Appropriate Lunge program for regaining muscle/top line in (new) skinny horse?

[Here_sYourOneChanceF]

I recently bought an 8 year old paint mare who is unfortunately quite underweight, with absolutely no top line. She is a big girl at 16 hands or so, and has been off work since August last year as the gal who owned her did not use her at all once show season ended. Unfortunately she has been underfed (was said to be an extremely picky eater, though I’ve not personally seen this as she’s hoovered all that I’ve been giving her, but who knows).

My question is, what is an appropriate lunging schedule to help exercise and build some muscle as well as top line. I would like to see more weight on her before I work her under saddle as I can’t imagine it would be comfortable for her until she has more weight/top line condition. I don’t want to over or under work her, so I figure this would be a good place to look for advice.

She is currently getting free choice good quality hay (as much as she will eat), and a 3 quart scoop of Legacy Senior feed twice a day (with some raspberry leaves added as top dressing). I worked her up to this amount over the past couple weeks as I only took possession of her 3 weeks ago.

So… how often should I be lunging her? For how long and at what gait? I am hoping she will bulk up enough fairly soon that it would be fair to start her back under saddle. I am just a pleasure rider, so we are not looking to do anything hugely strenuous… just relatively short and easy rides 2-3 times a week (if that).

Thanks in advance!

[JB]

IMVHO, none. There is no lunging that is appropriate for a horse in her condition.

Is she turned out? How many hours?

If you just must do something with her, hand walk her. She doesn’t need circles, she just needs movement. Walking is highly undervalued, and between continued improvement in her diet, and slow but increasing walking, the weight and muscle will come. Relaxed walking, but marching right along.

When she can march right along for 30 minutes, and she’s at least a mid-4 on the BCS, then assuming you have appropriate padding and a well-fitting saddle, you can get on and walk for 15 minutes and work up from there.

[Simkie]

I dislike longeing horses like this. Maybe a little, but drilling it, in an effort to build muscle? Yick. So much stress on the legs, and so boring.

Handwalking, though, is AWESOME for this sort of thing. Nice, forward, marching walk. Up and down hills. If you’re a trail rider, hand walk her out there. If you have another horse, pony her.

Some alfalfa would probably go a long way to helping the weight and the muscling, too, if she’ll tolerate it. Some don’t. If she’s touchy with it, triamino (or nutramino) can be useful. It takes a lot of protein to build muscle!

[Edre]

Agree with the above. I don’t really thing lunging is the best option out there for your goals. Walking is, bar none, the best exercise that I know of to help build fitness. Walk everywhere. Walk at different speeds on different terrain for different durations. It’s fabulous. Once she regains enough fitness that carrying a rider isn’t unreasonable, I personally would still continue walking for a while longer. it’s such an excellent option for building fitness and while it may not be great at fulfilling a desire for instant gratification, it’s so worthwhile.

[GoodTimes]

I wouldn’t necessarily make a lunging “program” with her, and it’s impossible to any of us to really know what condition she’s in without pictures.

If she looks like a rescue then sure, stick to handwalking, and work some poles and hills in there. As she gains some weight then one or two short lunging sessions aren’t a bad idea. Use it as a way to reinforce voice commands and evaluate her, a lot of it can be done at the walk. A thin out of shape horse might go like a saint, you don’t really want to hop on blind once she’s gained some weight and fitness and find out she’s not a quiet or as well trained as you thought.

[Abbie.S]

@Here'sYourOneChanceFancy

I guess I was raised with lunging as a way to get horses in shape or to burn off steam before stepping up, apparently I’m wrong about that, so I appreciate the advice. I’m glad I posted.

It’s a common approach, for sure, but fairly senseless when you think about it. What you can “accomplish” on a lunge line you could do a much better job at “accomplishing” with hand walking, in-hand work, hacking at the walk and/or combining one or all of these with plenty of turnout/access to free movement.

TBH, most people are not adept enough with the single line to make sure the horse is moving correctly, and incorrect movement is IMO more harmful than no movement. Much easier to do so with in-hand work or mounted.

Once she’s got some weight on her, I’d start taking her on walk hacks, either in the arena or around the farm, and slowly increase your time. That and teaching correct reinback will put good muscle on her.

[warriorhorse]

She doesn’t look that bad. I work horse’s at that weight. She could use more weight for sure but not horrible looking. I’ve seen thinner horse’s. Cute horse like her looks.

[GoodTimes]

Honestly she looks better then I thought. She doesn’t appear ribby, and it will actually be easier on her to build fitness and cardio as a slightly underweight vs overweight horse.

