Help needed to build up horse's neck!!!

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kittykatcat

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Hi all, i have a youngster (5) that was broken at previous home last summer. Bought him in quite a bad condition, no bum, no neck, skinny, bad feet (why did i buy him again!!??) but a lovely natured boy. Since coming to me, he has put on weight, feet sorted, has a bum, lovely and shiney BUT still hasn't IMO put any muscle on his neck.

The saddle that the previous owners broke him in and rode him in didnt fit at all and caused him to work really hollow. I have a new well fitted (professionally) saddle for him and he is working much free-er and looser and going into an outline, rather than just up and in. I have also been working him in a pessoa a fair bit.

Does anyone have any lunge or ridden excercises that i can do with him? Is a pessoa the best lunge aid to help him build up a neck? Or something else? I attach the pessoa to the sides...should i be attaching it between his legs?!

I have him on a good diet, so this shouldnt be a limiting factor...

Many thanks
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Ps how do i post a pic - as i'll put one up and you can see what i mean!!!
 
Long rein him - you can do all the normal schooling exercises, including lateral work, but without the added weight of a rider on top. Also lunge with side reins through the front legs and over the back to encourage stretching down but without forcing, and without the back bit of a pessoa to sock in the gob at every stride.

My horse gets quite blocked in the base of his neck and shoulders which stops him from developing muscle correctly. I have to do flexions with him to help open up and stretch his neck out along with lots of work on the ground and ridden over poles, trotting poles, rein back...
 
Sounds similar to my 5 year old selle francais! I find the pessoa is great because they build up muscle best when stretching long and low, and i attach mine to the sides as well.
Riding wise do lots of long and low as well as collecting and you should see a difference in a while if you keep it up
 
How about a little one to one and build up your muscles at the same time and do the old fashioned strapping neck back and quarters start a 2 mins gently and work up to 10 mins max a little harder.
 
I'm afraid I don't know much about pessoa's etc, but a good tip I had for my daughter's pony was to feed everything from the floor. So he has his feed on the floor and his hay on the floor (loose not in a net).
 
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