Creating Topline

[sue311263]

Hi Can any one help I am trying to get some topline on my 16.1 5 yr old MW gelging. he has a naturally low head carriage and a slightly short neck. I have been schooling to no avail. I can't lunge him in side reins, passoa's etc as he tears his mouth really easily. He is ridden in a D ring waterford as he leans and can be strong. I can't use any loose ring bits becuase of tearing the mouth. Would an Abbot Davies Balancing rein work?. All training aids seem to be aimed at high head carriage problems. has anyone any ideas?

 

[Scottish_Miss]

HI there

Think your option really is trying continue schooling to get him working long and low, but also from behind as topline is not just over the neck but from all along the back.

Riding over poles may also help as try and encourage him to stretch down over them but engaging from behind and through activly the shoulder, Hope then he will be soft and with a good swing through his back.
Another exercise is to ride in loops not serpentines from one side of school to the other end to end as this really makes the muscles work through bending correctly and also supple him up.

fraid no magical cure but correct work.

If he is better out then hacking with lots of hillwork is fabby - just in walk is enough but he must be sctive through from behind. Well recommended

 

[Touchwood]

Just schooling and time! The low head carriage, leaning and being strong are because he is on his forehand. He needs to learn how to carry himself from behind. This is not about his head carriage, it is about his whole way of working.
Have you been doing your schooling with the guidance of a decent instructor?

 

[Jbrogan]

Hi the main way i get my horses to gain muscle is to do alot of collected trot it really helps strong horses as well as they learn to respect the aids abit more. I ve always found it helps! but i'd remeber to let them stretch loads afterwards!!

 

[kerilli]

the waterford is absolutely not the answer, unfortunately... the reason they are not dressage legal is because it isn't possible to establish a correct contact with one (too fluid in the horse's mouth, moves too much), and without the correct contact, you can't work the horse over the back, through, etc, to establish correct musculature. a single-joint snaffle with, perhaps, full cheeks would be stable in his mouth, and would not pull through. then it is just a case of lots and lots of schooling, slow work, transitions, half-halts, to teach him to work from behind, not to lean and go on the forehand. fwiw i'd rather have a horse with a naturally low head-carriage than a star-gazey type that goes above the bit.
i'd get his teeth checked as leaning and heaviness can be a symptom of tooth problems - they try to fix on the bit to avoid it moving in the mouth and perhaps hurting.