Do you think my horse needs more condition?

[NicoleS_007]

So basically following on from my other post on the winergy equlibrium energy ... do you think my horse needs more condition?I think he needs a bit more rib coverage but the weight just seems to go under his belly if you no what i mean and not over the ribs! He is wormed etc Hes a 16hh 7yr tb whom ive had for 2.5 yrs, ex racer

This is him being brought back into work in winter after 3mths box rest and after some mishaps lol (next year the legs are comin off )

This is him today before some exercise lol

And his bottom

 

[Cliqmo]

In short, yes I think he is really quite lean and I would definitely like to see more cover and more muscle along his whole topline

 

[martlin]

I think he needs a bit more muscle, but I'm not sure he needs more weight/condition (call it as you will)

 

[NicoleS_007]

totally agree he needs a lot of topline but how do we achieve it? He is worked in an outline all the time! if that makes a difference haha ... also is there anything that helps gain muscle? he has more muscle on the left buttock cheek than the right from his racing days but the right one has got a little bigger but not by much ... tbh its quite difficult to get muscle on him although he is SOOOOOO fit (u could ride him for hrs without him getting tired or sweating) lol

 

[VioletStripe]

totally agree he needs a lot of topline but how do we achieve it? He is worked in an outline all the time! if that makes a difference haha ... also is there anything that helps gain muscle? he has more muscle on the left buttock cheek than the right from his racing days but the right one has got a little bigger but not by much ... tbh its quite difficult to get muscle on him although he is SOOOOOO fit (u could ride him for hrs without him getting tired or sweating) lol

To help get topline, lots of hill work, pole work and lungeing can help Weight wise I think he's okay, you don't want them too well covered at this time of year because the grass will just keep on coming! He's a lovely horse by the way! xx

 

[Sheri]

I think he needs quite a bit of condition tbh

I'd give Spillers conditioning fibre a go, you can feed it with a conditioning feed of your choice or simply with high fibre cubes if he tends to get a bit hot headed on cereal based feeds.
http://www.spillers-feeds.com/en-gb.../spillers-fibres/SPILLERS-Conditioning-Fibre/

Good schooling will help build up his neck

My arab used to look pretty much like that and when I fed him stuff such as build up he went crazy plus all the weight seemed to go on his belly and nowhere else, conditioning fibre has put condition all over and hes remained sane!

If your reluctant to change your feed you could try Equivite body builder.
http://www.equivite.com/Page_BodyBuilder.htm

Also if you don't have good grazing maybe you could keep him in at night or day with two big haynets?

Good luck and keep us updated

 

[martlin]

totally agree he needs a lot of topline but how do we achieve it? He is worked in an outline all the time! if that makes a difference haha ... also is there anything that helps gain muscle? he has more muscle on the left buttock cheek than the right from his racing days but the right one has got a little bigger but not by much ... tbh its quite difficult to get muscle on him although he is SOOOOOO fit (u could ride him for hrs without him getting tired or sweating) lol

loads of hacking and hill work, as has been already said, you could also help him out with some specific supplements, like this one:
http://www.equistro.co.uk/ProductPage/ExcellE.html
or this:
http://www.equiformnutrition.co.uk/horse-supplements/EXCEL-MUSCLE-PRO-p-72.html

 

[MissSBird]

I think a little more weight and a lot more muscle - I do think he may be one of those tbs that never get much coverage over their ribs. My old mare was like this and the vet assured me it was a common enough thing for the finer tbs.

Sounds like you are doing the right things. Personally for me I found the best for my mare, who struggled with both weight and muscle retention, was alpha beet, topspec perfomance balancer and topspec conditioning flakes. She didn't hot up on them. I also used NAF pink power, just one tub, to settle her digestive system.

The only other thing I can think of would be to make sure he is always warm enough so he's not burning off anything on keeping warm. Make sure he's not stressed too, as that will kill his weight.

He is looking better though. I remember periods of boxrest always reduced my mare's muscles dramatically. TBH I would expect about 6 months of consistent work before he has a full proper topline. These things take time, particularly with these lean tb types that will drop it easily.

