Training Aids - advice?

[sloulou]

I've just taken on a horse that has arrived in pretty poor condition. He is beginning to put on a bit of weight, but has very little muscle - especially neck muscle.

He's perked up alot and I want to start working on building up correct muscles. Would anyone recommend a training aid i could lunge him in to help get him started?

someone recommended a Pessoa to me - but any suggestions welcome!

(ps. the lunging would be in addition to the schooling and hacking I am doing, probably just for 5 -10 mins a couple of times a week to start off with.)

 

[AmyMay]

If I were in your situation, I would be concentrating purely on gentle hacking four at least four to six months to give this horse time to get some strength in his muscles.

Personally I think you could do enormous damage by lunging and working in the school a horse in this sort of condition.

 

[claire1976]

I agree -you need to concentrate on building up strength of lung capacity and overall fitness before working on muscle and outline. Gentle hacking, increasing it gradually each week to include hill work etc for about 2-3 months or so (depending on how often you ride) then progress onto lunging and schooling for muscle strength.

 

[sloulou]

Thanks for your replies.

Should have been a bit clearer - I have been doing gentle hacking with him since he arrived about 8 weeks ago (just walking but now have just progressed to trotting for short periods.) He was being ridden before I got him - but clearly not very much.

He has now completely changed personality (for the better generally) as he is clearly feeling much better. He has put on weight and it generally looking happier.

The problem is that his neck muscle is not good and I think he will find it very hard to work correctly when I start to school him, just because he physically doesn't have the muscle.

It's odd really because he came from some people I know well and am not sure how he ended up in the condition he's in - I saw him 6 months ago looking great and now seem's very different. Vet has checked - apparently teeth were over rasped - but apart from that fine, just need to feed him up a bit and improve condition. Poor horse!

 

[AmyMay]

[ QUOTE ]
The problem is that his neck muscle is not good and I think he will find it very hard to work correctly when I start to school him, just because he physically doesn't have the muscle.

[/ QUOTE ]
No this is where the common misconception about topline and correct work come about. You don't need to be schooling a horse in an arena to achieve this. Any form of excercise providing the horse is ridden correctly will create the desired affect.

Once he is phyically stronger you will be able to ask him to take up the contact and work in the bit for longer periods out hacking. Forcing him in to any kind of 'shape' will only damage him and he will begin to do it naturally as he gets stronger.

The hunters I ride are all 'correct' in their musculature - they never go in the school, but are ridden correctly when excercised.

 

[claire1976]

Its such a shame when horses get like this. There are lots of things you can do to help topline condition. Personally I teach horses to flex at the poll and hold the position standing then progress onto requesting poll flexion when walking just for a few strides at a time. This produces a lovely, natural outline eventually but takes time as horse needs to develop the strength to hold the position for longer periods.
There are training aids you can use to achieve this quicker but IMO this doesnt produce a natural outline and is a 'quick fix'.

 

[sloulou]

Thank you both v. much for your advice.

It was so sad when he walked off the lorry at our yard - can't really understand how he could have be left to get into the condition he arrived in.

I'll try out your suggestions before going down the training aid route.

xx

 

[AmyMay]

[ QUOTE ]
Thank you both v. much for your advice.

It was so sad when he walked off the lorry at our yard - can't really understand how he could have be left to get into the condition he arrived in.

I'll try out your suggestions before going down the training aid route.xx

[/ QUOTE ]

Good luck - would love to see some before and after shots. And remember - it's going to take you a long time, please don't expect instant results.

 

[filly190]

I personally would not use a training aid at this stage. I think he needs some road work and light schooling to build him up first. If he is in poor condition he will take a while to gather strength and you may push him out of his comfort zone if you use anything.

 

[georgiegirl2]

againd i would advise as others have, remeber he does not need to be 'on the bit' for topline neck muscle to develop, in fact riding him like that at this stage will only cause resistance and problems further on! you need to concentrate on getting his nect longer and lower (withough necessarly being flexed) so that the undermuscle is loose when your riding him to help devop it - though remebering to give him a loose rein every so often as even this will be hard work for him! aim for 'natural' outline first before expecting him to do anything else.

A feed such as topline conditioniung cubes or blue chip will also help if done with the work described above.

make sure you take a [icture now and one a few months later so you can see the difference!

 

[Law]

I agree with the others- we had a horse arrive at our yard who was skin and bones, miserable as hell, depressed and basically looked like he wanted life to be over. He hated human contact and was very grumpy. He was ued to fighting for food and consequently didn't bother. It was very hard to watch people ride him to start with as there was no way he had the muscle to cope in the state he was in. Poor thing was all ribs and it was awful watching him being ridden although he did seem to enjoy his work. Personally i would have given him a few months to adapt to coming into a caring environment, fed him suitably and let him 'come right' (as in coping with life and not being so depressed) and then brought him back into exercise. As it was he was schooled and worked in a pessoa and he did pick up and get better but it was still painful to watch. 10 months later and he's still a grumpy git but he's enjoying work, jumping and is a picture of health (to be fair his condition picked up once he got his appetite back). A totally different situation to the one you are in but all the same I would say he needs time to build up.

 

[the watcher]

In contrast to everybody else I wouldn't see the harm in using a pessoa on the lowest setting to encourage proper use of the back and a good stretch, on a large circle for a few minutes each way..only in walk and trot.

It may be worth while getting this horse looked at by a back person too, there may be a physical reason why your horse will not muscle up and develop a good top line.

Whatever you do will take time and can't be rushed so don't be tempted to force it, you will do more harm than good

 

[annaellie]

I agree with the watcher a pessoa on for a short while will encourage your horse, but as others have said lots of hacking and getting the horse to stretch its neck long when the horse is doing that you can then push it up into an outline

 

[Bert&Maud]

Ditto the Pessoa on lowest setting for very short periods. Perhaps in conjunction with good equine massage therapist to help with some stretching excercises, and also lots of "long and low" hill work.

 

[sloulou]

Thanks to everyone for their advice.

I sense the long and low is going to be a struggle with this boy (much more head up high!) - but will be slowly working on him.

xx

 

[sloulou]

ps - pic of him is now in my signature....

 

[AmyMay]

Bless him - he does look lacking in condition.

I've actually changed my mind on this. I would feed him and leave him until the spring.

More piccys????

 

[sloulou]

No - will take some and post them up. That was taken the day I collected him - so he has improved a little - but If you look at the larger version i put on the picture gallery forum you can see clearer...