Tips for building neck muscle

Encourage stretching down and working properly over the back, feed something high in lysine and protein (depending on the metabolism of your horse, you don't want to over feed) and review his conformation - some horses naturally aren't built to have a big neck and won't develop one for love nor money.

How is the rest of his topline? Is it a neck issue or a top line issue?
 
Top line (the muscle running along the mane which I think you’re talking about) can take a lot of hard work in some horses and then others naturally carry weight there first. If your horse isn’t blessed in that department some people will bulk the horse up and feed lots of sugar however my choice would be to feed enough calories for his work load and then work him correctly to develop the neck muscles.

To creat the muscle from work you will need to work him in an outline (be that a long low outline or as he progresses a more “up” outline - and then varying between the two) in all paces. To work him in an outline he will need to be moving forward willingly and be supple enough to flex through his body (not much but enough so if you’re on the left rein you can just see his eye and vice versa on the other rein) not just turning his neck in. He will need to move correctly, pushing equally off each hind leg and be able to move straight. Inside leg to outside hand will help create the bend, the bend will help to collect and supple his body which over time will bring him into a natural outline. Hacking and hill work is ideal for the top line as you can stretch him on a nice long rein without over stressing the muscles. Is he a tb? They have a way of going after racing that develops the muscle under the neck so can be hard work but you will still be able to develop it. Sometimes if a horse fails to put muscle on in the correct area is can be because they’re not being worked correctly or stiffness, saddle fit etc. Take some photos as you work him so you can see the top line develop. Sorry for the essay but it’s a big subject, you’re lucky is topped when I did 🤣.
 
Honestly walking in hand, no props just a good forward march. 30 mins twice a day if you can manage it and within 2 weeks you'll see a difference. Made a huge difference to my mare. Or walking ridden but nice loose contact, encourage stretch down and march on from behind. Make sure they stay straight. I quite like leg yielding from one edge of the path to the other for suppleness. Up hills even better!

And the obvious, checking saddle fit, teeth etc to make sure there's no pain/stiffness/compensating going on somewhere that is stopping that muscle from developing.
 
My boy had rather a straight neck so I created a manger for him at the just the right height that he had to arch his neck slightly to eat out of it. It was about chest height. It seemed to help as I didn't do anything else. This was before he was broken in and was being shown in hand.
 
AShetlandBitMeOnce said:
Encourage stretching down and working properly over the back, feed something high in lysine and protein (depending on the metabolism of your horse, you don't want to over feed) and review his conformation - some horses naturally aren't built to have a big neck and won't develop one for love nor money.

How is the rest of his topline? Is it a neck issue or a top line issue?
Click to expand...
Just the neck, top line is great 🫤
 
saddlesore said:
Just the neck, top line is great 🫤
Click to expand...

We hear you but it's rare that the rest of the body doesn't have at least some issue, it's all connected. Would you be comfortable.posting photos?

Either way have a look at Tami Elkyam on FB and Equitopiacenter.com videos on topline. The neck is a result of how the rest of the body moves and relationship to contact
 
Last edited:
For me, in order to develop the top line of the neck, the shoulders must be up and engaged, Can you swing his head from side to side without hauling on the bit? If not, you don't have the shoulders lifted.
.
 
ycbm said:
For me, in order to develop the top line of the neck, the shoulders must be up and engaged, Can you swing his head from side to side without hauling on the bit? If not, you don't have the shoulders lifted.
.
Click to expand...
No I struggle to get him to lift his shoulders. He understands the ‘ask’ but struggles to (or just doesn’t really want to) maintain it.
 
saddlesore said:
No I struggle to get him to lift his shoulders. He understands the ‘ask’ but struggles to (or just doesn’t really want to) maintain it.
Click to expand...

It's not a natural thing for horses to do, they don't much need to in the wild, but we need to have a well developed thoracic sling for them to carry us with as little compensation as possible.

Are his shoulders rounded out and smooth, or ridged?

Any photos yet?
 
sbloom said:
It's not a natural thing for horses to do, they don't much need to in the wild, but we need to have a well developed thoracic sling for them to carry us with as little compensation as possible.

Are his shoulders rounded out and smooth, or ridged?

Any photos yet?
Click to expand...
 

Attachments

  • F5B2BF5C-FE69-4DDD-AC17-B61C31459835.jpeg
    F5B2BF5C-FE69-4DDD-AC17-B61C31459835.jpeg
    465.8 KB · Views: 36
  • 62D155A0-512F-4151-A2C3-DAC1DAB19842.jpeg
    62D155A0-512F-4151-A2C3-DAC1DAB19842.jpeg
    507.9 KB · Views: 36
He's lacking topline from front to back, we just fail to spot it as it's SO common and he's not a severe case but you still need to improve the whole posture and movement patterns to improve the neck. Horses, all animals, have connections throughout the body - if you read about things like the hyoid it's connected to the back end, the underneck muscle is connected in functionality to the psoas, and of course fascia has all sorts of chains across the whole body. We always have to look at the whole.

Have a look at this which gives a different take on posture/symmetry https://stephaniebloomsaddlefitter.co.uk/blog-and-resources/wonky-donkeys and the resources I mentioned above
https://www.facebook.com/EquitopiaCenter/posts/pfbid0k85XUKmjJZL5xP27tyxZEvhMqFkGDi7Augv1HoCc49fbScS15BVc7b8UfP7rA9nYl
, ignore the word "syndrome", I think all horses are a spectrum from very poor to very functional.
 
And I think a lot of schooling is poorly done, if you work/school/micromanage the dysfunction then you simply make it stronger, we need to look to correct the dysfunction, often from the ground. Make sure the saddle isn't just a "good fit" ie a tick box exercise but allows him to move optimally ie to push up in front and to help you sit well enough to "de-rotate" the ribcage (as in my blog post I linked to).

Since becoming a saddle fitter boy have I learned that what I thought correct really wasn't doing my horse much good (I've not had a horse for a few years now).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top