How to strengthen your horse's back

[@judithgable7817]

Thank you for making this so clear and easy to follow. I just adopted a 15 year old seriously underweight TWH gelding. I am so excited to begin helping him develop and strengthen his back and overall musculature!! I am going to begin with these exercises in hand : - ).

[@CazedarnesEquestrian]

Glad it was helpful!

[@ano.theart3050]

I love this lady’s energy

[@CazedarnesEquestrian]

Thank you so much :)

[@megmcloughlin7958]

This is so helpful for me!! Thank you. My ASH has been out of work for a while and needs a stronger back before riding

[@CazedarnesEquestrian]

So glad it is helpful. I have an ASH too - love them. Good luck

[@RireNorman]

Wonderful. I have a horse with hunters bump and i'm excited to try these to help him get stronger in the back so he can take riders again.

[@CazedarnesEquestrian]

Good luck!

[@cedarforest4621]

These are great exercises. I am working with a 23 yo mare, who is very stiff, and these exercises are helping her.

[@CazedarnesEquestrian]

Fantastic - so glad to read this comment :)

[@lindaerickson5750]

Great video. I didn’t realize the horse benefits so much just at the walk without a rider!

[@CazedarnesEquestrian]

Glad it was helpful!

[@MilitaryDogMan]

I love the information, as I am using your videos to attempt to create a set of exercises for my dogs

[@CazedarnesEquestrian]

fabulous :). I've been thinking of doing some dog exercises as well. Sadly I have no dog currently to be a model :(.

[@philipstone4959]

One of the few videos that I've found helpful. Thanks for being clear and precise and showing us how to do it.

[@CazedarnesEquestrian]

thank you!

[@JessicaStinson-og1rq]

Thank you this was a great help and will be easy for me to do

[@CazedarnesEquestrian]

Glad it helped :)

[@michelasorrentino1864]

Good clear instruction with simple exercises to do on the ground. Some I already knew but a lot I didn’t. Will definitely come back for more.

[@CazedarnesEquestrian]

Glad it was helpful!

[@kajinsautumn9833]

Great exercises! Thank you. My 21 yr old TWH gelding really needs to strengthen his back due to poor saddle fit in his past.

[@CazedarnesEquestrian]

Happy to help!

[@MsDother]

I love this video. I have a mature horse in his twenties. Any conditioning exercises are appreciated.

[@kikissawdust3028]

Thank you for your guidance on building up my OTTB. I’m going to incorporate these to help his muscles continue to build!

[@CazedarnesEquestrian]

Happy to help!

[@babblingdragon9889]

Instead of using the hoofpick i use a roundbrush with increasing pressure going in circles under the belly. My horse finds this a wery positive exersise becouse she loves being scrathed under the belly and i love it becouse she lifts her back a lot! Remember to never hold the back high for more than 30 seconds. Give release and repeat😊 Love your videos

[@CazedarnesEquestrian]

Thanks for sharing!

[@dgeorge]

I like what you’re saying I will try them

[@tinasaxon1232]

Very informative. Thank you.

[@CazedarnesEquestrian]

thanks you!

[@SandieButler-q7e]

Very good advice

[@CazedarnesEquestrian]

Thanks and welcome

[@libbymurphy53]

I have just bought a 16 year old ranch horse from Wyoming. He has lordosis, maybe congenitally, maybe from being ridden by a heavy wrangler. I don’t know. Anyway, I’m looking forward to trying these exercises to help strengthen his back muscles. Thank you.

[@CazedarnesEquestrian]

Good luck, and let us all know how it goes!

[@moiraroe9667]

Great video : Loads of good advice : Thank you

[@CazedarnesEquestrian]

Very welcome

[@horseygran9265]

Brilliant. Thanks.

[@CazedarnesEquestrian]

You're welcome!

[@ropehorses617]

Great video!! Thank you!

[@CazedarnesEquestrian]

Thanks

[@sugarboots2000]

Loved the video. More about about the sursingle. Gping to use all methods demonstrated. Thanks!

[@CazedarnesEquestrian]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks Linda, Id love you to share my helpful videos :)

[@johnnysteffens6654]

Awesome!

[@CazedarnesEquestrian]

Thanks!

[@TheCrazyheifer]

Thanks, some good ideas here. My pony is able to look like he's working correctly when I can feel he isn't lifting through the back properly, and he is therefore not building back muscles well. I will start some of these walk groundwork things, especially the hill work. But interested to know what you would suggest for a horse who tends to overbend and drop the contact but also not lift the back? At the moment I'm lunging in cavesson with no 'gadget', he's never had a gadget in fact. Also he kicks at asking for back lifts, but I'll try starting further towards the girth area.

[@CazedarnesEquestrian]

Hi there, has he had a proper vet check over his spine? Maybe there is something going on there that causes pain when he lifts it?

[@desireemyers6262]

Thank you for this video! I just purchased a 25yo Missouri fox trotter who has a very weak topline. I have started him on a muscle builder and complete feed (pellets) as I know diet is very important to building that topline. All that said though, what is your recommendation for a horse of this age? He's seemingly healthy otherwise, gr 1 club foot in one foot. He's got energy that matches my young children. A little stiff at times so I want to make sure I am doing right by him. Obviously having a good topline too, will help him feel better and make riding as enjoyable as it can be for his age.

[@CazedarnesEquestrian]

Hi Desiree - thanks for your comment :) what a caring owner, our oldies still often have so much to offer. Definitely overall a balanced diet - start with energy/protein/forage balance, then consider getting a diet analysis. Some extra Vit E, and possibly an anti inflammatory joint supplement would work well.

[@saharfakharzadeh1621]

Great information!

[@CazedarnesEquestrian]

Glad it was helpful!

[@CazedarnesEquestrian]

Thank you.

[@sarajaneconstantin2555]

I love these! I am not a rider but taking care of my daughters Hunter horse while she’s away in college. Our property is super flat and we don’t have hills. Is there a way I can get the same results on the flat, in hand?

[@CazedarnesEquestrian]

You can do any of the exercises in hand for sure. You will certainly not be doing any harm!

[@debrajoslyn1100]

I just bought a horse that has very little muscles in the back and the muscles at the shoulders look like this horse.

[@sofiehansen989]

But.. dosent many of these exercises kinda simulate a trailride with uneven ground? 😃 would that be just as good?

[@CazedarnesEquestrian]

Good question. The answer is a very non committed maybe. When you are on the horses back there is an unnatural influence on the way they carry their muscles in their back due to the saddle and weight. If you have a super well fitted saddle, and are really confident that the horse will lift his back muscles in the correct way despite a rider, then yes they would help. My opinion is that they will always work more correctly for themselves without the interference of saddle and rider. The idea here is to strengthen the back enough that the rider influence is less :)

[@sofiehansen989]

@@CazedarnesEquestriancool, thank u very much for a detailed answer! 😃