots of trotting uphill in an outline, strapping, correct working generaly, passoas.

Also if your horse will eat it tie your haynet on the out side of the door make them stretch over the door for hay. Or feeding off the floor. I have horse haybars for my ponies, and they have to stretch over them to get the hay.

Feeding from a bucket attached to the door doesnt realy do much as the horse does not have to stretch or work the muscles accross his back and neck to eat from it.