# Condition/Confo Question- building hindquarters



## Tryst (Feb 8, 2012)

I would do lots of work to have her lifting and using her hind end... Trotting up hills is great, as is cavaletti. I imagine she will always be a bit light through the hind end, but through correct work it can definitely be improved, as can her topline.


----------



## PixiTrix (Sep 11, 2013)

We live in an area with tons of hills so that almost all we've been doing. I get out on her 3-4 times a week for anything from 1 to 3 hours. I wish it could be more frequent but... You know... Life . Trying to work on keeping her really collected in the gait and make her gait up the hills rather than canter...


----------



## PixiTrix (Sep 11, 2013)

Another angle


----------



## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

Being Paso(a breed I don't personally have experience in BTW) she will likely always be 'light on' in the HQ compared to some types. But I'd be getting a good veterinary chiro come check/treat her, and getting her hooves in shape, both of which should help her.


----------



## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

Agree with Loosie.. and those feet.. get those feet attended to properly. Those hind feet are putting a lot of strain on her hocks and she may not use herself as much behind as it may be uncomfortable for her.


----------



## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

i think her weight isn't that bad. feet are, though.

she looks like a real nice horse. too long, back left is really getting run under, and her other feet, to a lesser degree, are going there, too.


----------



## PixiTrix (Sep 11, 2013)

Thanks all for the comments- I can't remember if the pics were before or after her last trim but the farrier is coming back out this Thursday- I'd like to get some opinions of his work- maybe I'll post in hooves after the trim. I think what looks like a real bad angle on that back left is from the hill we're on but we'll see after the pics.

I wish we had a horse chiro here  I'd love to get her adjusted, I have a sneaking suspicion that she is a little 'ouchy' around the hips. I actually have a friend who is a great horse vet and I was even thinking of 'sponsoring' her trip to visit if she'd adjust my horse and give her a good once over!

Edit: that top pic was definitely post trim, the second pic is the one I can't remember...


----------



## PixiTrix (Sep 11, 2013)

Oh and for the record she's turning out to be a great little horse. Ground manners shaping up and so far a real solid girl under saddle.  *happy*


----------



## bitinsane (Jun 5, 2013)

just have to comment that her snip is ADORABLE


----------



## PunksTank (Jul 8, 2012)

I love Pasos! My husband is from PR and took me riding out there  They're thrilling to ride (like riding a caterpillar!)

That being said, she is very under-muscled and definitely needs a trim. 
I got a Belgian from a yucky situation where his muscles were very atrophied from malnutrition. I put almost 400 pounds back on him, but his hips and top line were still hollow and sad looking. I don't have much time to ride him every day, and all my property is flat as a board so no hills. I added 10,000 IU of Vitamin E a day and in a month he fluffed up! It's been 3 months since I started and he has an apple butt and his top line is filling out well! 
That being said, Vitamin E is stupidly expensive - especially for horses. I found buying human vitamin E capsules at BJ's was WAY cheaper - then putting them in with hay cubes to soak. I also found splitting his dose in half twice a day was more affective. 
Being half his size and weight maybe only 5,000 IU would be better for you Paso.


----------



## PixiTrix (Sep 11, 2013)

PunksTank said:


> I love Pasos! My husband is from PR and took me riding out there  They're thrilling to ride (like riding a caterpillar!)
> 
> That being said, she is very under-muscled and definitely needs a trim.
> I got a Belgian from a yucky situation where his muscles were very atrophied from malnutrition. I put almost 400 pounds back on him, but his hips and top line were still hollow and sad looking. I don't have much time to ride him every day, and all my property is flat as a board so no hills. I added 10,000 IU of Vitamin E a day and in a month he fluffed up! It's been 3 months since I started and he has an apple butt and his top line is filling out well!
> ...


Thanks! I will look into the additional vitamin E. I've been giving her ShoGlo supplement but she tends to get rain rot as well, so I've been trying to add in more vitamin A as well. We are on REALLY hilly 4 acre pasture, 24/7 turnout with another horse, which is why I expected to see some hindquarters building (previously she was just tied up). This is also why I have a sneaking suspicion ya'll are right about the SI joint and maybe she's not using herself correctly. Since we don't have any horse chiro near I've been researching some bodywork to do on my own that might help- we'll see!


----------



## PunksTank (Jul 8, 2012)

PixiTrix said:


> Thanks! I will look into the additional vitamin E. I've been giving her ShoGlo supplement but she tends to get rain rot as well, so I've been trying to add in more vitamin A as well. We are on REALLY hilly 4 acre pasture, 24/7 turnout with another horse, which is why I expected to see some hindquarters building (previously she was just tied up). This is also why I have a sneaking suspicion ya'll are right about the SI joint and maybe she's not using herself correctly. Since we don't have any horse chiro near I've been researching some bodywork to do on my own that might help- we'll see!


