Building up his bottom

[humph]

I've just taken on my husband's hunter who's had 7 weeks off after the hunting season and my plan is to educate him and muscle him up over the summer.

To look at he has a fabulous neck and shoulder and a good strong back but his quarters look fine but out of proportion to the rest of him. Frustratingly, we have no hills so hillwork's not an option and, because he's coming back into work, at the moment I can only walk.

What exercises can I do to muscle up his bottom? Naturally he has a very engaged hind leg so it's surprising that it looks so comparatively weak.

Thanks in advance,

humph

 

[VioletStripe]

Set up poles on each quarter mark of a 20 meter circle, and walk him round that several times. Then progress to putting the poles on a fan shape, narrower on one end than the other, and walk over those. vary which side of the fan shape you ride on so you get a varied stride. once he is fitter, proceed to do them in trot. x

 

[humph]

Great thanks Violet, will give that a go x

 

[SamuelWhiskers]

Walk - halt - walk - halt - reinback transitions and when trotting, lots more transitions and polework, it worked with my big lad, who was weak behind....

 

[MegaBeast]

Raised trot poles can be a big help and aim to do over a hundred transitions every time you ride (Carl Hester's tip)