# Best exercise to tuck that belly up



## silverstar (Jun 4, 2009)

Hi, I wondered what is the best type of exercise i can do with my mini to help tuck that belly up. His weight is fine i think he just needs a tighter barrel ( not sure how to describe it! )


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## Jesi (Jun 4, 2009)

I know exactly what you mean! My guys have the same problem.

I can't wait to heat the answer haha


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## Leeana (Jun 4, 2009)

1) Feeding & Worming rugume 2) Increase roundpen and add in small jumps so they can really work that area. Also, lots and lots of cantering (look at TB's...they canter full out and are very tucked in the barrel...have you ever seen a race horse with a belly? No)



.


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## wendyluvsminis (Jun 4, 2009)

I don't have a round pen. Is lunging ok or too hard on the joints?


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## silverstar (Jun 4, 2009)

Leeana said:


> 1) Feeding & Worming rugume 2) Increase roundpen and add in small jumps so they can really work that area. Also, lots and lots of cantering (look at TB's...they canter full out and are very tucked in the barrel...have you ever seen a race horse with a belly? No)
> 
> 
> 
> .


Ha no i havent!!

I have a round pen and i have been doing 10 mins trotting and cantering, 5 mins walk, 10 mins trotting and cantering then 5 mins walk to cool down. I do this 5 times a week. He rarely breaks a sweat though. I do also encorporate raised trotting poles too. Is this enough work or could i do more he is three years old and am worried ill do too much for his joints??


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## mydaddysjag (Jun 5, 2009)

My three year old is going into hunter training this week. Starting tomorrow actually. At three their joints are generally formed and you arent going to damage them if your smart about working them, and not running them into the ground.


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## Jill (Jun 5, 2009)

Feeding right (too little protein and too coarse a hay can give a big bellied look in my opinion), proper deworming with a broad spectrum dewormer (vs. using something lesser as a base dewormer), and trotting especially over poles.

Also, In my experience, belly sweats are a complete waste of effort and money.


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## nbark (Jun 5, 2009)

Okay, here is the scoop from QH pro trainers for getting a good underline. Long trotting, no cantering for 15 minutes each way in a round pen at least six days a week. I find that my mini also needs a little help with a trash bag and belly sweat to get the underline better. Long trotting is actually a harder exercise than cantering or trotting. If you have a cresty neck, adding a neck sweat while doing this will help the neck crest too. (Yes, I also have this problem) It does work.

If you do not have a round pen and are using a lunge line, please protect your minis legs with wraps to prevent wind puffs. No trainer in their right mind will lunge without protecting the legs.


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## Jill (Jun 5, 2009)

Just to clarify my opinion, I do know neck sweats work as long as they're used (and the results disappear when you stop using them), but I've not known a belly sweat to work. It's a totally different issue that makes the belly's "big" vs. the necks in my opinion...


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## Becky (Jun 5, 2009)

> Long trotting, no cantering for 15 minutes each way in a round pen at least six days a week.


I want to say that this does work. However, you need to start out slow and work up to that. Start with 5 minutes each direction and gradually increase over a period of several weeks. Then plenty of cool down time at a walk.


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## mydaddysjag (Jun 5, 2009)

I personally have no luck getting my horses tucked up without adding catering to their workout. I was round penning my senior gelding for 24 minutes at a long trot, and still couldnt get him tucked up. I switched him to 18 minutes at a long trot and 6 minutes at a canter, and it made a HUGE difference.


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## BlueStar (Jun 5, 2009)

We roundpen at a canter for 20-30 minutes. We have found that the trotting tends to bulk up the front end shoulder area and throws their "look" off balance. Not enough build up in the rear. Any advice? We have a yearling going through the same thing....she is very lean but still can't seem to get that nice tucked up underline.


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## Charlotte (Jun 5, 2009)

We gallop in the round pen. Deep sand. work up slowly (over 2 or more months) to 60 or so laps. Frank is a big believer of galloping from his race horse days. He says, "Have you ever seen a race horse with a big belly?"



And his always got tons of hay!

If you have a mini that is lean and looks to have a belly, it often means they need to gain weight. We find alfalfa to be really good for this. It is digestible, but provides the fiber they need to keep the gut working correctly while increasing the protein for muscle building and the calories for weight gain. Alfalfa hay, pellets or cubes. The only grain we feed here is a 'little' oats if we want a bit more weight gain.

Everyone has a different way, but most of the miniatures with bellies that we see at shows are too thin.

Charlotte


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## silverstar (Jun 5, 2009)

I have a round pen and i have been doing 10 mins trotting and cantering, 5 mins walk, 10 mins trotting and cantering then 5 mins walk to cool down. I do this 5 times a week. He rarely breaks a sweat though. I always give him a break half way through at a walk as i think he needs to have a breather but will he be ok say doing the 20 min work out all at once as in continually trotting and cantering??

