Tips, schooling exercises for unfit horse with weak back end

Zirach

Zirach

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My horse has been in very light work (hacking once a week) since me having my baby. I am trying to bring him back into more work now that I have more time. He is obviously very stiff and rushes on the fore hand to avoid using his back end (which is understandablely weak) and leans on the bit, in school and on hacks, usually when we incorporate a little trot work.
Hacking is difficult due to location and time and so I've been trying to do as much as I can in school, which isn't ideal I appreciate. I've been doing rein backs, walk trot transitions, spiral circles in walk to try and get him bending but does anyone have any other exercises I could try? I will incorporate trot poles, but ideas on this would be great as well. I've been lunging with a bungee as this works better than side reins.
He has had his teeth checked, saddle fitted and physio coming at end of month just to ensure it is just general stiffness due to lack of work and nothing more onerous.
 
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Sorry I should have made myself clearer, we have been doing walk work for the last couple of months 3-4 times a week, sometimes 5. It has been difficult as we are not blessed with great hacking :-(
 
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Try and find a hill and trot up it, go down and repeat.

Trotting poles and raised trotting poles will get him to rise up through his abs and push from behind.

I wouldn't necessarily lunge him in a bungee, as this will probably encourage him to come forwards more onto his forehand. Lunge over raised trotting poles in just a bridle.
 
It took 5/6 hours a week of walking up many hills for 6 weeks to improve my horse. Physio told me any less wasn't going to bear fruit and any more would probably break her. It worked.

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one of mine is the same, was only hill work that really made a difference. its very frustrating when you don't have good hacking to do it. i ended up moving from an otherwise perfect yard, as horse was going sour having to do arena work so much. On yard now with fab hacking and he's come on 100% better in his hind end
 
Thanks all, there is a big Hill nearby and I Can stick to hacking up and down. If walking it would probably take me an hour and now that the clocks have changed I can manage 5 times a week even if it means the same route. Thanks for the tip re the bungee I did wonder if it was really doing much good as he is unable to follow through behind.
I had a riding instructress that was having me bend him on tight circles this was and that and counter bending all in walk, this was once a week, but I've stopped as I do not seem the point in an uncomfortable horse being forced in such a manner and tbh it was making him worse. Lacking in confidence myself I thought maybe this was right despite my reservations.
Back to good old hacking it is for now then! I will do the trot poles however in menage for something a bit different.
 
Zirach said:
I had a riding instructress that was having me bend him on tight circles this was and that and counter bending all in walk, this was once a week, but I've stopped as I do not seem the point in an uncomfortable horse being forced in such a manner and tbh it was making him worse. Lacking in confidence myself I thought maybe this was right despite my reservations.
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Your gut instincts are right; this is not the way to supple a horse.

I don't know if you're a reader but the Susan McBane booke, From Warming up to Cooling Down, might be of use to you. It has advice for a fitness plan as well as ground work and pole work. It also explains (not in a dry way) about conditioning and muscles so you know why you are doing what you do. It covers some basic massage too that might help your horse along with whatever exercises your physio leaves you.

Best of luck :)
 
TPO said:
Your gut instincts are right; this is not the way to supple a horse.

I don't know if you're a reader but the Susan McBane booke, From Warming up to Cooling Down, might be of use to you. It has advice for a fitness plan as well as ground work and pole work. It also explains (not in a dry way) about conditioning and muscles so you know why you are doing what you do. It covers some basic massage too that might help your horse along with whatever exercises your physio leaves you.

Best of luck :)
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Thank you so much for the tip, I will look this up on Amazon as seems ideal. Homework and hill work for us!
 
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