Putting weight on the back.....

[BlueStar]

What have you found to work the best for adding back weight/muscle? We have 2 yearling that need this. They are getting high quality feed being Strategy, Equine Junior, beet pulp, vitamins, and coat conditioner with good quality orchard grass and alfalfa hay. They are being ran in a round pen 3-5 days a week for 10-15minutes. In the past years we have fed Ultium but have omitted it this year.

Any advice or ideas?

 

[Ashley]

Stop round penning them. They are to young for that, let them play natural.

I like MoorGlow

 

[BlueStar]

Stop round penning them. They are to young for that, let them play natural.
I like MoorGlow

Never had a problem with round penning our yearlings. They do play naturally and are turned out during the day. But thanks for the post.

 

[RhineStone]

Are you teaching them something in the round pen, or just running them?

Do you need fat to cover the spine because they aren't putting on weight, or muscle built up? They require two different modes of action.

MoorGlo is basically a rice bran product with fat. That will put on weight as well as any other fat product. It will also make their coats shiny.

We were told to give them something to step over to build back muscles, like a ground pole or a board in a doorway.

Have you dewormed them recently? Roundworms are very common in young horses.

 

[BlueStar]

Are you teaching them something in the round pen, or just running them?

Do you need fat to cover the spine because they aren't putting on weight, or muscle built up? They require two different modes of action.

MoorGlo is basically a rice bran product with fat. That will put on weight as well as any other fat product. It will also make their coats shiny.

We were told to give them something to step over to build back muscles, like a ground pole or a board in a doorway.

Have you dewormed them recently? Roundworms are very common in young horses.

We just run them in the round pen. We try not to over stimulate the yearlings just give them whoa and good grooming and conditioning. All our horses are de-wormed on a regular basis with a rotational schedule.

As far as the weight, I think they need more coverage on their back. It is not a backbone sticking out issue, it is more along side the spine that needs something. I dont want fat per say as I dont want the bulk on the entire body.....just along the topline.

 

[Sandee]

At one time I was told Beet Pulp would put weight on the back. Now as silly as it sounds it worked here. I started beet pulp and the horses filled in over the back (I'm talking 2 to 3 year olds). Maybe it was just "time" for them to fill in but it was around the same time that we started beet pulp. Now I have to be very careful how much mine get as they don't need any more up there but they and we are quite addicted to the beet pulp. Mine only get a cup (measured dry) soaked in 1 1/2 cup water each morning. It makes them happy and I can make sure they are getting more liquid in the winter and at shows.

 

[BlueStar]

At one time I was told Beet Pulp would put weight on the back. Now as silly as it sounds it worked here. I started beet pulp and the horses filled in over the back (I'm talking 2 to 3 year olds). Maybe it was just "time" for them to fill in but it was around the same time that we started beet pulp. Now I have to be very careful how much mine get as they don't need any more up there but they and we are quite addicted to the beet pulp. Mine only get a cup (measured dry) soaked in 1 1/2 cup water each morning. It makes them happy and I can make sure they are getting more liquid in the winter and at shows.

OOOPS Forgot to mention they do get beet pulp. About 3 cups (measured after soaking) a day minimum. DUH me!! LOL

 

[Katiean]

Are you teaching them something in the round pen, or just running them?

Do you need fat to cover the spine because they aren't putting on weight, or muscle built up? They require two different modes of action.

MoorGlo is basically a rice bran product with fat. That will put on weight as well as any other fat product. It will also make their coats shiny.

We were told to give them something to step over to build back muscles, like a ground pole or a board in a doorway.

Have you dewormed them recently? Roundworms are very common in young horses.

Correct me if I am wrong. But, I think what is being said here is maybe things need to be slowed down a bit and just let them walk or trot over ground poles. Besides, if you are teaching them "Oh Boy, It's the round pen! Time to run!!" this is not good as their bones are still forming. If it were me and I even had a round pen, I would lay out ground poles in the round pen. Keep them calm as we went into the round pen and let them see what these new things are. I am one that never lets a horse break away from me in a round pen or arena (I have boarded where we had full amenities). I would then encourage the yearling's only exercising them one at a time, to trot the round pen. If they won't keep their noses off the ground at a trot I put a bitting rig on them. attaching side reins to the halter if needed as you are not going to fit a yearling with a bit. I had a top winning Barrel horse that would walk into the arena on a loose rein until he got his que to run. He would also stand a fall asleep before his class. It is all in how you train them and yearlings are not too young to learn to trot over ground poles. But I think they are too young to have a running free for all in a round pen.

 

[Mominis]

I think you should probably start teaching them a few things in the round pen. One of the first lessons that I teach a horse is walking. Even with an older horse, when free longing in a round pen, they have been taught to walk several minutes in each direction to warm up before getting work underway. This gives the horse's mind a chance to come online and get ready for the demands that you are going to make of him. During the walk, I will ask for both inside and outside turns so that I can help him wake up mentally.

