[bratt79]

I have a 6 year old APHA Mare that is in dire need of a topline. She had a colt on her way too long and she is gaining weight nicely. However up around her withers she is like an A frame. I was wondering about some exercises I can do to help strengthen and build up her topline. She also needs some help up at her tail head as well. I am planning on taking her into western pleasure training and I want her to be able to carry herself well and be balanced. Any and all suggestions would be great. I will get better pictures when it stops snowing.

[EVOO]

Get her working in a collected frame.

[stephanie]

Lots of long and low work works wonders for building a topline

[Lost Continent]

If you do a search of the forums you will get lots of results on this topic!

[bratt79]

she naturally carries her head low, how do I get her collected, do I need to get her to flex at the poll or what. She is still fairly green.

[stephanie]

right but there is a difference between working long and low and just carrying her head low. You want to keep her hind end engaged so she is stretching her back and using her whole body

[EVOO]

Collection is much more than a headset. She needs move with impulsion from her hind end, bring her legs under herself and round her back while maintaining headset. But if she's green you're going to have to take it a step at a time. Does she understand how to give to the bit?

Also, what's her diet? She can't use her body properly if it's not fueled properly.

[bratt79]

I will do a search for the other posts. She does give to the bit. She gets about 10-15lbs alfalfa/grass mix hay a day. Haven't been giving her any grain since I haven't been using her yet. When I do start to work her I will probably give her some mineral supplements and some grain, I can't remember right now what it is called, been a long day at work and school.

[MIEventer]

For a horse to get a Top Line - that takes a long process of consistant, persistant and correct riding from back to front.

Seat To Legs To Hands.

You cannot ride the front, you have to ride the back.

If she is green, you have to start with the basics and work your way up. A green horse, cannot be on the bridle, has to learn how to work her hind end, has to learn how to track up, lift her back and get off of her forehand.

There is no topline, because there is no muscle, no balance, no core, and moving on her forehand.

Your seat rides the back end. Your legs ride the ribs and back and your hands are there to recycle the energy you just created, not hold her face or force it into a false headset.

Even a well rounded, well schooled, master needs this - whenever a rider asks for a false headset by fidgeting with their faces - they are riding incorrectly.

Don't be one of those riders

This is about your beautiful APHA Mare and what is best for her

There are lots of exercises you can do to help with this As already meantioned, Long And Low is a great aid - but so is hacking, so is proper flat work - circles, bending, serpentines.

She is green. Remember - that all the muscles are connected, and in order to build up one section of her body, you have to focus on all parts.

The back has to be utalized, by creating a domino effect of engaging the back end, allowing it to drop and having her to track up. Tracking up, then therefore means the back can lift and work.

Your seat comes first to get the back end working accordingly. Then your legs come second to ride the ribs and lift the back. The topline then can be focused on beacuse the muscles through the pol to the hind end are being activated.

Your seat plays a big part - your seat not only has to be functional *al 3 points.....two seat bones and crotch* but focusing on freeing the back to beable to lift - by allowing all your weight to distribute through your upper body down into your heels.

The back end has to be working, the horse has to be tracking up, then the back can lift.

Your hands are very important as well - you cannot be holding her face in compacting her in the front. Your hands cannot be blocking the flow you've created by being stiff, forceful or holding.

You have to have functional hands. Soft, giving, supportive and lifting.

You ride inside leg, to outside rein. Your horse has to beable to carry herself *only when you've targeted her back end, legs and back* through your outside rein. Your outside rein now is recycling that energy you've created to flow back through.

There has to be forward movement, there has to be impulsion, there has to be rhythm.

Your horses has back to beable to stretch out and be opened.

Allot of flexion work, allot of circles, allot of transitions - walk to trot, trot to walk. Halt into trot. Backing up, push into trot. Hilll Work.

The LAST think you want to focus on, is where the headset is. Ride Functionally, Thorough, and be patient and consistant.

[EVOO]

Originally Posted by MIEventer

What is this supposed to mean? Ride front to back? Pull the face in? Go around in a false frame?

Excuse me? What part of any explanation of collection have I ever given to make you think that is at all what I would mean?