Building up hind end

[headuphealsdown]

My young mare has weak stifles. She has smaller gaskins and on the whole weaker hind end. I have been doing hill work up and down. What else should I be doing? Should I be staying away from any lateral training? Should I be staying away form hacking over small jumps?

Thanks for any input!

[rmaryman]

my gelding has weak stifles also. Something that I do is to do long warm-up at walk, and towards the end of the warm-up time I will walk him over cavaletti or low cross rails so that picking up his hind legs will work those hind-end muscles by picking up the legs more than just walking on the flat. We also to lots of trot on trails on moderate hills (not on steep hills, tho).
This has seemed to help him get stronger in the hind end.

Rick in VA

[Carol Ames]

raised cavaletti! In a row, as well :yes:as on a curve; even walking over them in hand is a benefit; it also works the heart like doing hills:cool: on a curve, use three poles , one end on a hay bale or upturned bucket, the other on the; ground. ground:yes:ive your horse time to learn where, to put his hind legs down.

[headuphealsdown]

Great ideas! Thanks! I forgot about raised poles..wonderful idea.
I will put that to work today! :)

[nadasy]

I agree so much Carol! During the 2 year 'walk-a-thon' with my horse, I made some trotting poles out of landscape timbers. (The rounded edge, 2x4's). I cut up some old 4x4's and drilled a hole in the middle of the 4x4, then through the 2x4 at each end and bolted them together and have caps on the nut end, which is on the top. This makes it 6" tall. I have 3 then three strides and then 3 more, the poles are any where from 4'3" to 5' apart depending on where he is with his work. I also have two going up a small grade and then can add one or two more if necessary.

My old barn collapsed within a year of me buying the place, and I had my new little barn up and the horses in 10 days before the old barn came down one morning as I was rounding the corner between the two barns with the trolly. I heard a crack, and dropped the trolly and ran. The 3 story barn was down in about 3 seconds, beams and posts and the front scissored and landed in the driveway parts of it 5' from the trolly. There were lots of beams that broke, and I have used those cut into 8' lengths with the post corner braces (4"6") underneath each end with bars pounded down into each end of the corner braces. The beams are 12"x14" or so, and weigh a lot. They don't move. They are wonderful for trotting and keeping my horse focused and using his hind end. It helps to engage what he needs to. He is not an event horse, or a jumper, but loves these little exercises. It not only has help in his conditioning and fitness, but gives him a break from his dressage work, which, by the way, would not be as far along as it is, without his trotting poles and barn beams. :lol:

Another benefit is that he is very good about trotting to the beam quietly, taking a little round 'jump', and landing on the lead I'm asking for. I keep everything small and simple, best for him not to throw too much at him at the same time, but it's improved his coordination, balance, rhythm, fitness, conditioning, and benefitted me as well :D

[Songsmom]

Trotting, trotting and more trotting large circles, shallow serpentines. My OTTB has had problems with loose stifles and most recent trip to new vet/chiro/accupuncturist has had us doing tons of trot work. Recent check up was great. Stifles are nice and tight and now can go on to do more serious work. Work your way up to 30-40 minutes of trot circles - large sweeping movements are easier (change rein at centerline rather than across the diagonal) to keep stifle from over stretching. Hope this helps.