# High withers?



## hgbtx (Jan 26, 2014)

Here's a better picture that doesn't distort her as much.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

I don't necessarily see high withers. I see no topline/muscling.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## hgbtx (Jan 26, 2014)

DraftyAiresMum said:


> I don't necessarily see high withers. I see no topline/muscling.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Definitely a huge work in progress for us, any suggestions?


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Hill work, and lots of it, if possible.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## hgbtx (Jan 26, 2014)

DraftyAiresMum said:


> Hill work, and lots of it, if possible.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


One problem, I live in SE Texas. If you've ever been there it's completely flat. Ugh


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

I would use a lot of padding under the saddle or she will get sore. She should ride ok just so you are careful with saddle fit and padding.


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## Blue (Sep 4, 2011)

If you live in a very flat area, sand washes are almost as good as hills. 

You can also build a hill with dirt, railroad ties, brick, whatever. Climb it over and over every day.

Nice looking horse.


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## LoveofOTTB (Dec 7, 2014)

Not the best picture of my guy, but he has some nice high withers AND his top line needs work (we have been slowly working on it, this picture is a few months old). An English Saddle that is more cut back will help, thats what I have been trying to search for, in a reasonable budget haha I have been told Old Stubbens or Passier's with a more cut back pommel tend to fit those higher withered horses, or even a thorowgood saddle since they make very nice ones for high withered horses! But Top Line work will help with the withers, my guy wont have that high of withers once we get his top line nice. Top lines just take a while!


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## hgbtx (Jan 26, 2014)

LoveofOTTB said:


> Not the best picture of my guy, but he has some nice high withers AND his top line needs work (we have been slowly working on it, this picture is a few months old). An English Saddle that is more cut back will help, thats what I have been trying to search for, in a reasonable budget haha I have been told Old Stubbens or Passier's with a more cut back pommel tend to fit those higher withered horses, or even a thorowgood saddle since they make very nice ones for high withered horses! But Top Line work will help with the withers, my guy wont have that high of withers once we get his top line nice. Top lines just take a while!


What are you doing for topline work?


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

she needs more weight and work to develop that top line. IMO she is to thin. 
look at her flank area, it sinks in also the slope on her butt and croup area.


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## LoveofOTTB (Dec 7, 2014)

Like everyone else said, Hill work! Low and slow work will help as well. Top Line can take awhile to get better, it also helps when they use their stomach muscles to round their back under you. That helps with top line as well. I like to use ground poles or cavelletis during the winter time. Being in North Dakota we don't have a lot of hills, but there are a few little ones around where I live. So we trail ride on those during the summer. I got him in September and only got in two trail rides before it snowed and got cold here. lol So like I said ti has been slow work. He was pretty skinny when I first got him, so my main thing was just getting weight on him for the winter. So he did that, and also developed some more muscle and his top line has slowly started to fill in =] Below is a picture of the first day I got him, as you can tell he needed some groceries, and the next picture is one I took two days ago. He has filled out nicely and his top line is slowly getting better!


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## hgbtx (Jan 26, 2014)

LoveofOTTB said:


> Like everyone else said, Hill work! Low and slow work will help as well. Top Line can take awhile to get better, it also helps when they use their stomach muscles to round their back under you. That helps with top line as well. I like to use ground poles or cavelletis during the winter time. Being in North Dakota we don't have a lot of hills, but there are a few little ones around where I live. So we trail ride on those during the summer. I got him in September and only got in two trail rides before it snowed and got cold here. lol So like I said ti has been slow work. He was pretty skinny when I first got him, so my main thing was just getting weight on him for the winter. So he did that, and also developed some more muscle and his top line has slowly started to fill in =] Below is a picture of the first day I got him, as you can tell he needed some groceries, and the next picture is one I took two days ago. He has filled out nicely and his top line is slowly getting better!


Huge improvement! Here's when I first got my girl about 5-6 months ago for comparison and the pics I already posted aren't completely up to date, they were from about the 4 1/2 month mark.


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## LoveofOTTB (Dec 7, 2014)

She has made good progress as well! for this first picture to the ones you posted before. Her butt is starting to get round from muscle! I like round butts, round butts are good butts! But keep up the hard work, like I said it does take a while on that top line, sometimes it can take a year or more, just depends.


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## hgbtx (Jan 26, 2014)

LoveofOTTB said:


> She has made good progress as well! for this first picture to the ones you posted before. Her butt is starting to get round from muscle! I like round butts, round butts are good butts! But keep up the hard work, like I said it does take a while on that top line, sometimes it can take a year or more, just depends.


Thanks! And so do I, round butts are awesome! I hate to see there spine sticking out of there butt, or any part of them lol


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## sarahfromsc (Sep 22, 2013)

hgbtx said:


> One problem, I live in SE Texas. If you've ever been there it's completely flat. Ugh


In the pictures I see jumps. Can the poles be removed so you can use them as ground poles? Ground poles can be helpful when hills are not be to had.


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## hgbtx (Jan 26, 2014)

sarahfromsc said:


> In the pictures I see jumps. Can the poles be removed so you can use them as ground poles? Ground poles can be helpful when hills are not be to had.


Yes! I will do that.


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## Cherrij (Jan 30, 2013)

Basics of Straightness Training help a horse to develop even on both sides, and build a topline too, as they get to work properly. 

At first it is a lot of work in hand, but later translated in riding too. 
The main idea is to get the horse to think about where it puts its feet, work with rounded back, and step deep under him/herself. 

And if ground poles are added to these exercises, it makes even more progress.


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## sarahfromsc (Sep 22, 2013)

For the ground poles you will have to get to know your horse's stride length for the walk and trot in order to place the poles correctly. Basically you may have to fiddle with them as you work your horse over the poles as you learn her stride length.


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## 40232 (Jan 10, 2013)

As for the cutback, I would not suggest using one purely for wither clearance. Cutbacks are made to allow a lot more motion through the shoulders, which is why they are used in saddleseat and on gaited horses. With the horses I've worked with, they are known to cause sore backs purely because they don't offer much padding or support compared to a nice English saddle or Western saddle.


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