help-building a better topline

I_A_P

I_A_P

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hello, my mare really needs to develop a better topline especially through her neck...last year after continued flatowrk her neck was more "sausage shaped" as my instructor described it but it still looks a bit scrawny.
i need help with exercises to practise i do have 2 good instructors which im sure will give me lots of help (now starting the regular lesons up again) but would like some fresh ideas...even things i could do out hacking etc.

my main problem is i dont have facilities not even really a rideable area in the summer as its too hard.
i can hire out my instructos once a week or so but again its all money isnt it, as well as having lessons. that also means that lunging isnt as easy to do either..otherwise i would love to use a pessoa..but i dont know if i wuld get much use out of it really at the moment.

so really any exercises at all that would be good to use!!//?? iv included some pictures to show what she looks like condition wise:

I think this one shows her muscle quite nicely shows it quite round
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this was last weekend:
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i think she needs to develop it in front of the saddle more at the base of her neck if that makes sense?

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any help at all would be greatly appreciated
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my boy is kind of the same as he is back in full time work after few months off, i use the pessoa on him once a week, carrot stretches every day and always lunged before he is ridden (just started to lunge every time right now as i have more time and helps him to build muscle) with regards to not haveing a manege, carrot stretches can be done in stable or where, why not long rein, that is great and you can doo ALL sorts and do it around field or quite roads? on hacks if possible you can pracice movements and stretches also i ALWASY alow my boy to stretch in every gait to make sure he uses him self from behind and also get that bigger neck
 
Hey fran.


Working over slightly raised troting poles whilst on the lunge helps them use there muscles a bit more and could help with the topline.


TBH, compared with alot of TB type horses yours has a good topline.
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well thanks..its not terrible but sometimes it just looks scrawny if you know what i mean...carrot stretches would probably be a good idea...i mean its not really much effort to do is it! long reining wise..not really be able to use any fields and i dont know if i would trust her in a huge open space without me on board!!

maybe it is worth me getting a pessoa even if its for when i hire out the menage now and again.. ( i am working on dad with the whole menage thing!!
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:))

I do get her to stretch as much as possible on hacks as she can get quite tight in the neck...normally from side to side and also try to get her to stretch down.

any more suggestions appreciated..thanks guys
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:)
 
cant think of much else right now other than work on your dad about hiring the menage
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just make sure you dont develop that hard buldge that some develop when making a pretty picture but if you are riding her long and low then should be no problem.
 
side reins i dont particulalrly like really..and as i said lunging is quite tricky anyway, at the moment if i do get the chance to lunge her (once this year!!) i have used my de-gogue which is quite loosed and does get her stretching down.
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i am seriously working on my dad with the menage..he is actually helping to build rachael&jacks soon so maybe he will get some ideas about getting me one..it would make life easier as i really think shes the kind of horse that needs either lunging or proper schooling 3 times a week at least..i mean i can do some out hacking but only to a certain point really
 
Hi

I like the pictures of your mare. I think that plenty of hill work (in a round -not deep) shape will help, also deep and round work will help, so lots of rising trot and transitions in the trot and canter. Especially on a 15m circle will get her stronger and build up her whole body including her neck. Lots of flexion, and counter flexion to get her more supple and using her neck and back.

I wouldn't encourage the use of draw/balancing reins as I think horses actually avoid working properly through their backs in them but that is just how I have been taught (by a grand prix dressage rider).

I think your mare is lovely and will develop over time. Good Luck!

Dutch
 
My horse is exactly the same as yours conformation and shape wise, although as mine is 1/4 welsh she has a larger ar*e on her. Im just starting to build her up at the mo, her neck and shoulder are out of proportion to her hind quarters, so I am doing lots of schooling and hill work to get her using her muscles. Hopefully she should soon be ready for her first event!
 
Dutch - thanks for your suggestions! hillwork may be tricky as i live in flat norfolk...but i wil try and find some
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i use draw reins occasionly under the advice of 2 instructors but i think im going to start out not using them this year..they were mainly used to stop some arguements as she can become very stubborn and just not want to do something and will try and evade you in any way possible..however hacking out recently like today she was happy to go into a good outline and work quite nicely really seeing as she hasnt done a lot of schooling work this year.
her neck has developed slightly since i have had her she just needs to muscle up a bit to be in proportion with her body i think in front.
work on her canter will do wonders for as well i think,
we have found that she is quite tight and wont " let go" of her back if you understand what i mean and finds it hard to work fowards and through her back. she needs to learn to take some more weigh behind
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Hi

I know exactly what you mean and it is very likely (in my exp with Dutch) that the reason she resists is because she is not quite strong enough in her body or she does not yet believe that she can do it.

One thing that might also work as you don't have hills to use is an exercise which can best be done in canter. on the long side or on the diagonal or preferably everywhere for a couple of mins, twice or three times a session, shorten, then lengthen the strides, do this a few times, she will soon learn to listen to you and should enjoy bouncing off forward from your leg, lots of encouragement and pats should also help.

Keep me informed!!!
 
