Is It Natural For Horses...

My arab x who is 17yrs old looks the same at the moment because we havent been riding much. I did notice a huge diff in the muscles on her back when she was living out 24/7 on a hill. Shes gone back to being stabled overnight now and because of the awlful weather she doesnt move around much in the field. I find it really depressing sometimes because I will go through a stage of getting out lots and building her up then something will happen and it will take us back but there is hope and taking in all the advice that these guys have given you will really pay off.
 
I know where you keep Tucker and worked their for many many years, the yard owners are the way they are because of past accidents. You can pay the staff to lunge on days you don't ride. Children are not allowed to lunge because of past trouble and being a riding school they do everthing possible to protect liveries, clients, horses and dogs. Please don't forget they have to opperate within certain guidlines to keep there bhs riding school licence too.

yeah. i understand that.:) i just wanted to find other ways to stretch his muscles because as i explained before, i know that they're doing it for my safety so i will not go against that because they're the ones that know best. i never knew there used to be accidents with lunging though:eek: i just wanted to know what sort of things i could do in the stable to improve the way his muscles work as someone explained carrot stretches which i will do.

thanks for telling me that you can pay staff to lunge your horse as i never knew that so i might do that :)
 
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I think you'l have to move to progress with him though OP - you cant live with others fears and provided you and the horse are insured it shouldnt be the YO's choice what you do with the horse you own.

Do have a look at the books I linked you earlier in the thread, especially the inhand one :)
 
right everyone, i spoke to the YO daughter as YO is currently away and she said that i may be confused with muslce wastage and high withers because he's always been high withered and this is the fattest that he has ever been. what do you think?
 
I think your horse has muscle wastage behind the wither due to an incorrectly fitting saddle. If I were you, I'd get an independent, qualified person out to check. Just to be sure.
 
Agree with beausmate. And look for saddler recommendations on here or local Facebook etc, rather than asking who yo etc recommend so you know its independent.
 
right everyone, i spoke to the YO daughter as YO is currently away and she said that i may be confused with muslce wastage and high withers because he's always been high withered and this is the fattest that he has ever been. what do you think?

Well, this answer only shows the yard's ignorance about horses backs. It's such a shame AB, as we know you want the best and are just being put down by people you look up to. And to think he has "always" been like that is even sadder.

Doesn't matter how high the whithers are, horses should have muscle either side.

DO lok at the Lavinia Mitchell site, she has some great explanations. It's all too common that horses are fitted with saddles that are too tight and I don't trust Master Saddlers as so many have tried to fit "medium" saddles to my XWide cob! They fit to the horse that they see in front without consideration to what the size *should* be. This is why so many horses have muscle wastage that are considered "high whithers".
 
thanks, i'm going to look at her site now! :D

i'm still sitting on the fence because i know i want the best for my horse because that is my top proirity and i still think there is something wrong with his saddle but on the other hand YO daughter told me that its okay and i know that she is EXTREMELY knowledgable about horses but i really trust you lot on HHO because so many people have told me that its not right and have given me soo much information.
dillemas dilemmas:rolleyes::(
 
Get off the fence-you'll get splinters :p Find someone qualified and independent to check and then you will know for sure. Peace of mind and all that. ;)
 
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