Exercises for raising back

[Flowerofthefen]

Apart from pole work, what exercises are good for raising the back. Need to build up the muscles behind the saddle. He is an ex racer and his dad had the same shape but I'm sure I can build it up a little. Is there anything as good or better than slow work over poles and raised poles?

 

[Red-1]

Hill work is good. As is backing up.

 

[Flowerofthefen]

We back up a fair bit but I could do more. I live in the fens, not a hill in sight ☹ thank you for your suggestions.

 

[Skib]

We used to ride walk demi pirouettes by the fence.

 

[planete]

Look at Hilary Clayton's "Activate your horses's core".

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Carrot stretches with a tail pull both sides and stretch with carrot between front feet really helps.

 

[sbloom]

Biomechanically the best correct way to improve topline is through lifting and developing the thoracic sling - there are some great groundwork programmes out there which fix the asymmetry that's making it hard for the horse to carry itself correctly leading to this undermuscling. Also make sure your saddle is 100% without too much weight on the back of it.

Going straight onto polework etc can simply build the asymmetry stronger. I know this runs counter to so much of what we "know"...but so many horses have thoracic sling dysfuction. Start with the videos on topline syndrome on equiptopiacetre.com if you don't mind a fiver or so for a months membership.

 

[Palindrome]

lateral work, you can start on foot if he is really weak or new to it.

 

[SEL]

If you haven't already it's worth getting a decent physio on board - one who is good with rehab type exercises.

 

[Four Seasons]

In-hand work can help to build a decent base, doing lateral work in-hand, backing up. Have you tried double lunging before? This can also be very useful, as you can do long and low, without the weight of the rider.

 

[Redcow-hat]

Not OP but wondering, can those who have commented advise on the frequency you'd recommend for a horse in light work to fitten up (currently 20-30 minutes ridden or long lined, 6 days a week)? I currently do pole work once a week but wonder if I could do more or if that would be to much. Backing up, how often and how far would you recommend? Mine backs up very well and would probably happily walk backwards for miles but I don't tend to do more than a few steps occasionally

 

[sbloom]

Not OP but wondering, can those who have commented advise on the frequency you'd recommend for a horse in light work to fitten up (currently 20-30 minutes ridden or long lined, 6 days a week)? I currently do pole work once a week but wonder if I could do more or if that would be to much. Backing up, how often and how far would you recommend? Mine backs up very well and would probably happily walk backwards for miles but I don't tend to do more than a few steps occasionally

It's about how they back up, less is nearly always more, when done correctly. They must be straight, they must be lifting themselves, going steadily, not rushing, not throwing the head up - I would work on the sort of release work you see in programmes like the https://www.facebook.com/wildmagicllc masterclass. I would direct you to these types of in-hand resources, make sure to try to have a 3 day schedule, as muscles and fascia take 3 days to recover, so don't do the same work as you did on day 1 until day 3, vary your surfaces, and emphasis stability over everything else. Pole work again it's how you do it, the horse must be straight, must be pushing up in front, and will tire way faster than most people could ever realise.

Many horses that later have serious injuries have been through some kind of fittening programme - until we really get down to brass tacks and look at how our horses are moving, their musculature and posture, you can fitten away to your hearts content but the horse can still be in compensatory movement patterns (SO many are) on the path to serious lameness.

Not aimed at you personally but trying to explain what I see in my every day work.

 

[MissTyc]

My downhill is a bit of a sloucher and we have found that groundwork combined with water treadmill has made an enormous difference. I used to feel quite big on him, I think because his core and back felt slack (he was super fit and we were eventing unaff/BRC 90s and winning elementary dressage); now I feel like he is a solid powerhouse and I can alter my position without it unbalancing him. He looks completely different too - even and balanced and just so strong and supple. My only regret is that I didn't discover any of this until after a serious injury he had (field accident). Still from the prognosis of "maybe field sound", he's better than ever at 17, doing everything and more. Sadly my confidence was left behind but we'll get there!

 

[billylula]

Carrot stretches and tickling under the tummy so that they lift their backs - I do this everyday, the tummy thing twice a day and has made a huge difference in a couple of months. Physio will show you and should be first port of call.

 

[AntiPuck]

I can recommend the Horses Inside Out page - someone on HHO directed me to it, and there are some great webinars on strengthening and building balance in horse's bodies.

One back-lifting exercise I liked from a recent webinar was dock pushing - you gently but firmly push the dock forward into the horse, and they naturally brace back against you and lift their stomach in doing so, it looks similar to the muscles they'd use to brace going downhill - the woman suggested 10-20 reps of it in a rhythmn, depending on horse age, fitness etc.

I'm no expert myself, but her page has lots of great info.

Another thing I recently heard was a top eventer on Horse & Country TV saying that he always does his pole work and gymnastic jumping/cavaletti on a bend, as he said that doing it in a straight line allows the horse to just default to pushing with it's stronger side, whereas going on a bend requires pushing on a specific side of the body each time. Not specifically about lifting the back, but probably very closely-related/complimentary.

 

[Flowerofthefen]

Some rally great ideas!! Thank you all!!