Good luck! I know how difficult and frustrating it is. My only other piece of advise would be to take weekly photos. If you're seeing him everyday it can be difficult to see the change as it happens so gradually. Having comparable pictures is a great way to keep your own moral up and show you that/if things are working

 

[Little_Miss_1]

PLEASE no more 'weight'! Your horse is A - OK - perfect weight wise! Sorry, but I'm sick of seeing fat horses. He's a cracker by the way - totally gorgeous! Just work for more muscle. Maybe fee a bit more build up feeds and try NAF Pink powder for digestive health - this is the only thing that made my underweight boy say covered (and I have already said I hate them fat, so he was really skinny when I got him!). Then it is just work work work. Maybe try a pessoa-type lunge aid to get all of those back muscles working and, like previously said, walking up hills.

Good luck though, he is lovely!

 

[Puppy]

PLEASE no more 'weight'! Your horse is A - OK - perfect weight wise! Sorry, but I'm sick of seeing fat horses. He's a cracker by the way - totally gorgeous! Just work for more muscle. Maybe fee a bit more build up feeds and try NAF Pink powder for digestive health - this is the only thing that made my underweight boy say covered (and I have already said I hate them fat, so he was really skinny when I got him!). Then it is just work work work. Maybe try a pessoa-type lunge aid to get all of those back muscles working and, like previously said, walking up hills.

Good luck though, he is lovely!

I disagree. I would like to see more weight on him.

 

[milo'n'molly]

totally agree he needs a lot of topline but how do we achieve it? He is worked in an outline all the time! if that makes a difference haha ... also is there anything that helps gain muscle? he has more muscle on the left buttock cheek than the right from his racing days but the right one has got a little bigger but not by much ... tbh its quite difficult to get muscle on him although he is SOOOOOO fit (u could ride him for hrs without him getting tired or sweating) lol

Do you have regular lessons? Working in an outline should help to build topline but he does have to be in a genuine outline and not just holding his nose in. Have a play about with the outline sometimes have him long and low and round, sometimes ride him up into the bridle. Hill work and lunging with something like a pessoa should help too.
I wouldn't think he needs much more "condition" though

 

[0ldmare]

Lovely horse, but I would want a bit more condition on him to be honest.

I don't think you will achieve the overall picture you are seeking to achieve without.

 

[AmyMay]

Dodson & Horrel Build Up Cubes - will work wonders for him.

 

[fourpawswhite]

Dodson & Horrel Build Up Cubes - will work wonders for him.

Agree completely

 

[Ali2]

I agree that his weight is fine but needs a lot more muscle. Has he had back/musculature and saddle checked out as OK recently? Just thinking that if either are causing an issue, and given the different sized buttock muscles, then he may be carrying himself differently to compensate and this may not help with working correctly and building muscle. My boy was slightly uneven when he had his last physio and saddle check ups. With some temporary remedial shimming and us being more aware of how we ride he's evened up lovely now. Saddler and physio both happy with him.

 

[deicinmerlyn]

His weight is fine imo. He is a lightweight TB, bred to race. More topline yes.

People are too used to seeing fat horses.

 

[Cyberchick]

Yep, muscle build up but not weight. He's gorgeous ( I am prone to a grey ). Long low stretching through his neck and back and hill work, preferably at the same time will work wonders. When you do the hill work try to keep it slow but working from behind as it's harder for them to do this than just running and will get him to use his bottom. A pessoa is very good as well and will help with this. Personally at all times when ridden I would be getting him stretching down and really walking out rather than slopping along, which is quite nice to do sometimes lol.

 

[Katikins]

His weight is fine imo. He is a lightweight TB, bred to race. More topline yes.

People are too used to seeing fat horses.

Totally agree with this, sick of seeing fat horses!! TBs are meant to be a bit lean.

And yes, he's gorgeous, the topline will come

 

[R2R]

What are you feeding him?

