Exercises to help a young horse going down hills.

[Nasicus]

My 5yo cob (13.3h traditional type) is finding going down the steep hills around here a little bit hard work, so I'd love to know of some exercises we can do together to help her build up the correct muscle to make it easier for her. I backed her in October and we've mostly just lightly hacked with a little bit of baby schooling, walk, trot and just starting to find canter. Start, turn, stop, go faster, go slower, really basic stuff. We're starting lessons this week to help take us to the next step, with my aim to start being teaching her how to carry herself correctly and me how to help her do that.

I've got the osteopath coming out (unfortunately not until the end of next month) to make sure she's comfortable (last had him out 31st Jan and all good then, but she's had a yard move and new saddle since then so I just want to be sure she's all good), so for now I'll be hopping off and leading her down the really steep hills when they're unavoidable, and planning to do some long reining up and down them, as well as just in hand walks. The hills in question are on the yard tracks, so no worries about cars and the like.

Obviously doing the actual hills is the most obvious one, but I'd like to be able to do some exercises on the flat (be it in the school, on the trails, ridden, long reining or in hand/carrot stretch types, whatever works) that will transfer particularly well into the muscles and balance required for carrying a rider down steep hills.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Abacus]

Personally I think I would just use the hills, focussing on shallower ones ridden and as you've said steeper ones inhand, rather than schooling exercises - am struggling to think how to mimic this in the school, muscularly. I would let her go as slowly as she needs to work out how to balance and where to put her feet.

 

[SEL]

Tail pulls help tighten the quads. If you Google there's quite a few YouTube videos showing how to do them correctly. About 4 X week minimum

Don't overdo the downhills though or you'll end up with sore muscles and a grumpy horse.

They often overload hamstrings if not using the correct muscles so hind leg stretches are good and your Osteo / physio should be able to show you these

It's also worth double checking it is hind end weakness and not foreleg pain.

 

[Nasicus]

Personally I think I would just use the hills, focussing on shallower ones ridden and as you've said steeper ones inhand, rather than schooling exercises - am struggling to think how to mimic this in the school, muscularly. I would let her go as slowly as she needs to work out how to balance and where to put her feet.

I don't mind slowly, and actively encourage her to take her time, give her her head so she can figure out how to balance. I'm trying to avoid her saying 'Sod this' and just running down the hills because it's easier and quicker than having to take the time to balance and use her muscles, because that's just hard work as far as she's concerned!

 

[Nasicus]

Tail pulls help tighten the quads. If you Google there's quite a few YouTube videos showing how to do them correctly. About 4 X week minimum

Don't overdo the downhills though or you'll end up with sore muscles and a grumpy horse.

They often overload hamstrings if not using the correct muscles so hind leg stretches are good and your Osteo / physio should be able to show you these

It's also worth double checking it is hind end weakness and not foreleg pain.

Interesting, I'll have to look into that and see if I can speak to my osteopath about them before his visit.
Unfortunately hills are an unavoidable necessity around here, but I do try to stick to the longer, shallower hills than the short, steep ones.

 

[SEL]

Interesting, I'll have to look into that and see if I can speak to my osteopath about them before his visit.
Unfortunately hills are an unavoidable necessity around here, but I do try to stick to the longer, shallower hills than the short, steep ones.

Are you able to mix up the workload so hills are not on following days? Even steep one day vs shallow the next is helpful. Delayed onset muscle soreness can mean the horse starts to use compensatory muscles (usually hamstrings) instead of building up quads correctly. Over use of hamstrings and tightness there puts pressure on the hock joint and you really want to avoid that.

Tail pulls are ideal because you activate the quads at a standstill.

 

[Nasicus]

Are you able to mix up the workload so hills are not on following days? Even steep one day vs shallow the next is helpful. Delayed onset muscle soreness can mean the horse starts to use compensatory muscles (usually hamstrings) instead of building up quads correctly. Over use of hamstrings and tightness there puts pressure on the hock joint and you really want to avoid that.

Tail pulls are ideal because you activate the quads at a standstill.

Yeah I was planning to avoid doing hill work on consecutive days for that exact reason, it affects us so why wouldn't it affect them too!
Just had a look at some of Gillians videos about it, seems pretty straight forward ad sensible!

 

[Gloi]

Also make sure you have no thrush in the feet as the weight can go more onto the heels downhill and if there's any soreness it will show up going downhill.

 

[Trouper]

Some in-hand work backing up might also strengthen her back end - particularly if you can do a few steps on a slight incline. Just don't overdo it.

 

[Goldenstar]

It may be a weak thoracic sling ,I base this on the fact that halting and walking on going down hill is one of the exercises you get given to strengthen their thoracic slings .
Cobs are not bred to have a strong thoracic sling, non of the work breeds are because they where bred to pull .

 

[sbloom]

It may be a weak thoracic sling ,I base this on the fact that halting and walking on going down hill is one of the exercises you get given to strengthen their thoracic slings .
Cobs are not bred to have a strong thoracic sling, non of the work breeds are because they where bred to pull .

