Correct Movement - Engaging his back

After a 50-miler in July, Snickers came up with a sore back. After time off and trying new saddles, he seemed fine but came up with a sore back at the next ride. The vet and other experienced riders advised me this was probably due to the previous injury not entirely healing up. Some other contributing factors may also be my riding and my boy's movement. 

Now, he's had over 2 months off and we are riding in a different saddle. We are moving soon, and I plan on taking equitation lessons to be improve my riding and his movement. In the meantime, I'm doing my best to pick up nuggets here and there and teach myself. Forgive me if I don't have correct terminology or skills - I was raised riding Western under my dad's instruction and attending 4-H shows, and while I do feel like I'm a pretty good and successful rider, I know there are a lot of things I don't know.

Right now, I mainly want to make sure he's engaging his hind end and raising his back so that he's using his body correctly. After doing some research, I thought it was best to start working "long and low" to get him to collect and round himself up. I recorded myself to get some feedback (click the link for the video) from everyone - this is the first time I've ever approached "collection" from this point of view and with these goals - I was always taught collection was a low head and western-pleasure jog.

Let me know what I can do better, and please let me know if I'm actually doing something right lol. I'm mostly concerned about getting him moving correctly, but anything that might help with my English riding abilities might help, too. Hopefully, it won't be long before I have a trainer to help me in person!

Read more: http://www.horseforum.com/horse-training/correct-movement-engaging-his-back-143910/#ixzz2J3Nh00EB

Winter Fitness

I'm going to do my best to keep up conditioning through the winter, but I'm in the northwest and will likely have to forego usual conditioning, especially when the ground freezes and the snow falls. What do you do to keep up fitness through the winter? Or, do you give them the winter off? When do you begin conditioning again and for how long before your first race of the season (since horses tend to hold their fitness pretty well)? Any change in supplements and feed?

Read more: http://www.horseforum.com/endurance-riding/winter-firtness-143762/#ixzz2J3Ona900

Sore Back :(

My horse has never come up sore - until July when we did our first 50-miler and had to walk the last 13 miles due to rain. He was very sore and we determined this was poor saddle fit (though he didn't even come up sore on the 25-miler I'd done two days earlier...). I gave him about 6 weeks off, then did a little conditioning and tried a few new saddles. We finally found one right before the next ride that seemed to fit him really well but he still came up sore on the 25-miler. In fact, he was extremely sore. We decided that this had more to do with the previous injury not healing up all the way, so his back got re-injured and they said that any saddle I put on him would probably sore up his back.

I was told to stay off him completely for 2 months and I personally decided his endurance season was over until next Spring. I've done so, and now it's time to start working on riding again. Though we're pretty sure this was due to a poorly-fitting saddle, I want to be sure I cover all my bases, so here's my plan and was wondering if anyone else had suggestions or tips:

Get a new saddle that fits him - I'm planning on getting a Specialized saddle once I get the money. In the meantime, I'm only riding short, easy rides and working on fundamentals like collection until I can get a saddle that fits.

Take equitation classes - Though I ride in an English saddle and post, I've never taken actual English lessons. To be sure I'm riding balanced and not doing something in the saddle to cause a sore back, plus just improve my riding and expand my skills, I want to take a few classes.

Strengthen his back - Here's where I'm kind of feeling around in the dark. Someone mentioned he tends to move with a high head, which may be causing him to hallow out his back and contribute to the problem. I'm already working on keeping his head low, but I've seen posts on here about strengthening the top line (by keeping his head low??) and going over cavaletti. I really need help on this one if you have any suggestions 

I'm doing most of my training at a trot, with a little cantering and walking, because that's what we ride at in a race and I seem to understand that's best for strengthening and developing horses anyway. Physically, he looks really good now. He doesn't (and never had) any muscle wasting and finally put the weight on I've been trying to get all year. 2 months off does wonders! However, I'm ready to make sure he's good and ready for next year. Thanks!

Read more: http://www.horseforum.com/horse-health/sore-back-143746/#ixzz2J3OdNgzM