# Exercises (ridden or lunge) for strengthening the horses back



## jumpthemoon (19 January 2009)

Has anyone any good ideas for exercises that strengthen the horses back? I've been doing a bit of work loose schooling and lunging my mare to try and build her up so that I can start hacking her a bit in the spring. 

She is up to ridden work but it has to be mostly walk with a little bit of trot. She really needs to use her back end but avoids doing so at all costs. She can't be lunged in anything that puts pressure on her poll or mouth, apart from side reins which she doesn't mind. 

I did some raised trotting poles with her last night and she worked really hard and seemed to enjoy it so any more ideas for working the back end would be great 
	
	
		
		
	


	




 Thanks


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## sophie (19 January 2009)

Hi loose schooling doesn't help with strengthening the back, raised poles will definitely help your horse to use her back end and pick up her feet which means she'll be using her back.  Twice a week will help her.  Getting her on a hack to soften down into a contact on a long rein will get her working her back end and also lungeing in side reins (inside rein shorter than the outside rein) twice a week will help. Good Luck.  Under saddle also try serpentines and leg yielding at walk getting her to work off your leg so that she softens into a contact.


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## OrangeEmpire (19 January 2009)

Is this recovery from injury? I recently brought my mare into work after being diagnosed with Sacroilliac injury and spavin - we spent 4 weeks working in the school 5 days, hacking 1 day to get her using her bum again. The aim of each session was to achieve a relaxed energetic walk (trot after a while). The session was either short or long depending on how supple she felt that day.

I had to teach her long and low as she thought stretching was the work of the devil, so started asking for flexion inside and outside on a (large!) circle, scattered poles about the school (groups and individual poles) so she had random moments of lifting her legs higher. we did loops and serpentines over the poles keeping her stepping through properly by carrying a stick in each hand so I could tap up the lazy leg. we'd do a bit of collection and then I'd ask her to stretch down. soon she got very keen on the stretching part!

as she got more balanced I introduced shoulder fore and leg yielding. She finds them very difficult (particularly leg yielding) but she's getting much more supple behind.

i did some free schooling as a break but found she only really used herself when I was on her. after a month she could trot on a circle happily and canter on each rein down the long side.

hope this epic note helps!


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## EQUISCENE (19 January 2009)

I have recently brought a weak and unbalanced 4 yr  who had been hustled along with a hollow back and high head carriage and was very tense. For the first couple of months I lunged him gently with side reins (same length and not too short as I have always been taught that as a horse bends this keeps a contact on the outside rein to prevent losing the shoulder and encourages the horse to bend uniformly through his body and not just the neck). Lunged in trot and walk making many transisitions and changes of pace within trot included pole work, worked on rhythm and balance, within 2 weeks he was seeking the bit and rounding his back. Yesterday he had his first hack out and his work will now increase and become more varied as his strength and way of going is becoming more established.


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## jumpthemoon (19 January 2009)

Thanks OE - she's not recovering from injury as such - she hasn't been in proper work for a long time and also has a weak back end. My back lady advised that I try building up her back end as if she had more strength she may be able to cope with more work. She is an exracer and a quirky one at that 
	
	
		
		
	


	




 but she does love her work. 

I thought I would give it a go as although I don't mind her being a field ornament (I'm not paying out for vets investigative work) she does love to go out hacking and is 110% on the roads. We can't at the mo because she has no shoes on and it's always dark when I get there but I wanted to get a headstart for the spring.

Thanks for the advice - I'll give the scattered poles a try and the stretching would do her good


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## jumpthemoon (19 January 2009)

Thanks Sophie and Equiscene, have taken your comments on board 
	
	
		
		
	


	




 I'm sure we'll get there in the end 
	
	
		
		
	


	




 It's good to hear when people have had some success, too


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## mygeorge (19 January 2009)

we have had really good results with the equiami lungeing aid for rehab and generally getting them to work through from behind. this aid does not use poll pressure or any force and is accepted better than most aids.  we dont like our horses to be tied down or become downhill. google it as there are some threads and a website. Many horses are reluctant to use their backs and hindquarters effectively as it is harder work for them but once the build-up has started they find it much easier as they develop more power.


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## UKa (19 January 2009)

I use long reining a lot with my girl who needs her back worked on. Also using it a lot as double lunge (she hates being held by side reins which are more static than if I hold the lunge reins). If you can, get them go uphill on the long reins for a very good workout of the back end.


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## RHenderson (19 January 2009)

raised trotting poles is a good idea..........

also getting her to ride low to help her stretch through her back is good.

Defo advise you invest in the pessoa training system, thats why i use all mine in. you can start them low then work up to a higher dressage level, but mine being jumpers i keep to low.
Trot for muscle work and canter for balance, will aslo encourage her back end underneath.


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