You obviously have a lovely horse but just one little bit of advice, especially as she is quite low set in her neck, is that you are actually putting her on her forehand and her shoulders are 'closed' and down .To actually build up her 'topline' she actually needs to keep her poll up and soften at her poll just behind the ears more so that she 'gives to the hand at the jaw and in the poll.At the moment, from your pictures she is 'breaking in the neck and not becoming round over the back.
The picture you have with the 'draw reins' needs to be changed , if you are going to use them,have them as Running reins. So that they go to either side at the girth rather than between the legs .This alters the action so that the neck is not pulled bown but the nose encouraged inwards and the back up and the shoulders open.
Other important factors are making sure that the contact in your hand is elastic and not using your hand like a 'walking stick' She needs to want to take a little more weight on her hind legs and 'sit'. So its good old transitions that help with encouraging hind leg activity and connection. Correct foward connection is the key to topline development. S ome horses particularly those with conformation like your mare need to concentrate on round and a little Up NOT long and low because they will always be on their front and the shoulders down making in impossible to open the front and carry more on the hindlegs
She is obviously lovely. I hope the school sitution improves as im sure this will make a big difference as a little but often is a good maxium.But the way of going i have described can be achieved out hacking.Many of my pupils are in the same boat as you and they do things like legyieling down lanes and bridle ways ,shoulder in and canter,trot canter transitions [these really help with hind leg connection if you keep the outside rein down and the inside hand a little up thinking about the poll staiyng up and the nose a little in]
Hope this helps X
 
thankyou for your great advice
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i havent used them as running reins..i was just old by both instructors to use them like that!
im afraid in that firs picture it was her first schooling session after her break so i wasnt asking much.

ido see however that maybe working long and low wont necessarily help her as she does look naturally on her forehand sometimes.

i do leg yielding outhacking and we have also done the lengthening shortening exercises down the long side.

thankyou very much everyone you advice is always great
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another small point...she is sometimes quite strong on the flat also which wears me out sometimes!!

i think she gets like this when she finds something difficult and as i said she can get quite stubborn..any tips?
 
I'm glad my avice is helpful my aim being to help people to enjoy their horses and their development as much as i do mine!
Ok couple more tips.... the getting strong thing , you're right its because she gets tired and starts to fall foward and look to your hand for support. Every time she does start this just come back to the lower pace i.e if your in trot come back to walk, when doing so keep thinking you're leg around her gently to support keep your body tall and your seat LIGHT. Its almost like she will need permission from you to use her back ,far to many people lean back and increase the drive of the seat this splits the horse in two , pushing the hind leg away and the neck in the opposite dirrection in a 'flat' way. Always think of whwt you want to feel if you feel her drop and stop quickly and lightly tap with you leg to activate her back foward and than ask for the downward transition again keep doing this until she stays light and carries herself then reward by allowing her to rest and stretch then pick her up and repeat.As for stubborn you have to be more determined and stick to your guns dont increase the strength of the ask just be persistent dont punish mistakes ingnor and ask again rewarding when you get what you want. I find this the best way with mares as they can 'plant' themselves like nothing on earth!!!!
As for you medium trot be a little careful with this as she yet does nt have the 'carry' to fuel the on and you may run her on to the front and then have to use too much hand to correct so not quite what we are after here. That is not to say with time and development that this wont be a good exercise . I actually start the idea in a small way by ridding a 'nearly transition to walk but not quite and then a gentle tap with both legs at the girth to get a quick impulsive reaction from the hind leg repeat this exercise LOTS all the time thiking Light seat light hands. Remember impulsion is not speed! Use the tap not a long slow squeeze because we need to motivate the hind leg to articulate with activity. Mares in particular hate too much dull nagging with the leg.Be exact with where you apply the leg see it as a precise button that you need only to touch.
If she is in any confusion walk /halt transitions.The halt being by applying the leg around the horse and holding around her until the halt is established. Then stay light in the seat, slightly drop the contact so she is not held in the halt by your hand but is waiting for the leg to move off. So count a couple of seconds no hand ,tap gently with the leg. Aim never to be holding a horse in a pace but it waiting within the connection to either do more or come back. See the book by Kyra K she is AMAZING and this is very much how she teaches [She is also doing a demo at Addinton in March]
Ok gone on too much again !! Hope that helps some more its lovely that you obviously are really thinking about your riding i'm sure you'll get there. X
 
Partoow - I wish you did training sessions! The clarity of your explanations is amazing, it is possible to imagine riding the solutions as you read!

Thank you !
 
wow thankyou
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i will definatly try some of these..some exercises are in fact similar to the ones my instructor gets me to use in lessons..so it nice to know we seem to be going in the right direction i can probably do some of these transions and trot work on the roads...providing its sensible area to do so! and she is in the right mood!!:)
and are you a pro partoow *wink* hehe
 
Hi - just wanted to add my thanks to you too Partoow. My horse is very similar to the OP and what you say about keeping horses slightly 'up' and forward as opposed to long and low to free up the shoulders and stop them running into your hand and onto the forehand in really interesting. I had not thought about it that way and it is a problem that has been puzzling me for a while.

Will be trying these exercises later,
thanks so much
 
I'm pleased that what i have put down as been of some help, sometimes just thinking a little more like the horse makes sense of why they and you have been having 'issues' sometimes for a long time so if i've just given you another veiw point then i'm pleased.
I always look at the horses conformation when assessing potential areas of difficulty. General rule of thumb if it 's naturally a 'up and tight horse' then i will encourage it down and foward to release and loosen. If its a low set ,long horse i concentrate on bringing the balance up and onto the hindleg to carry not push ' if you like your opening up the front door to let the hind leg through. It really is that straight forward!! But if you want any more help please ask and i'll hopefully be able to help.
 
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