It’s too bad about the turnout situation, and as someone who has boarded in some limited areas I can totally sympathize. It will take longer to get her in shape with such limited turnout. Walking her on foot, ponying, short lunging sessions, and short rides are your options. There’s nothing wrong with mixing them up as long as you listen to her.

[Here_sYourOneChanceF]

Great, thanks so much for the comments on her weight… she looks really skinny to me, but my other horse (and most of the horses in the barn) are cow pony type Quarter Horses so in contrast I wondered if I was overreacting and she maybe wasn’t as bad as I thought she was. Appreciate it!

[Scribbler]

I find that starting to teach correct lateral movement in a slow and controlled fashion under saddle will also really help develop the ab muscles that help lift the back and develop topline. Controlled turn in the forehand to shoulder in on a small circle to shoulder in in a line, walk, in hand. Start with very short exercises.

[sophie]

She doesn’t look bad at all! From your description I was expecting a ribby, emaciated horse lol
I would go ahead and hack her under saddle, on hilly terrain, on a long rein.
Nothing wrong with short lunging sessions as long as your horse knows how to lunge (as opposed to running like crazy at the end of the line). I personally love lunging, but I ask for frequent transitions, walk to trot, trot to walk, walk to square halt on circle (NO facing me!) trot to canter and back to trot etc. Any canter will be very controlled and balanced. I lunge my mare in her turnout halter - she is now very soft and responsive and that’s all she needs.

[Here_sYourOneChanceF]

I honestly think that her color hides the ribs or something because I can definitely definitely see ribs on her at all times… the photos for some reason aren’t showing them! It’s more the top line that I was worried about riding and putting weight on, but y’all think it’s fine to do light under saddle work?

She does know how to lunge, and does not tear around whatsoever… she is very obedient to commands and transitions and jogs pretty slow, lopes ridiculously slow… like a show QH lope (which, to me… looks weird). She doesn’t appear to be in any kind of hurry on the lunge so hopefully that translates to under saddle work, though I’m aware that once she’s got more weight and she’s fitted up she could also develop more go and attitude, which would be alright, since that’s what the other mare is like to ride, she’s fast and reactive. I’m really hoping this one will be a little less though!

[warriorhorse]

I think it’s fine to work her. Doesn’t sound like your working her hard. Even the other pics posted dont show a skinny horse.

If you can see ribs just faintly that is ok…She’s better not being fat. Easier on joints if they aren’t packing extra weight. Most horse’s are kept too fat ,an athlete isn’t ever fat. Keep her fed good so she doesn’t lose weight she’ll be fine.

You have a very nice looking mare, don’t get her big and fat.

[JB]

I think lunging her to see where her mind is, is fine. But I vehemently disagree with lunging for fitness. It takes SO long to build good muscle, and you can’t build that sort of muscle on the lunge without significant wear and tear on the legs. Circles have their place - when you are on them and can correct imbalances and ask them to use themselves differently. But they should be a small part of a fitness program, and the bulk of that has to come from other work.

[Simkie]

@JB

I think lunging her to see where her mind is, is fine. But I vehemently disagree with lunging for fitness. It takes SO long to build good muscle, and you can’t build that sort of muscle on the lunge without significant wear and tear on the legs. Circles have their place - when you are on them and can correct imbalances and ask them to use themselves differently. But they should be a small part of a fitness program, and the bulk of that has to come from other work.

100% agree. Can I agree 200%? :lol:

Nothing changes with these pics. I can see why you want more muscle on her before sitting on her–I would too. Walk her. Pony her from another horse. Walk walk walk. She’ll look really different in 60 days.

Do you follow Denny Emerson on FB, @Here’sYourOneChanceFancy ? I realize you’re not an eventer, but he frequently writes about fitness, and how to create a really good base of fitness. He also talks about why that base is necessary and why it’s outright unfair to ask the horse for harder work until you have the base. No surprise–he’s also a huge fan of walking. Highly recommend seeking him out and following him!

[mmeqcenter]

There’s a difference between underweight (skinny, as you said) and under-muscled. This horse is not underweight, she is simply under-muscled from lack of work. Too many people think obese is a healthy weight, so then a horse at a perfectly fine weight is seen as skinny; it drives me nuts. I knew someone who took in a truly skinny horse - like a 3 or 3.5 on the Henneke scale - and had it up to about a 5.5 by the time I saw the horse in person, and they told me they wanted another 200 lbs (15.1hh) on it. :eek::no:

All the advice you have received for building muscle is excellent.

On another note - 1 to 2 hours of turnout a day? Nope. Bye.