But they sure can be improved....

I would also caution to look for poor hoof balance, digital cushion, underrun heels etc, classic cases of reluctance going downhill, as well as the saddle sitting on the shoulders or otherwise placing excess pressure on one point of the panel at the front.

 

[misst]

We had a horse who struggled going downhill. He has SI problems secondary to suspensory issues in his hinds though he was not visibly lame.

 

[Sossigpoker]

Mine struggled until had his hocks and SI medicated.
We've got a fairly steep hill to go up to get to off-road hacking , so for the first few months I used to get off on the way down before it got steep ,.to let him get stronger and more balanced without my weight.
He's now OK coming down but I need to make him do it very slowly as it's kind of tarmacced (a farm track ) , pretty steep and he's got shoes on.

 

[Boulty]

Would advise get saddle checked if not been done recently. The first sign I’m having saddle fit issues is my pony becoming more hesitant coming down hills. I also put it down to him being babyish at first but the difference after saddle adjustment was very obvious.

Don’t get me wrong it’s still a work in progress as it is something he naturally struggles with anyway (& he’s a horse who has done a lot of work up & down hills, steps & slopes inhand & on long lines). Mine seems better if I keep a fairly light contact but absolutely insist that he stays straight & doesn’t wiggle about. Tbh his main issue is that he throws his head & shoulders around which makes him slip which makes him try to rush… when he engages brain & pays attention he’s capable of a lot more! I do still get off if I come across something I think is unfair on him though

 

[Lois Lame]

I don't mind slowly, and actively encourage her to take her time, give her her head so she can figure out how to balance. I'm trying to avoid her saying 'Sod this' and just running down the hills because it's easier and quicker than having to take the time to balance and use her muscles, because that's just hard work as far as she's concerned!

This surprises me because I think it wouldn't be easier and quicker for her (as it might be for us)(on our own feet).

 

[KJ94]

Not sure if would help at all, but going through woodland/over tree roots/different terrain if possible and safe helped my mares balance and awareness of her feet which I feel may of helped as she used to jog down hills and would struggle to just steadily walk down them, no clue if that actualy did help or if it was just practise

 

[Auslander]

Some in-hand work backing up might also strengthen her back end - particularly if you can do a few steps on a slight incline. Just don't overdo it.

i was about to say that! I get all mine to back up a few metres most days - usually by holding their feedbowl down low and walking forward. It doesn't take long to see a difference in their back ends

 

[LEC]

Backed and ridden a fair few horses and none have had issues going downhill. If they do it’s usually a physical issue not a strength issue.

 

[Nasicus]

Thanks all, a lot to think about and mull over!

@sbloom - Interesting you mention the saddle sitting on the shoulders, yesterday evening we went out down some gentler slopes to get down to a flatter area, and there's a little hump you have to go over, short but steep. When we went over and down, the saddle slipped forward and I had to hop off and put it back again. Whilst it was fitted about a month ago, it was trialled in the school, so on the flat. I'm now thinking the saddle could be sliding forward/putting pressure on her shoulder even on the slight downhill. So I'm going to look into that, possibly see if I can get the saddle fitter back out again and address that, or at least ring them and have a chat about what can be done.

 

[Jellymoon]

I have had quite a few that have taken time to get used to carrying a rider downhill, and I also live in a very hilly area. They often rush and wiggle about.
I don’t do any particular exercises for it, I just see it as something they need to get used to as they grow up develop and they’ve all ended up being fine. I do make sure they go slowly and carefully, and I make sure my saddles fit and are not pressing into their whithers, and I keep my weight in my heels and sit back lightly as if I’m jumping a drop. Maybe take stirrups up a notch so you can easily get your weight back off their shoulders?
I also build up the work gradually as you would with any youngster.

 

[SEL]

i was about to say that! I get all mine to back up a few metres most days - usually by holding their feedbowl down low and walking forward. It doesn't take long to see a difference in their back ends

Its amazing how many can't back up properly in a straight line - I've got a client one who has been cleared by the vet but is really struggling with backwards. She's been struggling to do gates off her out hacking and I suspect its because the mare really doesn't understand how to take her weight back.

 

[Nasicus]

Think we've cracked it, all fingers crossed!
It did appear to be the saddle, even if it hadn't slipped completely forward, I suspect it was creeping forward and applying pressure, which Pony was not happy about.
Yesterday, we did the same route as Wednesday but using my 20mm Limpet Saddle Pad which I dampened before tacking up, as well as dampening the neoprene girth.
Saddle didn't budge an inch, and whilst I could tell she was anticipating and expecting discomfort when we reached the first couple downhill sections, she soon realized I wasn't about to end up behind her ears/the saddle wasn't going to push into her shoulders and went along the slopes and uneven terrain perfectly.
So all being well, I'll be slowly rebuilding her confidence and building her muscle on the longer, shallower slopes, and in time we'll start looking at the steeper ones again.
I'll still be having the osteopath out anyway, I think it's good to keep a close eye on them when they're young. I did contact my saddle fitter, but yet to hear back from them.