Hips/Hindquarters...

[kingminihorses]

I've got a curious question, I have a 2 almost 3 year old mare that we purchased about two weeks ago. I, personally, think she is fairly correct(

) but...her hip bothers me. She lacks muscle tone and definition in her shoulder too and since we got her we've been trotting daily and working her to where just breaks a light sweat. I've noticed her energy level go up here lately and loves being turned out to run and buck....but anyway back to my question. So is her hip going to always be this way or can it be developed through excersise? I figured it probably is a little of both but what do you think about her hip?

The second picture is of Andrea's (shadowismytopaz) mare, Lady, used with permission. I think her mare has the kind of hip I would dream for on one of my horses! What kind of excersises can I do to help her develop a hindquarter like this? Any tips?

Thanks in advance for any help/suggestions! I just love this board.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

Well, you aren't going to be able to change the bone structure and therefore the basic shape of her hip, but you can ALWAYS build muscle. Correct driving work, long-lining, round-penning, and cavaletti or jumping work will all help when she's old enough. It can take years to truly build up substantial muscle mass but it's worth doing.

Leia

 

[Leeana]

My biggest issue with her hip is she doesnt have the higher tail set that my eye is more attracted to. I like to see a level croup and she doesnt have what i would call a level croup. If i could change one other thing about her hip, i would bring the tailset up and level out the croup a bit. I dont like how it comes to a point and then just completely slopes off, which agian, can go back to being because she lacks that definition in her hip.

I would add in a higher protein grain, maybe even beet pulp, and work her in a roundpen and over small cavaletti's (spelling?). I know some also put soft footing (such as sand, or something like such) a few inch' thick to make her work just a bit more.

Also, if you are going to 'pump up her hip', i would then even out the shoulder and add to that as well. If you put a big full hip on her and dont work on the shoulder, that will throw her look out of ballance

.

Just my opinion

Goodluck

 

[txminipinto]

You can work her every day and add muscles to the structure she already has. But, unfortunately, you're not going to get the hip the 2nd mare has. The first mare's hip is very short whereas the 2nd mare's hip is much longer.

 

[Jill]

Your mare doesn't have a strong hip, but it's not horrible either. One thing is that the position of her leg in the photo makes it seem as if the hip is more shallow than it actually is. If that leg were back more to be standing square, the image would be of a stronger (but not strong) hip than it looks in that picture.

Exercise will certainly help and give the impression of a larger hip.

Also, your mare looks to have more good points than bad and she is very pretty. I personally know it's hard not to pick appart your horses. I can list things I'd change on every one of mine including the ones who've shown to the best of the good ribbons. No horse is perfect, and they all have things an educated eye would tweak if they had a magic wand.

 

[MiLo Minis]

I think that mare is more mature, fatter (not fat), and standing more square than your horse. I think that once your horse matures a bit, puts on some weight and muscle and if stood square it will have a hip close to that other mares. She has a croup that rounds nicely off and yours does too. She is only a tiny bit gooserumped and it is mostly the way she is standing. I don't like a flat croup as it puts the legs out behind and makes them weak in the hip. Give her some time, exercise and feed.