Come back plan and building topline

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YummyHorses

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Guys,

Have got the all clear to start riding again which is great news. They want to x-ray me again in 3 months as the consultant had a little concern over the ankle break but otherwise the other breaks are okay. Its sore, and I have lost all muscle but am looking forward to getting going again. Guess it will hurt but it will be worth it just to get back on!!

My horses have been off whilst I have been healing enjoying a well deserved rest in the field. However I need to start them off again and was keen to get wise words in terms of exercises and time lines for the horses. Both have lost their top line and the once chunky bums are now pathetic! I have my own ideas but am keen to hear what you chaps do/have done to get top line and bum muscles back?

Thanks.
 
Glad to hear you are on the road to recovery.
How long have the horses been off?
If they have been off for quite a few months then I would start with 6 weeks of walk work to bring them back in to work gently, gradually building up the time they are out for and then introducing trot work etc.
Plenty of walking up hills will help with the topline and building the back end up again.
 
oh i will be interested in the replies you get to this thread! my guy is coming back into work after a long time off and needs to lose his big belly and gain a decent topline.

Currently I am hacking him 3/4 times a week- all walking. He then gets schooled 2/3 times a week. He does alot of walking in his schooling sessions but also trotting and canter. This is all done under supervision from my trainer who has drawn up a fitness plan and diet for Barry. Its based on the idea of interval training- i think a more modern approach to getting horses fit than the more traditional view of lots of walking, then lots of trotting. Have to admit i was abit skeptical- I used to do interval training with my PT in the gym myself however I had never thought about applying the principle of it to my horses. I have looked into it further and done my research. As long as its strictly controlled- ie no wild gallops or exhausting the horse by trotting or cantering endlessly it definitely works. He is 2 weeks in and i can see he is getting fitter already and his muscles are developing correctly. Im sure other people will disagree but I can see it working for my horse.
 
Hey.
Thats good news you are on the move again, but do try not to over do it.
You will be week and just like your ggs dont want to end up having a miss hap because you are unfit.
I would recomend lots of lunging to begin with in trot.
That way you are not doing to much eiteher.
Trotting is grate for muscle building and getting fit.
Once you and your ggs have established a bit more muscle and fitness, I would then start doing some lunging with side reins or a passoa, but not too much as that will be hard work for them to maintain an outline if they have no muscle.
Once you and your boys are feeling fitter and more muscular i would then start hacking out, again lots of trot and hill work if possible.
Take care jenna x
 
I would do 6 weeks walking before I put the horse on a circle to harden his legs up. Hill work will work wonders for his quarters and I would then start lunging a couple of times a week too. I would also introduce interval training once you've done the base fitness.
 
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