# Before and after( muscles!!)



## barrelbeginner (Jan 31, 2012)

Soo my horse Sunny needs some muscles.. ha.. So I was wondering if i could see you horses before and afters of muscling, toplines, ect., just so I can get all excited to see what Sunny will look like with some work! thanks!.. Id post pictures but Im kind of busy at the moment! I will try later!


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## Cherie (Dec 16, 2010)

I hate to bring you bad news, but if your horse is not thin or in poor condition, his muscle is more a product of genetics than of work. When horses are worked hard, they get much firmer and more defined muscling, but the actual bulk of muscle is mostly genetic. Good hard work gives you much more 'muscle tone', tucks up a horse's belly and tighten those muscles a lot, but conformation is much more a product of genetics.


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## teamfire (May 27, 2011)

Before:









After:









After picture is from Feb, should probably take another set!


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## barrelbeginner (Jan 31, 2012)

You're horse looks great now!!!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

Most vets would differ that he looks better in the lower pic - too fat. We've gotten to used to seeing and associating fat as being healthy but horses are prone to the same issues as fat people ie fat build up around the organs. My vets horses were all slim, slimmer than the top pic.


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## Cherie (Dec 16, 2010)

I agree. I only see a horse that is too fat. He is bordering on obese and his cresty neck is a HUGE warning that he is just looking for a place or a reason to founder. 

I do not see any additional muscle and only see additional fat.


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## Casey02 (Sep 20, 2011)

If you look at teamfires horse, you can actually see muscles on the legs in the first picture vs the second picture you cant. I like my horses to have some meat on their bones, but a little less than the second picture


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Agree with Cherie, muscle _mass_ is mostly genetic (though lack of good care/feed can cause a horse to remain smaller than they would have under ideal conditions), all that work will do is give you tone and definition.

For example, this mare looked like this when she came to me as an unhandled 3 year old. A little pudgy and soft.


















And this was her nearing the end of her training. Many people would look at her and say "OMG, she's so skinny", but she wasn't skinny at all, she was just extremely fit at the time. She could easily lope 5+ miles without even breathing hard. She didn't get bigger, she just got stronger and fitter.









Here, you can really see the definition in her shoulder, she looks like a racehorse in that respect


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## nvr2many (Jan 18, 2011)

I was just thinking.............. why is it we want our people thin but our horses fat. Hummmmmmmmmmmm.... Something I need to think more about.


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## Roperchick (Feb 1, 2010)

Well I dont have any of Josie before but here's two of her when she was in show shape.and then her seven years later after she's been retired.


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## soenjer55 (Dec 4, 2011)

smrobs said:


> Agree with Cherie, muscle _mass_ is mostly genetic (though lack of good care/feed can cause a horse to remain smaller than they would have under ideal conditions), all that work will do is give you tone and definition.
> 
> For example, this mare looked like this when she came to me as an unhandled 3 year old. A little pudgy and soft.
> 
> ...


So.... when can I send you my horses?... :shock:


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## teamfire (May 27, 2011)

Cherie said:


> I agree. I only see a horse that is too fat. He is bordering on obese and his cresty neck is a HUGE warning that he is just looking for a place or a reason to founder.
> 
> I do not see any additional muscle and only see additional fat.


Sort of true. He is an easy keeper and was trying to find the perfect balance for his diet (he only gets hay and it was an issue getting the min. needed for gastrointestinal health without him blowing up... plus coughs with local hay. It's been a battle). Looks better now, but I still haven't got him down to perfect weight... I can finally see the last rib on a regular basis (his flank is defined), but still too hard to feel his ribs for my preferences.

Most of the crest is now gone, but he is also Andalusian, so will never look like a warmblood or thoroughbred. They often have a far more baroque build and don't usually have that 'lean machine' look.

But he DID gain muscle. Look at his hindquarters. Look at the loin. Look at the base of the neck. Those are not fatty areas and are clearly muscle.

This is a picture from yesterday, not a conformation shot by any means, but to show you I'm wasn't unaware of the previous issue. But hopefully shows you he's not as fat anymore.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

soenjer55 said:


> So.... when can I send you my horses?... :shock:


Whenever you want ...though I generally don't ride them down that hard. She was a difficult type and I had to keep her rode down to keep her ridable. Ride the pee out of her every day and she'd act like an old broke horse should...give her a day or 2 off and she'd regress like she'd never been rode (not terribly uncommon with horses bred like her).


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