Sorry if this is a silly question but im from the uk



, so what is "long trotting"?? Is this like an extended trot??


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## RockinSMiniature (Jun 5, 2009)

Glad that someone brought this up.. hehe!!..

About the "feeding" -- Lower protein - what number?

Our miniatures is 14% protein and thinking to lower the protein too.

What lower protein you are taking about tho?

Would like to know everyone's options.

I prefer to use higher protein in the winter time and am thinking to lower the protein for summer time.


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## Tatonkas Dream (Jun 5, 2009)

Something I learned ? years back was about horse 'sit ups'. It requires 2 people and a beach towel (with a mini you might get by with one person and a 'normal' towel)

Each side pulls up and tightens the towel and then slightly releases it, holds for a few secs and moves the towel. Each person is holding the end of the towel with one hand (one either side) so the towel is more scrunched up then along the whole of the belly area. So working the belly area starting at the girth line and working all the way back to the flank and back again. Doing a few 'sets' of these every day will help tighten the barrel/tummy muscles.

This helps them lift their back/spine and also helps tighten up the muscles along the lower barrel area. Initially you’re lifting the belly but then with the slight release generally they hold their own belly up / tighten the muscle to not have it up against the towel so they are working their muscles on their own.

Edited to ad

- Karrie - most adult horses for maintenance levels need 10-12% protein.

Protein can not readily be stored in the body – and if they don’t use it is passed thru (generally in their urine) can be part of why some farms have an odor to them in general if everyone is on a high level of protein.


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## Gini (Jun 5, 2009)

I had a trainer one time tell me to help tuck the belly up have the horse change direction and back up instead with you walking in front. They use a whole new set of muscles and this does tone the belly. Mary told us to do this 4 or 5 times a day starting slow about 2 min and build up to 5 min per. It does work!


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## HGFarm (Jun 5, 2009)

Yep, we have found that long trotting works the best on over all conditioning but is especially good for the belly (maybe I need to consider that too!!) Also review your feeding program... are they eating grass 24/7? You may want to review your diet for them as well, with a bit more protein, etc...

Hey, if longing is too much, you can always take up running and take them with you!!


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## nbark (Jun 7, 2009)

silverstar said:


> I have a round pen and i have been doing 10 mins trotting and cantering, 5 mins walk, 10 mins trotting and cantering then 5 mins walk to cool down. I do this 5 times a week. He rarely breaks a sweat though. I always give him a break half way through at a walk as i think he needs to have a breather but will he be ok say doing the 20 min work out all at once as in continually trotting and cantering??
> Sorry if this is a silly question but im from the uk
> 
> 
> ...


No question is silly, and yes long trotting is the extended trot. If he is in condition, then he doesn't need a "break". The only thing breaking is the rhythm you are working towards. I start mine out at 5 or 6 minutes working up to 15 minutes each direction, constantly trotting, either at a long trot or regular trot. I do start with a minute or two of cantering to get the sweat started. Everyone has their own technique and you just need to take all the information you gather, process it and figure out what will work best for the two of you.

Also, I don't walk mine at the end and they are tied in the stall for another half hour with the sweats on to keep the sweat going. After that they are washed down with Vetrolin, a muscle bracer, to keep the muscles from stiffening up (also the bugs don't like it because of the menthol). Then they are towel dried. I wish someone would do this for me!


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## Kira98 (Jun 7, 2009)

I find that the long trot for 15min aday 6days aweek and then to back them after each and every work out helps to build the hind end to

keeps them pretty fit up

I used to fit APHA/AQHA Halter horses for a living working at a horse farm.

I would switch up the routines a bit some days they would go on the walker ( had a big diameter for a large circle not a tiny one)

O would free lunge them in the round pen ( a 60footer)

but the best thing for them and most of the big farms will do this too - PONY THEM FROM A 4WHEELER or GOLF Cart

to trot them in a straight line is better on the legs and we had a path around the pasture that went up and down the terrain and

kept at a good speed for a nice long trot !

also if you have a driver and you can sit on the back and after the horses are used to the idea I would pony 4 horses at a time

that cut the work outs in half ! LOL

anyway hope this helps

ps i never cantered any of them


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## krissy3 (Jun 7, 2009)

silverstar said:


> Leeana said:
> 
> 
> > 1) Feeding & Worming rugume 2) Increase roundpen and add in small jumps so they can really work that area. Also, lots and lots of cantering (look at TB's...they canter full out and are very tucked in the barrel...have you ever seen a race horse with a belly? No)
> ...



Holly cow



I would look great after a month at your place...I wondered to myself this morning if my 3 min of working trot was too much for my mare in the round pen .....you just answered my question


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## sams (Jun 7, 2009)

i was always told to do lots of transitions, walk to trot, trot-canter, canter- trot with my big horse. it really does an amazing job, but when i say lots i actually mean a disgusting amount of transitions, but its worth it


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