Building up muscle

[haffyfan]

How can I build up more muscle on Harrys hind quarters? Brig mentioned this so I wondered if anyone has any advice/Tips. Is it built up via work or strapping/conditioning or a bit of both. At the moment as I am back at work and with all the rain were having he is only hacking a couple of times a week and haven't schooled (or ridden him myself) for a few weeks now...mainly OH is riding him so yes he slops along on washing lines (however he naturally tracks up most of the time). Our hacking terain is varied woodland/common/forestry roads/tracks but mostly pretty flat...slight inclines but no real hills.

[brigadier]

Hey Haffy
Firstly some horses are a bit weak looking on the quarters due to having a 'jumpers bump' If you look at show horses they never have this- a more rounded or flat bum is better as its easier to look well muscled. But its nothing to do with power- I suppose thats why its called jumpers bump as it usually gives the horse a strong thigh and good springy hocks. so well muscled for condition isnt necessarily better just more desirable in the show ring.

Police Horses always look to have muscled bums- its all the slow walking they do- so your hubby is doing ok in what he is doing. Hill work is phenomenal for working the quarters- but the rider should lean well forward and take the hands really low and wide to get the horses head down so they really have to use their quarters and not pull themselves with their front legs. Build this up slowly as you dont want to strain the hocks! Even small hills work as long as the head/neck is low. (horses that learn to get their heads down really start to attack hills as they enjoy the feeling of power it gives them.)
Strapping is also a way to build up muscle, take a folded towel and rhythmically thump it on the horses big flat muscles (not on joints or the loins), start gently but build to a firm pressure and do it to a steady rhythm or beat, this is so the horse anticipates the next thump and tenses the muscle in prep- it sounds awful but if introduced gently and gradually they love the rhythm and really enjoy it- it also helps relax other areas so if the horse has tension in the back the work on the quarters can rlease this. You can do this on the neck/shoulder area also.
This also gives them tremendous shine and is good for toning your own arms. Use both evenly and also do each side of the horse equally.
Hope that helps!

[Becca]

When i was building bernie back end up i was told a good forward walk or a steady working canter up hill is best for building the muscles. Come visit me we have lots of hills ;D

if you can't make it to me like brig said the hills dont have to be steep they just have to go nicely up them

[ceej]

Mums horse had a tilted pelvis slightly (and therefore weak quarters) and after lots of money with the physio/chiro and three months of dedicated workhis bottom is strong and amazing! The physio recommended twice daily lunge (walking only for first two weeks i think, although I cant really remeber, it was a three month plan...I can find it) building up to 20 minutes in a Pessoa, twice a day.

It has made SO much difference to him, but he did have a problem (so had to be on the ground for 1st month) and is too young (4 and only recently broken) to work on this purely by riding so dont know if this would work for everyone!

[haffyfan]

Thank you x (His head is always low Brigs - he has to look where he's putting his feet/find best routes around puddles and mud as OH leaves it all to him...does this count?! ;D)

[brigadier]

yup!

[racaille]

What does jumper's bum look like? ;D Never heard it before ....

[haffyfan]

Also called goose rump I believe racaille

www.horsetalk.co.nz/warmbloodhorses/articles/db-pelvic.shtml see the diagram about half way down page

[otto]

Jumpers bump is a deformity caused by over working the quarters at a young age. It is called Jumpers bump as it is most common in showjumpers with talent who often get jumped too high too young causing the deformity.

[brigadier]

However if you read the article it is something that horses are born with and called as such becuase they can jump high but not wide- useful in the old days when most tracks were simply high but not on todays tracks which demand more scope. I think the terminology will differ depending on which part of the country you are from! Interesting though that it depends on the placement of the legs underneath as to how it affects the horse jumping. So in some horses good but in others not so good!