In order to get muscle, you need to give him something to "turn into" muscle.

If he was one of mine (I have a few ex-racers) he would be on ad lib haylage, and 3 feeds a day.

 

[NicoleS_007]

yep back and saddle were all checked and he's getting some more physio next week last time the physio said he had muscle wasteage over his back and that he was stiffer on the left which he usually is anyway. He is currently feed on 2kg of spillers cond cubes (which i dont think are very good tbh ... very dusty :/ ) and about 800g of Alfa A-Oil ... was thinking D&H Build up cubes but are they not the same as cond cubes? And was thinking of adding a balancer to it? What you think? He doesnt hot up on anything really!

 

[Little_Miss_1]

His weight is fine imo. He is a lightweight TB, bred to race. More topline yes.

People are too used to seeing fat horses.

Thank you for talking sense. I really wish more people had this approach.

 

[AmyMay]

Totally agree with this, sick of seeing fat horses!! TBs are meant to be a bit lean.

And yes, he's gorgeous, the topline will come

I don't like to see fat horses either. However, this horse, to me, looks as if it could do with a different sort of nutritional support to assist with the development of muscle and condition generally.

How will topline come, Katikins, without the correct nutritional support?

 

[Umbongo]

Agree that he does not need more weight, he is a lightweight TB and this weight looks right for him. The top line and muscle will take time to build up and although I agree he does not need anymore weight on him, maybe replacing what you currently feed him with some build up cubes will assist with this, along with working him correctly

 

[millitiger]

how fit is he? what is his typical weekly workload?

i think he looks fine weight wise and wouldn't want any more condition on him.

muscle wise, it depends again on what work he is doing but i wouldn't be at all worried about stacking more muscle on him.

 

[monkeybum13]

how fit is he? what is his typical weekly workload?

i think he looks fine weight wise and wouldn't want any more condition on him.

muscle wise, it depends again on what work he is doing but i wouldn't be at all worried about stacking more muscle on him.

Agree with millitiger, his weight is fine (actually, his weight is good) and then muscle depends on what you want to do with him although i'd say as a general allrounder he is looking great

 

[SecretSquirrell379]

he will need a little more meat on him to enable it to turn to muscle, muscle and top line won't come out thin air and just excercise. He needs to have the means to build up and just working him harder will not do that. He is gorgeous by the way

 

[NicoleS_007]

how fit is he? what is his typical weekly workload?

i think he looks fine weight wise and wouldn't want any more condition on him.

muscle wise, it depends again on what work he is doing but i wouldn't be at all worried about stacking more muscle on him.

hmmm well an instructor at the yard says hes to fit! but theres no such thing as to fit lol ... hes worked for an hr 5 days a week, 3 of which consist of working on the bit and long and low, doing circles,serpintines, shoulder ins, leg yield, collections, extensions, counter canter and teachin flying changes atm ... does quite alot of canter work! And only gets warm not sweaty ... Jumps on a sun 90-1m course and hacked in walk for an hr on a fri he does nap on hacks so is hacked on a very long rein in walk. Am hoping to get some xc done this year and get out sjing and dressage in the summer.

 

[MrsMozart]

I like Saracens Releave - condition without fizz! Is working well on Dizz (DWB) and two ex-racers .

As to building top line and general muscle, as the others have said, pole work, transitions, hills, also make use of a Pessoa. With the poles, put them on the ground in a row; raise each end alternatively (no more than six inches off the ground), this will help bum muscles and help to tighten the tummy area as the hind legs especially have to alternate lifting higher than the other one. If he's stiff/more muscled on one rein, do more work on the other: he'll probably be worse in trot on one rein and worse in canter on the other - Dizz is worse in trot on left rein and in canter on right rein.

He's a nice looking lad

 

[smellsofhorse]

More muscle needed but a handsome chap any way!

If he has been out of work that is to be expected and it will soon build up now he is back in work.

 

[Katie__Connie]

Dodson & Horrel Build Up Cubes - will work wonders for him.

Definitely