Topline excercies

[Jade-and-patch]

My horse has just had an infection which made him quite poorly, as a result of the illness and lack of work his topline has become very bad. He has lost all the muscle and fat, and I was just wondering if anybody has any miracle excercises to improve this as I was hoping to show him in about 5 weeks time. Obviously getting him to work forward and from behind will help, but any other ideas?

 

[Barnacle]

I'd do lots of in-hand work but for only short amounts of time (30-45 mins at most) with no riding for a few weeks... Mainly getting him to stretch down and step under himself laterally (both sides of course). First in walk and then trot. Canter should come along on its own. After a couple of weeks, I'd introduce a little ridden work as well. But if he's really lost muscle and fat, it's worth keeping the weight off his back for a bit as he'll likely build up again more quickly this way. It's important to keep sessions short or he'll start burning the little muscle he has and that's obviously massively counterproductive!

 

[ohmissbrittany]

Very rarely is there such a thing as a "miracle fix" when it comes to horses. I'd bump up his caloric intake (rice bran, soaked/rinsed beet pulp, or something fat/fiber without a ton of sugar) to help with weight gain, but there isn't much you can do without slow and steady return to work as Barnacle said. In-hand work at the very beginning will keep him from getting ouchy and sour, as well as not burning any more calories than he absolutely has too, and just running the weight off. Once he's back under saddle, walking up and down hills, getting him bending and supple and stretching his back and neck low at the walk and trot would be a good place to start for the first few weeks.