Help needed to build up rear end...

[Crosshill Pacers]

...on the horse, not on me! Think I have the opposite problem...

Long story short, Big Ears came back to me from racing lacking in much substance (i.e. very thin).

I gave her five weeks off to eat and rest and be a normal horse for a while (and also so I could have riding lessons at a local RS to get some confidence back), then started riding her in the middle of September. I've been riding her ever since, with more work since the middle of October (two evenings a week and hunting on a Saturday). Her front end has remained as strong as an ox, but her back end wasted away over the summer and she lost her trademark big round backside.

She was living out on good quality pasture 24/7 until the middle of October, now she's out for 7 hours a day, fed haylage in the morning and in the evening and for the last week is on half a scoop of horse and pony nuts just to keep her ticking over. She's a good doer and has put a good amount of weight on, particularly around her middle. However her back end is still lacking (she initially put obvious weight back on around her hips, but across the top is a bit...flat)

The lane that I have been reschooling her on (working on trot mainly) is partly uphill when we head back towards the house, so I had hoped that this would encourage the muscles in her backside to build up, but there doesn't seem to be a huge improvement. I have noticed out hunting that she struggles more than other (unfitter) horses when having to go up steeper hills, although she is very surefooted she doesn't seem to have any 'oomph'.

Is there anything else I can do to build up her rear end?

 

[AmyMay]

Pictures??

How often are you hunting her?

 

[Crosshill Pacers]

I'll try to get some pictures of her rear end specifically, all the ones I have don't show it very well.

She's been hunted five times since the third week in October, once a week. The hunting we do involves a lot of standing around, quite a bit of trotting on country roads, and some cantering on open commons/hills. Only once in the five days have I felt that at the end of the day she was tired.

 

[AmyMay]

Well, having had a quick look at your profile I'm assuming the bay out hunting is your horse?? In that photo it certainly looks to need more weight (but appreciate that photo maybe from Setpember).

However, if you are hunting regularly (which it sounds as if you are), then chucking a few pony cubes at her won't be enough.

If you want a fit, muscled horse you need to feed it appropriately for the work it's doing. So, in your shoes - if you're to continue with hunting - then you need to feed a much higher calorie feed to enable her to cope with workload and put muscle on.

 

[Crosshill Pacers]

Thanks Amymay, she's having a month off now due to me being too busy to hunt, although I'll continue with the trotting work in the week.

Have you got any recommendations for feed? I might have a word with my boss who used to train her, see what he says. Sorry I sound like such a plank, it's been years since I had a horse doing any work (we've just had broodmares and youngsters in the past, much easier to do!).

Your help is much appreciated (and if it means more food, Big Ears will be your biggest fan!)

 

[AmyMay]

I love Dodson and Horrell feeds. But as you're now changing what you're doing with her - pony or high fibre nuts may be enough. Think about Alpha A Oil though to feed alongside, which is great stuff.

Also worth giving the feed companies a ring to see what they advise.

 

[Crosshill Pacers]

Is there anything work-wise I can do to help build up her bum? Like I said, I'm doing a bit of uphill work with her, although it's not the steepest incline. She trots happily up it and stretches her neck right out! But it doesn't look like it's doing much for her backside.

Would it be better to find a steeper hill and walk and trot up that a couple of times a week?

 

[be positive]

Walking uphill will build her up more than trotting, trotting is fine for increasing the fitness but plenty of striding out in walk will be best for actually building up muscle.

 

[AmyMay]

Yep, agree with be positive.

 

[Crosshill Pacers]

Walking it is then

She's gonna love you guys - when I go home tonight and tell her the plan for the next month is more food and plenty of walking, not trotting, her face is going to light up!

Thanks for the help, I'm glad I asked!

 

[Lanky Loll]

Hi Sarah
Couple of suggestions for you - grubwise you could try boiling up some barley and adding that in. Currently having to do this for my TB who we struggle to keep weight on and it's helping a lot.
Work wise, if you have somewhere you can lunge her, then Kerilli's lunging method is great for getting them to work their bum - details on this thread: http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=464390&highlight=kerilli+lunge

 

[Crosshill Pacers]

Work wise, if you have somewhere you can lunge her, then Kerilli's lunging method is great for getting them to work their bum - details on this thread: http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=464390&highlight=kerilli+lunge

We've recently had floodlights put up outside an open-fronted cattle/machinery shed, which has a flat hardcore area in front of it (the lights were for my brother who keeps his car in the shed/feeds the calves in the dark!). I had intended to lunge her as I'll be able to do that in the dark instead of riding, so I'll definitely give it a go!

Might even dig out her harness again...

 

[emmajanekey]

This is brilliant for building lean muscle, especially on TB's...

 

[emmajanekey]

Sorry the link didn't paste!!
http://herbiesyardsupplies.supersimpleshop.com/product/body-builder-32oz

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Have you tried polework, over slightly raised poles to develop her backend?

 

[Crosshill Pacers]

Have you tried polework, over slightly raised poles to develop her backend?

I haven't tried anything yet (other than the walking and trotting I was doing up and down hill). She's only going to be in light work for the next month, so she can put some weight on (I'm going to increase her feed and alter what she's on). As Loll suggested, I'm gonna lunge her as I now have the facilities to do it at night.

Can you expand on what you mean? I've never done this before and I am well aware I sound like I know absolutely nothing about horses, but this is the first time I've had to do anything like this with a horse!

 

[Lanky Loll]

Hi Sarah
I think PaS means that instead of the usual trot poles flat on the floor you raise the ends slightly so they're about an inch or two off the ground. Makes them raise their legs a little higher and use their bum more!
We usually start with alternate ends down a row of poles then start to raise both ends. As the horse gets fitter you can raise the height but should never be to a height where they need to jump.

 

[wench]

If the front end has built up, but not the back... have you considered that there may be something wrong? Get a vet or physio to have a look?

 

[Lanky Loll]

Wench - the mare is an ex pacer, when they come out of racing they tend to be muscled quite differently to what you'd see in a TB just because of the training they've done, they're really powerful through the shoulder but not so much behind so it takes a long time to build up to what you'd see in other horses.

 

[Crosshill Pacers]

If the front end has built up, but not the back... have you considered that there may be something wrong? Get a vet or physio to have a look?

She never lost the front whilst in training, so I haven't had to build it up whilst at home. She was very lean across her middle (ribs showing) and her rear end (hips sticking out and flat across the top), also her spine could be felt too. But her neck was pure muscle and her chest and shoulders as well.

Part of the problem was she simply needed to put weight on, which she has done and will continue to do. But whereas I've noticed it going on around her middle and hips, the 'rump' area is still flatter than I'd like to see it.

I think my plan of action is to do light work for the next month, i.e. walking up and down the lane, across the fields, just about the place whilst ridden, as people have suggested. She's got a good forward-going walk which always helps! Also some lunge work (once I've settled down to watch all these videos on the subject!). Then in the new year I can reassess the situation and start building back up to doing more as the evenings get lighter. To be honest, I don't ride for any purpose other than I love riding. Dad wants to race her again next year and thinks me keeping her ticking over will make it easier to get her fit in the summer, but for me that's not the reason for riding her. So we'll see.

Thanks for all the replies guys, you've really been a great help for giving me something to focus on and work towards!