Best Workouts For Improving Topline

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Best Workouts For Improving Topline Moderators: luluwhit, gotothewhip, cindyt, crossspur, ForumAdmin Jump to page :	Last activity 2015-02-24 6:47 AM 24 replies, 6144 views View previous thread :: View next thread
General Discussion -> Barrel Talk


OhMax Reg. Feb 2013	Posted 2015-02-23 6:58 AM Subject: RE: Best Workouts For Improving Topline
Married to a Louie Lover Posts: 3303	Borrowed this from a friend over the winter and it's made a huge difference in my guys topline and his willingness to come on the bit under saddle. http://www.doversaddlery.com/balance-complete-training-system/p/X1-... Simple to use with a lot of adjustment. I prefer something like this over a simple surcingle and side reins as it encourages them to bring their back end up under them. My horse tends to want to be front endy anyway, so I was afraid he would just lean forward on side reins. The rigging is all bungee material too so it has a nice stretchy feel to it. I've been very pleased. In the summer we also do a lot of riding in the hayfield which has some nice rolling hills to it.
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hammer_time Reg. Jul 2007	Posted 2015-02-23 12:40 PM Subject: RE: Best Workouts For Improving Topline
Money Eating Baggage Owner Posts: 9586 Location: Phoenix	Tys-ol-lady - 2015-02-22 11:32 PM The equine sports therapist we use recommends LOTS of backing. She owns and operates a very popular rehab facility complete with an equiciser and she says the barrel horses she gets in spend every other day on the treadmill in reverse as it strengthens their hind ends and top lines. My gelding had an SI issue and I have noticed a significant improvement in 3 weeks of backing.... I don't believe he'll need his SI injected when I get him vetted this spring which us huge for us. Start with 5 minutes/day, work up to 15 minutes/day. Other than that I really like trotting poles too, but the sports therapist is also an advocate for allowing the horse to move naturally rather than with any type of contraption shaping them. T Good to know on the backing as mine just got his SI injected. He used to hate backing up but does it more willingly now. When I trot ground poles they are usually on one side of the circle and I lunge him without any contraptions and you can see him round up as he approaches them.
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Just Bring It Reg. Oct 2003	Posted 2015-02-23 1:02 PM Subject: RE: Best Workouts For Improving Topline
Husband Spoiler Posts: 4151 Location: North Dakota	Tys-ol-lady - 2015-02-23 1:32 AM The equine sports therapist we use recommends LOTS of backing. She owns and operates a very popular rehab facility complete with an equiciser and she says the barrel horses she gets in spend every other day on the treadmill in reverse as it strengthens their hind ends and top lines. My gelding had an SI issue and I have noticed a significant improvement in 3 weeks of backing.... I don't believe he'll need his SI injected when I get him vetted this spring which us huge for us. Start with 5 minutes/day, work up to 15 minutes/day. Other than that I really like trotting poles too, but the sports therapist is also an advocate for allowing the horse to move naturally rather than with any type of contraption shaping them. T I agree to a point. I don't want to force one to hold shape but I do want to encourage my horse to move correctly so their muscles can stregthen to help them learn how to hold themselves correctly. But if done wrong you can do more harm than good.
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halter_ego Reg. Feb 2007	Posted 2015-02-23 11:35 PM Subject: RE: Best Workouts For Improving Topline
Elite Veteran Posts: 928 Location: Northern CA	Backing, backing, and more backing. With my 3 year old, whenever I am on the ground, we are backing. From the stall to the tie rack, to the arena, etc. I just make it a point to not lead him forward. He can get kind of heavy if I do a lot of backing while on him, so I save it for the ground where I can get after his feet. Has really strengthened his top line and hindquarters as will as rounded him while riding and he is now much better about knowing where his feet are.
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GLP Reg. Oct 2013	Posted 2015-02-24 6:47 AM Subject: RE: Best Workouts For Improving Topline
I just read the headlines Posts: 4483	I, too, have been told backing a lot, including backing in circles. All of it unmourned to encouraging the back to come up more easily. Also walking over randomly placed poles and walk a couple strides trot a couple walk a couple. Start out doing this on the short side of the arena a couple of times building up to more slowly. Make sure the downward transition is done as gently and subtly as possible.
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