Building up Hind ends

[MySanity]

The horse Im planning on leasing has a pointy bum. It looks weak and unmuscled. He also has a strong underneck and a weak crest, as opposed to the desired opposite.

Id be mostly riding at night after dark in the winter months in the flat indoor arena, so hillwork is out of the question.

What kind of exercises can I do to build up and fill out his hind end, as well as help him stop inverting himself?

Thanks!

[jokerslastdude]

lots and lots of trotting.

[butterflyfx]

^^^yep, lots of trotting is good.

transitions are helpful as well...they'll help the horse use it's hind end. (if done correctly of course.) ;)

[alicia]

My horse still has a pointy bum but not nearly as bad as it was before. I just did alot of stretch to muscle up all along his back. As they say it takes about 2 years to build up a proper topline. I agree lots of trotting, but make sure they are pushing completely forward and using themself.

My boy's bum was a big extreme, but the first picture was taken October 2003 and the second July 2005.

**Edit** haha in the newest picture he looks like he has really short legs and a big big tummy, but I think that could be part of the angle of the picture... hahaha he is a little tubby but that makes him look bigger. :rolleyes:

[ladida]

Also backing exercises, not too much but you can practice stuff like backing around cones through patterns etc. Get him working off his hindend too and he'll start to look better.

[ProvidenceJRhtr]

Anything that has to do from working the hind,

Walking-

1)Turns on the haunches
2) walk half-passes
3) walk leg yeilds

Trotting-

1)Collected Trot
2)Trot Poles
3) Trot cavoletties
4) Half Pass
5) LEg yeild
6) Small Circles (make sure horse carrys himself and steps up behind)
7) TRANSITIONS!!!!!

Canter-

1) Long Gallops (count laps) (did wonders for my jumper)
2)Collected canter
3)Small Circles
4)transitions (walk to canter)

All of these exercises worked on my horse very well, she went from having no butt what so ever to being bionic jumper mare now lol! Level 6 jumpers here we come!!! Lol it took 2 years plus suplements to get her to her prime. :cool:

[Savanna]

Everyone covered pretty much everything. I know my old TB had trouble building up his muscles so he got supplements for that, and that really helped him out.

[Jumper_Sassy]

supplements and lots of trotting and dressage work

[BethnBart]

What I did with Bart was several transitions from reinback to trot or canter.

[lesley]

Feed your horse rolled corn.

My appendix QH gelding looked like a fat Thoroughbred, then I fed him corn and am now thinking about getting his halter points. It BEEFS them up.

Also, the barn I board at has a round corral on a sort of slant of a hill. It's really nice for building up muscle. Just find a slanty hill and longe your horse on it.

[NatBeu]

I don't like using supplements and vitamins just to build muscle. It's not proper muscle if provided by supplements. Keifer used to have a butt like that, but we trotted a lot and did leg to hand cantering. Don't use a very long rein because that allows them to fall on their fronthand and pull with the front legs instead of push with their hind legs. You will want to hold his mouth and squezze him up to your hand.

[Masquerade]

I don't like using supplements and vitamins just to build muscle. It's not proper muscle if provided by supplements. Keifer used to have a butt like that, but we trotted a lot and did leg to hand cantering. Don't use a very long rein because that allows them to fall on their fronthand and pull with the front legs instead of push with their hind legs. You will want to hold his mouth and squezze him up to your hand.
The point of a long rein is so you can drive them forward into your hands, and be able to collect the rein.

[HunterDreams]

Transitions
Turns on the haunches // forehand


Why am I even bothering :P ?

These are a few very good suggestions from ProvidenceJRhtr:

Walking-

1)Turns on the haunches
2) walk half-passes
3) walk leg yeilds

Trotting-

1)Collected Trot
2)Trot Poles
3) Trot cavoletties
4) Half Pass
5) LEg yeild
6) Small Circles (make sure horse carrys himself and steps up behind)
7) TRANSITIONS!!!!!

Canter-

1) Long Gallops (count laps) (did wonders for my jumper)
2)Collected canter
3)Small Circles
4)transitions (walk to canter)

As for supplements? No way, they're expensive and the only "real" way to get a lot of muscle and strength is work.. supplements can't fix everything. Sure they can help, but I firmly believe supplements should be kept to hoof, mane/tail, joint and other problems that you can't do anything else to fix. =)

Simply work your horse...

[HunterDreams]

"I don't like using supplements and vitamins just to build muscle. It's not proper muscle if provided by supplements."

Ditttttooo. :cool:

[butterflyfx]

yeah, i don't think supplements should be used...to me, that sounds like a steroid type deal. ("it's a regular off the shelf herbal supplement, i swear!")

[Savanna]

My old horse, had been in training forever (over a year and a half) and he just never got any muscle. The supplement helped him a lot, he was only on them for two months and after I took him off, he still continued to muscle up. Some horses just need a little boost.

The supplement was basically just protein.
"Protein is necessary for overall growth, as well as the building and repairing of muscles and other body tissues."

Just like some horses need supplements for their hooves, some (very few actually) need supplements for helping build muscles.

[Rolandosbabe]

Walk up and down hills every time after you ride and it really builds up a hind end. It really works, because all of our horses at our barn have nice hind ends b/c we have a lot of hills, but if you only have little hills doit on those too! But, if you dont have any i recommend trotting and balancing A LOT!

[gloryrider]

Most of the other people covered it. Lots of trotting (making sure the horse is using himself), transtions, backing, trot poles, calveletti, and dressage movements. Personally, I wouldn't use supplements to build muscles, but it's your choice.

[AidEE]

there is a pretty steep, and long driveway down the road from my house and walking and trotting them up that once every week or two really does wonders.

[acornrox]

there is a pretty steep, and long driveway down the road from my house and walking and trotting them up that once every week or two really does wonders.
Is your driveway concrete?????? L0L! Yeah, Acorn had a BIG Butt wen I got him, but I am asuming Aidan took him up her driveway...L0L!

[acornrox]

Yeah, I'd say just find a hill, or something slanted for that matter to work them on, they should get more musculer!

[AidEE]

it's my neighbor's driveway and its gravel.