That's awesome  sounds like you're all the way on the right path!

Aside from pasture and ShoGlo and Vit A, what does she get? I sounds like you're adding lots of supplements - have you considered just adding a ration balancer?


----------



## PixiTrix (Sep 11, 2013)

PunksTank said:


> That's awesome  sounds like you're all the way on the right path!
> 
> Aside from pasture and ShoGlo and Vit A, what does she get? I sounds like you're adding lots of supplements - have you considered just adding a ration balancer?


I've had a lot of trouble finding a ration balancer in my area. Our stores carry farnam but farnam doesn't have a ration balancer. I was excited to find the ShoGlo because it gets lots of good reviews- I asked about ordering Horse Manna because that is lthe closest thing that MannaPro has to a ration balancer but....no go. I feed her a tiny bit (little under 1 lb) of pellets daily(from a subsidiary of ADM, they are like their patriot feed), the ShoGlo, and a dollop of canola oil. I toss in extra carrots when I can for the extra vitA. Then she's on 24/7 pasture (I want to add flax but I have to order bulk and ship it here so it's like a min of a $50 spend so I've been waiting). 

If you can find a ration balancer who will ship to Puerto Rico AND not totally break the bank I would love you forever! Lol

I'd also love to get our pasture tested, when I can come up with the $$ for it. Feed xl doesn't have us in the system, I looked into that too.


----------



## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

PunksTank said:


> They're thrilling to ride (like riding a caterpillar!)


:think::???::rofl: Finding it hard to even imagine riding a caterpiller!!


----------



## PixiTrix (Sep 11, 2013)

^^ hahaha 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## PixiTrix (Sep 11, 2013)

I thought I'd post some updated pics here rather than starting a new thread- my feed store started carrying Calf Manna which was recommended on another thread as the closest thing to a ration balancer I might be able to get. I read lots of good reviews about the results, so I started her on (only) 2 cups a day about 2/2.5 weeks ago. I feel like I can see a really obvious improvement in her condition, I was wondering if anyone else thought so as well? I think her hindquarters and top line are finally filling out, her coat is SUPER shiny and turning a really nice copper/red color. I started her on paprika too, but I would think it's too soon to see the results from that yet, I attribute the color to the calf manna. Anyways, here's a few pics from today....(please ignore the dorky braids we are trying to keep the burrs at bay) on the split frames the newer pics are on top.


----------



## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

Hi,

I can't honestly say I can see a difference in her body sorry. Did you get a chiro or such? If so, what did they say about her 'hunter's bump' & hoof balance?

You won't see a difference because of nutrition in only a couple of weeks.


----------



## PixiTrix (Sep 11, 2013)

loosie said:


> Hi,
> 
> I can't honestly say I can see a difference in her body sorry. Did you get a chiro or such? If so, what did they say about her 'hunter's bump' & hoof balance?
> 
> You won't see a difference because of nutrition in only a couple of weeks.


Aw really, darn. Well that's why I put them up for opinion. 

We don't have horse chiro here, barely have horse vets. I have a recommendation for a vet from across the island that I'm going to call this month for vaccinations and teeth floating, maybe he'll have input. That's the best I can get here. I posted hoof pics on my other thread about the ripples. 

But I will say though that I see lots of before and after pics with marked changes because of nutrition that you can see after only a couple weeks. If anything I can attest that her coat is looking and feeling great.


----------



## PixiTrix (Sep 11, 2013)

^^ Looking at it again, I think I made it confusing by including before pics- the two with the unbraided mane are from 2-3 mo ago... When I'm back on a computer I'll edit that...
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

PixiTrix said:


> I posted hoof pics on my other thread about the ripples. ... with marked changes because of nutrition that you can see after only a couple weeks. If anything I can attest that her coat is looking and feeling great.


Oh sorry, didn't notice same horse. Getting her hooves into good shape will help her posture & help her use herself better. Yeah, IME aside from maybe a bit of coat shine, you won't be seeing any obvious changes from only 2 weeks of better nutrition. Perhaps there are very minor signs that you see, that don't come out in the pics, and IME behavioural changes happen a lot quicker. I'd look at feeding her a more 'complete' supplement rather than the calf manna too.


----------



## wakiya (Feb 7, 2009)

I don't think her hind end is too off. Keep in mind that being a paso she'll have flat muscling rather than bunchy muscling. She does look a tad weak in that end and that might be why she looks like she has a "racing" hip.


----------



## steeldustgurl (Jan 3, 2014)

She might get more toned looking, but she will always have a more boney look to her. But that doesn't mean she isn't a nice looking animal, she is pretty.


----------

