Sending a horse away for schooling

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Iwantakitten

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My horse does not use his back muscles as he has not been taught/asked to. He has gone away for schooling with a professional so he and I can learn for him to start working correctly.

Does anyone have any experience with this, I.e how long can it take for him to start engaging his back. I understand that his lack of top line is due to this and this will obviously take a long time to strengthen and build up but how quickly can I expect him to begin to use these muscles?

Thanks,
 
This is not something that is simply 'taught' and the horse continues to do it. It will actually take months to build up gradually. Some horses are built with a conformation which means they can easily and naturally use their back. Others not so and they find it difficult and hard work to engage their hind end. Gradually as the muscle is built it becomes easier for the horse; so at first it's asking a little at a time. Building up stamina and muscle and supplleness. It is what someone pursuing dressage strives for. No horse is comfortable being ridden in a 'hollow' outline, but that is not to say every horse engages it's backend either - there are huge degress between the two. As long as you learn how to ride your horse correctly and exactly how to ask for some self carriage and engagement I am sure you will move forward well. It is always good to have some regular instruction to help you with suppling exercises and give you homework to practice on your own with your horse.

I hope that gives an understandable if not very straightforward answer.
 
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Thank you, as he is currently with a professional instructor and I will be going to have regular lessons on him, I am hoping I can learn to ride him correctly to encourage this self carriage. He has not been long broken so he is learning lots all the time (as am I!). I will be having lessons on another horse in the meantime as well as lessons on him while visiting to improve my riding and will be continuing lessons on him once he comes back after 6 weeks. Fingers crossed I am up to it and not useless!
 
You will be up to it OP - the fact you are bothering to get him established to using himself correctly shows that :)

I have a WB that is naturally 'uphill' and uses his backend, but my little cob mare finds it very hard to engage behind, due to her breed and conformation. Obviously I never let her ride hollow (she has too much muscle and neck for that anyway) but she can only manage self carriage for short bursts.

It sounds like you are well on track to riding your youngster correctly - this foundation work is so important :)
 
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