Once you have control of the gaits: walk, trot, and whoa only, you can move on and teach them a few things. One of the best ways to develop the muscles of the back is to bit a horse up long and low. With a yearling, you can get them confortable with a surcingle and then "bit" them off of the longing caveson or halter with elastic side reins fastened very low and quite long. Start with just the outside side rein attached very loose and then go to the inside. If you do it the other way around, the horse will continually want to turn into the center of the round pen from the weight of the side rein alone. Once he is calmly accepting the one side rein, go to two, but still keep them VERY loose. You can slowly shorten them up every few days until the horse is in a position that he is stretching over the top and seeking contact without resistance. This stretching will help to build the muscles over the topline.

I know others will not agree with this, but I don't feel comfortable cantering a horse in the round pen until he is at least three years old. I just don't think the torque is good for the knees and canter does provide lots of torque. That is also the reason for learning to control the horse's walk, trot, and whoa. Personally, I don't employ ground poles until a horse is well into his two year old year. This is probably just me being paranoid. lol

 

[BlueStar]

Sorry folks for the controversial subject. Although I have read all your posts, I am not looking for advice on training our horses or what to do or not do in that regard. We have had very good success with our program as a whole, was just scratching my head about the top line on these two.

I do not have a running free for all in the round pen. It is ONE on ONE and very structured in a round pen with good soft footing. We do not let them get excited or make it a "fun and games" time. I think too much trotting is worse for a young horse and have not had good success with it, therefore, we have our current program. They do get walk (with inside and outside turns) and whoa ground work for halter but on a lead. We do not do ground poles or bitting rig at this age either. To me that may overstimulate a yearling show horse.

If anyone has anything that has worked for top lines in the way of feed or supplement, or exercise that is not a critique of our current program, I would appreciate it. Thanks.

 

[albahurst]

I really like the Progressive products- I sent you a PM

I meant to also say in my PM that Progressive has a couple of Top Line Supplements- higher in protein. I have used one of those products with a couple of two yr olds in the past with great success. The mare in my avatar was on the Top Line Enhance last show season and I have put her on it again this year, as I am planning on showing her later this summer. Fairly reasonably priced, too, IMO.

 

[chandab]

If anyone has anything that has worked for top lines in the way of feed or supplement, or exercise that is not a critique of our current program, I would appreciate it. Thanks.

The nutritionist I work with has told me the following:

Topline needs filling in, then horse needs more protein in the diet;

Ribs need need filling in, then horse needs more calories in diet (plain grain or fat supplement).

 

[mydaddysjag]

More protein, and the supplement "Body Builder" Round pen over a few ground poles. I do not mean jumps, just a few poles on the ground so they are picking their feet up and learning to watch where they step. Also if you can do hill work with them. they are young to lunge on hills, but we've going in hand walking and even short jogging up and down hills.

 

[rubyviewminis]

Hi there, my little mare is expecting your Blue Stars Hotrod Harley's first foal. My first too.

The ration balancers are what I was going to suggest, like Progressive. I can't get that here so I use Enrich 32 for grass diets. It fills the gap, and really fills there topline. Balancers are fed in small amounts so don't panic at the high protein. Balancers are the best feed product I have found for pot bellied or skinny toplined young ones.

 

[Leeana]

I roundpen my yearling when it gets more toward Spring (just started this week actually....), I have three yearlings in the barn and have always roundpenned my yearlings that are out showing. Of course they get most of there work out playing in the pasture with each other. I've always thought my horses matured pretty fast too. I have no problem penning yealings.

Beet pulp does wonders, I do strategy and beet pulp 2x a day with some other things but that BP is what will fill in the topline.

 

[krissy3]

Stop round penning them. They are to young for that, let them play natural.
I like MoorGlow

I agree!!!! you will distroy their legs. dont round pen or jump until they are at least 2 years old , and start slowly , 10 laps in each direction , and stop. , let them play and run around in a pasture.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

If they won't keep their noses off the ground at a trot I put a bitting rig on them. attaching side reins to the halter if needed as you are not going to fit a yearling with a bit.

That stretch to the ground is actually good for the topline and helps the horse learn to use his hindquarters. Granted when they're sniffing like that it's mostly a stretching exercise rather than a strengthening movement but it's still not harmful. I simply encourage them to go forward until the head comes up then take the pressure back a notch until they learn moving forward is what's desired when working.

We do not do ground poles or bitting rig at this age either. To me that may overstimulate a yearling show horse.
If anyone has anything that has worked for top lines in the way of feed or supplement, or exercise that is not a critique of our current program, I would appreciate it. Thanks.

I worry about pushing a young horse faster then he or she is ready for, but I have to admit I've never worried about overstimulating them. To me this is the time to throw as many new things as possible at a youngster so they learn to accept it all as just part of the routine!

Not new demands, just new things like balloons and umbrellas and crinkly plastic and crowds and dogs and kids and motorcycles and streamers and...you get the idea.

I don't think basic groundpoles are too much to ask of a yearling although I'd limit it to one or two in a row and certainly nothing raised. It truly does help to build a topline and also teaches them where their hindquarters are as well as general body-awareness.

My yearling is on beet pulp, Strategy and good quality grass hay with some oil for his coat and looks pretty good from what I can tell under his fur. Of course my older gelding is on the same thing and looks terrible right now so who knows!

I suspect it has more to do with the way the baby runs around all day long mauling his toys and the older horse is spending a lot of time sitting around because he's beginning to feel some stiffness and pain.

I'll have to look into some ration balancers if increased exercise doesn't do it as I refuse to cut down his hay intake.

Leia