Strengthening Back Legs

[kkay3702]

I've learned from readin that miniaures do sometimes have weak hind ends. The mini I've started working with (8 years of being a backyard pony he's 10 now) for the last 3 years had a very weak hind end when i started with him. Its gotten better with slowly working him up and getting him in shape. However, I was wondering what exersizes you use to help with this problem when it arises?

Thanks!

 

[dali1111]

Jumping is great for building muscle in their hind ends...plus most horses really enjoy it!

 

[rabbitsfizz]

You can start jumping on the lunge or (better still) in the round pen, with ground poles....these will make him look down, lowering his head and automatically bringing his back muscles into play.

This should be enough to start with, even at 10 (Yay for the mature geldings getting a job, BTW!!) as if his muscles are "immature" you will need to go easy, in fact you will need to go far easier than you would with a younger horse, as he, and his body, will have become set in his ways!!

So stick to ground poles for at least a week or so, and introduce them slowly, one at a time.

When you think he is ready put the middle one (I use five) up on low blocks and then slowly progress until every other one is up on a low block (six inches).

After that you can take out the remaining ground poles and put the last pole up to double height (you are now at one foot and there is no need to go any higher, a horse that will readily jump one foot for fun will jump any height you put him at, that he believes he can clear!!)

Once he is jumping freely an if he looks as if he is enjoying it you can start putting in different sorts of jumps (there are a couple of web pages that give instructions, I think, and Dog Agility fences also work)

If you have come this far on the lunge and are athletic you can progress very naturally to jumping in hand, as the horse will be focused not on following you, as they tend to be if you teach them to jump in hand, but on the jump.

He will also have learned to work out for himself where to go and when to take off.

You can also try long reining him up and down and "bumpy" ground you can find, he will, I think, enjoy that too.

It is also good training for future driving, which I really do hope is where you are heading because you just cannot find a better way of engaging and strengthening the rear end of the horse than a correctly trained driving horse!!!

Good Luck

 

[Indy's mom]

Hills! Hills! Hills! Walking and trotting up hills can do wonders!!

~Tammy

 

[kkay3702]

Wow thanks so much. He does drive a little but not for too long (been increasing the length of our drives over time). I'm having so much fun with him, he had been at my barn since he was a yearling and finally started working with him then it became an obsession. Just recently his owner (also the owner of the lesson barn) put him in half my name

I just put some pictures in the video/photo forum under driving pics

 

[hobbyhorse23]

Ah, strengthening a weak hind end. Boy am I familiar with that one!

Fizz is absolutely right- there's nothing like CORRECT driving to accomplish that. The horse needs to learn to use his neck and elevate his back so he can step up under himself, reaching forward with those hind legs and taking more of the weight on the rear through a loose, swinging back. Transition work (when the horse is mentally ready for it) will also help engage the hindquarters and build strength as he uses the hindquarters to brake and carry himself. Lateral work on the long lines (shoulders in, shoulders out, two-tracking, half-passes and the like) will develop the hind end tremendously if you have an accomplished trainer there to show you how to do it, and cavaletti work is like strength training for a horse. Hills are also good. Hills while driving are even better as long as you've got good breeching.

Once your horse is through the "green horse conditioning" stage, you might try round-penning him in fairly deep footing and doing short, carefully supervised bouts of pulling in deep footing. Be careful as it's easy to overface a horse this way or cause them injury! OH! I'm talking just a few strides at a time driving through a mud hole or deep patch until the horse is fit enough to take such work as an enjoyable challenge.

There's nothing like cross training over varied footing and terrain to strengthen a horse. Kody and I now take walks in-hand through a local powerline/construction zone that involves more small hills than a motocross course

and he LOVES trotting up those straw-strewn hills and sliding down the other sides in the mud. I ask him to descend properly with his neck lowered, haunches flexed and hind feet stepping under himself to take the weight and he seems to really like that. I can tell it's much more of a workout than anything on groomed footing and it keeps him mentally stimulated as well.

Jumping, as suggested, is another good exercise.

If you have come this far on the lunge and are athletic you can progress very naturally to jumping in hand, as the horse will be focused not on following you, as they tend to be if you teach them to jump in hand, but on the jump.He will also have learned to work out for himself where to go and when to take off.

Be careful as this can backfire.

I taught Kody to jump using a program of graduated free-jumping and it did indeed produce an enthusiastic athlete who is completely focused on the jump and has found his own rhythm. Unfortunately, that means that when I attach a lead he considers me to be a completely unnecessary impediment and gets REALLY irritated when I try to tell him to turn or stop!

He's so focused on the jump that he pays no attention to me and my signals.

Oops.

Good luck!

Leia

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Oh Leia, we really need pictures of that!!!

 

[kkay3702]

Thank You so much. I do have a trainer at my barn who is helping me get in moving forward and on the bit and using himself correctly. My goal is to eventually be able to go down into Harold Parker where there are some rolling hills through the woods. We go trail riding in there all the time its amazing plus I know all the trails quite well. Theres a few that would be perfect once he's ready.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I was told that walking up a hill with a cart is much more strengthening for the hind end than letting the horse trot up the hill.

Also, frequent starts and stops, changing gaits frequently from walk-to-trot, trot-to-walk are supposed to be good for keeping him on his hind end.

 

[maestoso]

I second the hills, hills, hills!

 

[Tenltraining]

I agree on working the horse up the hills, that is what we do here, even if its a slight incline, driving your horse and having him really stride nicely coming up under himself with his hocks will build him up really well. Make sure you start out easier with him and gradually increase his working time up the hills so he wont get sore on you. I think a long steady climb even if its not real steep is the best and keep his speed nice and even. Youll be amazed at the results. I always go slower of course down the hills.

Another thing you may want to try is to back your horse up a bit each day. Stand in front of him and use your halter and step towards him telling him to Back Back Back. Keep him nice and straight and go at least fifteen steps. Its ok if hes not real fast at this, let him go back steadily but straight. Then let him relax a moment and pull him up forward. This will tighten his haunches well and help to build him up some. Do this once the first couple of days and gradually build up to three times per day.

Also the feed additive, body builder will help to put weight over the top of the back and hips, it is really good and would probably help your horse a lot! I have used this often especially for horses that need weight there, in a month to six weeks you should see good results trying this. Laura Tennill