# Toning a Horse's Muscles



## Vidaloco (Sep 14, 2007)

I'm not much for running a horse in a circle so I would suggest just ride him daily. 
When we can, I like to ride through deep plowed fields. If you are in a rural area, get permission from a local farmer to let you ride his fields when there is no crop. We also do lots of creek crossings, going down the bank and up the other side. That's a great workout for the hindquarters. 
I'm sure someone with more arena work experience can give you more at home exercises


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

AngelWithoutWings54 said:


> So... my horse wasn't worked properly before I got him, and his neck, shoulder, and hindquarters are really underdeveloped muscle-wise. How can I get him back into shape easily? Also, he has really bad stamina. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to boost stamina and muscle tone?
> 
> Thanks!


Trail riding will fix both. Lots of walking on uneven terrain, haul *** up any hills that have the proper footing and mix in lots of trotting. It's fun and builds tons of muscle and stamina.


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## Kayty (Sep 8, 2009)

Walking. walking walking walking and more walking, and then a bit more walking. And some walking up hills, some walking down hills, walking over varying terrain. Then some leg yield in walk on both reins, walking walking. 
A month of walking 5 days a week and you can introduce short bursts of trot, up hills is best  Start working on leg yield on both reins, and millions of walk-trot-walk-trot-halt-trot transitions and changes of rein. 
The key is forward into an elastic rein, allowing the horse to reach into the bridle and travel off the forehand, rather than just dragging itself along on its front legs and bracing it's neck .


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## corinowalk (Apr 26, 2010)

Hills are a great solution to underdevelopment. They can help your stamina issues too. Transitions can really help get him focused and really working. Good luck!


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## ponyjocky (Apr 12, 2010)

side reins and lunging. over jumps even.


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## Kayty (Sep 8, 2009)

ponyjocky said:


> side reins and lunging. over jumps even.


I definitely wouldn't be lunging in side reins over jumps if the horse is only just coming back into work. Lunging is very hard on the joints and a horse that hasn't been conditioned yet will struggle with it and likely end up injured, particularly if not being lunged correctly. 
With an unfit, under-muscled horse, walking under saddle over hills will be the key to building stamina and strength in the hind legs and over the topline. Once the horse is fit in walk, some work in trot can be added. THEN some lunge work can be incorporated... mind you on BIG circles and working between circles and straight lines, lots of rein changes etc. Side reins only to be added once the horse is confidently working forwards. I LOVE side reins, but if you don't get the horse working forwards into them, working how you want them under saddle, then side reins are entirely useless and even detrimental, thus they get a bad rep.


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## ponyjocky (Apr 12, 2010)

i'de put side reins on any horse coming back into conditioning. but thats just me.


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## Kayty (Sep 8, 2009)

Yep so would I... after It's got enough strength to work on the lunge, and if it has sufficient fitness to work forwards. If the horse is not sitting on its hind legs and working actively forward into the bridle when in sidereins, all the sidereins will do is encourage leaning on the bit and sucking back. To have the horse working into the bridle takes a degree of fitness and strength, hence conditioning by walking first so strengthen the joints, tendons and muscle structure to a reasonable level before expecting the horse to work on a small circle on the bit.


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

Hill work, especially trotting up and down them, is the absolute best way to build muscle. You'll see results a lot faster than running your horse in circles, and it's a lot more interesting, too.


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## Waybueno (Jun 13, 2010)

Stamina takes time and work. Going on trail rides and letting him trot up hill will definitly build some muscles. In the arena do a good workout, probably stop once you got him swettin pretty good or when he gets tired. My DAILY work out for my horse is:

walk around arena once
Work on bending for at least 3 laps.
Start slow trotting(hes a reining horse so he has the very little trot) and do that for 2 laps going each way
Then do the extended trot each way 3 to 4 times(and bending during this helps with the neck)
Then lope around the arena 2 times each way then start doin figure 8's with flying lead changes Or ill split the arena and do smaller circles for awhile.
Then I walk him out until he is cooled off.

And I have to admit my horse is pretty buff :]









Also I wouldnt do all that off the bat work him up to it, iv been doin this with my horse for a long time he has the stamina for it he is barely swetting when im done with all that.


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

Holy cow your horse is a tank!


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## Waybueno (Jun 13, 2010)

Yeah its taken awhile but now that he is there its easy to keep him that way with our routine


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

I know. I'm dying to get Puck out on trails more. It just puts so much muscle on them. Nothing better than a mixed training program.


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## Waybueno (Jun 13, 2010)

I couldnt agree more :]


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## AngelWithoutWings54 (May 24, 2010)

Ugh, I need to ride Jerry through the fields one day. But it's been so rainy and wet here lately. I went on a trail ride the other day and rode through a river, though. Maybe that helped a bit. :/


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