Lunging to improve topline and back end weakness

[Ginn]

Till's is currently out of ridden work for up to 6 weeks following some L'pool cream treatment for the sarcoid on her girth - I cannot put a girth of any description on her (so no roller or gadgets that require one). I have decided to use this as an ideal opportunity to do lots of groundwork with her to improve her balance, strength and muscletone (which she is rather lacking atm) and if her obedience is 100% then will also introduce some bareback work in about 4 weeks.

I have a makeshift "bungee" that provides a nice elastic contact for her to work into and encourages long and low:

My feeling is that (not helped by dropping condition and another growth spurt recently) she really does need to build her her topline and really strengthen her back - I was quite shocked looking at some recent pics at how hollow she has become under saddle since coming back into work in November.

I have a big, not flat (little ridges) field, a school and some poles to use but other than pole, raised pole and transition work I am fresh out of ideas.

Also, on the lunge she is much rounder and tracks up better in canter although this is where she is weakest under saddle so I'm not sure how much canter:trot work I should do? Is it best to work her round in the pace she finds it easier in (canter) or really try and encourage it in trot and leave the canter for transitions?

Any ideas?

 

[kate081]

You can do loads with poles. Trot poles on a circle / straight line, canter poles, 2 poles on a circle at 180 degrees in canter which you can progress to 4 poles at 90 degrees. Raised trot poles are good too. You could eventually try some jumping.

Spiralling circles on the lunge gets them thinking too.

In hand you can teach turn on the forehand, reinback, turn on the haunches. Loads to play with. You can get them muscled up nicely without gadgets

 

[Ginn]

Good ideas, thankyou

 

[KatB]

The way you are lunging is great, but do it with fixed drawreins. Honestly, it is fantastic for building up topline and balance. Se doesnt look bad at all, and the next year she will change so regularly you wont be able to keep track

Honestly, one day you will look at her and go "omg, she looks weedy" etc, the next day she will look perfect!! For the record, I think she looks pretty good at the moment for her age and workload

 

[Ginn]

Thanks Kat

Problem with fixed drawreins on her is that they have no give so she either gets gobbed (as she takes up the tension as she would taking up a contact from my hands they tighten and end up with a sawing action as her forearms swing) or she drops her nose completely to the floor and there is no contact at all - where there is a contact I therefore prefer it to be elastic so the advantage with this is that I can work her up into a contact or long with none. Given she still has a few issues with taking a contact (she hollows and can be very mareish) I want it to be inviting rather than on but "forced" or off - this way she can go like a giaffe if she wants by the tension is greater therefore more uncomfy for her - the more she softens the more the contact softens and if she totally relaxes so does the contact. Does that make any sense?

 

[KatB]

It does, but I mean not drawreins in the traditional sense, but in the same arrangement you have the bungee? Gives them nothing to set against... but I do see what you mean

. Lots of work like you are doing over alternately raised poles can help engage her and lift her back, also lots of transitions on the lunge can help

 

[Ginn]

Yep - used draw reins just like this before but it makes her very funny about a taking a contact. I'm finding she is extremely tricky when it comes to what you do with her mouth (as KickOn recently discovered) to the extent that I discovered that a running martingale caused more issues than it helps. Nice thing about the elastic rope (B&Q) is that its pretty stiff compared to the sort of bungees you'd find in a tack shop (more like the sort you'd use for strapping things to a car roof rack - do you know the ones I mean?).

Engaging and lifting her back/working her abs is exactly what I'm aiming for as this is where she is weakest imo as I've (wrongly!) avoided asking for too much roundness under saddle so now she finds it difficult and carries a lot of tension therefore hollowing through her back which I *think* may be the source of our canter issues amoungst other things.