katastrophykat
Well-Known Member
I picked up a warmblood last week, due to one reason and another, he's not in the greatest nick.
The photo is really rather flattering- you can just see the bones of his spine and he has the highest withers I've ever seen, with very little muscle surrounding them. His neck is very narrow and his tail currently looks set 'up' his bum as there is nothing really surrounding it. I have a prolite pad with all the inserts in it under a show saddle which isn't too long as this seems to be OK for now (yes- it has been checked!)
I'm riding him in the school twice a week for 20 mins,
and hacking out two-three times a week to keep him ticking over- not introducing and harder work for now until he hits the summer field (we livery at an ex dairy farm and he will be on 27-7 turnout with a herd of 11 from early April. Until then he's in 5pm til 6.15am and has ad lib Haylage (lots of it!!) and two feeds of half a scoop of fibre nuts, hifi and Alfa a alongside equimins tip top supplement.
It may be wishful thinking, but he's been here a week and think he's starting to put on a bit of weight already- I don't feel like I'm riding a glockenspiel as much (my heels were sliding from one rib to the next on Sunday and I felt a covering yesterday)- and he has plenty of energy, forward going out hacking and slightly bored in the school (been there done that bored of the tshirt type- he's rising 14) but im looking for exercises to lengthen his frame to build up the muscles in his topline- he works nicely on a contact but when given the opportunity to stretch down and lengthen his stride he just pokes his nose and tootles along a bit faster.
I'm asking by slipping my reins while maintaining contact, sitting deeper and using my seat rather than my legs as he pops off into canter if you do- I suspect it's just easier than giving me a long low outline.
Any ideas??
Thanks all!
The photo is really rather flattering- you can just see the bones of his spine and he has the highest withers I've ever seen, with very little muscle surrounding them. His neck is very narrow and his tail currently looks set 'up' his bum as there is nothing really surrounding it. I have a prolite pad with all the inserts in it under a show saddle which isn't too long as this seems to be OK for now (yes- it has been checked!)
I'm riding him in the school twice a week for 20 mins,
and hacking out two-three times a week to keep him ticking over- not introducing and harder work for now until he hits the summer field (we livery at an ex dairy farm and he will be on 27-7 turnout with a herd of 11 from early April. Until then he's in 5pm til 6.15am and has ad lib Haylage (lots of it!!) and two feeds of half a scoop of fibre nuts, hifi and Alfa a alongside equimins tip top supplement.
It may be wishful thinking, but he's been here a week and think he's starting to put on a bit of weight already- I don't feel like I'm riding a glockenspiel as much (my heels were sliding from one rib to the next on Sunday and I felt a covering yesterday)- and he has plenty of energy, forward going out hacking and slightly bored in the school (been there done that bored of the tshirt type- he's rising 14) but im looking for exercises to lengthen his frame to build up the muscles in his topline- he works nicely on a contact but when given the opportunity to stretch down and lengthen his stride he just pokes his nose and tootles along a bit faster.
I'm asking by slipping my reins while maintaining contact, sitting deeper and using my seat rather than my legs as he pops off into canter if you do- I suspect it's just easier than giving me a long low outline. Any ideas??
Thanks all!
