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[chaps89]

How long should it take to build up muscle on a neddy?

I've started riding a baby (he's 5 but hasn't had much done with him. Owner had a few learners on him so he's pretty much just wandered round the school up till now) and he's coming on leaps and bounds in terms of we can now do straight lines, circles (not egg shapes!) leg yield and work in some form of an outline with impulsion. I can only ride him 3 times a week tho, usually for about 30-45 minutes and I'm not particularly demanding of him.
But I've been riding him for 4 or 5 weeks now and am seeing no improvement whatsoever in his muscle (or lack of!). Yet his way of going has improved 10 fold!
I don't have any control over his feeding, but he's on good grazing, with ad lib haylage at night and I believe is fed straights at night.

Am I just being really impatient?! (I suspect probably so but would have thought there be some difference)
Is there anything else I can do to help build muscle?
He's never been lunged (his backing process took 3 days before he was introduced to jumping.

but he's just so fantastically good he takes it in his stride and doesn't seem to be going too badly for it now thankfully) so I'm debating taking the pessoa up and trying him in that once a week.

Sorry for the dense questions, never had a youngster to work with before so am a bit new to it.

 

[SharerSarah]

Can i just ask how you've checked to see if he's gained any muscle? Have you tried taking pictures then taking another one a month later? I wouldnt worry too much about it as long as his way of going is improving.

I know how hard it is to improve a horse when you can only ride them a limited number of times a week it seems to make any improvements take 10 times longer!

 

[chaps89]

I have some pics (but they're not great, he doesn't understand 'standing still' and on my phone so can't get them up here I'm afraid)
Also there is another 5 year old on the yard, ex racer. Who you can obviously see has put on muscle and is looking bulkier in the same amount of time and is being ridden in a similar fashion but 4 times a week, not 3 times.

He just looks really poor still yet has plenty of food and is now being worked more correctly. (and yes is wormed etc and doesn't look wormy. He's not ribby, just not muscular)

Me thinks I probably need to be more patient and take better pics so I can note any improvements.

 

[scrumpygus]

I think a few weeks really isnt long enough to judge - it took me ages to build up my boy and i did use the pessoa at least once a week which i feel really helped. Also i do alot of hacking normally 2-3hours at a time and you can really use that time while you are out to school them and make them use themselves without them becoming bored of the school.
I think as mentioned taking before and after photos will really help as when you see them regularly you wont notice the change in them yourself.

 

[Nailed]

Horses are like humans, they mature at diffrence ages,.. it may be more a case of hes not matured yet.

Also.. it can take a hell of a long time to build muscle.. Cato works atleast 6 days a week for 45 -1hr and has only put a bit of muscle on in 5 weeks.

This horse is a baby, and its only in very light work!

Lou x