A strong topline is vital to any horse’s training. A strong topline helps ensure correct saddle fit, long term soundness, and overall ability to perform demanding physical tasks.
Some people seem to think that building a strong topline requires all kinds of gadgets and complicated training programs. In reality, it is quite the opposite. Like most things in horse training, less is actually more. So, let’s break down what it actually takes to build a strong topline.
Step 1: Get Your Horse in Shape
If your horse has been out of work for any length of time, he is going to need to be brought back into work slowly. You can simply follow the 8 week fitness plan laid out in my article on conditioning your horse after a layoff.
Step 2: Hill work
Week 1 – 5 minutes hill work at a walk
Start at a walk for a half an hour. Spend five minutes on gentle slopes and the rest on varied terrain on relatively flat ground. Leave your horse on a loose rein. He should be moving forward with purpose while maintaining rhythm, balance, and tempo.
Week 2 – 10 minutes hill work at a walk
Walk for a three quarters of an hour over varied terrain. Spend spend up to 10 minutes on gentle slopes. Stay on a loose rein in an even, forward, walk.
Week 3 – 15 minutes hill work at a walk
Walk for 1 hour over varied terrain. 5 minutes should be spent on gentle slopes, 5 minutes on slightly steeper slopes, then back to 5 more minutes on gentle slopes.
Week 4 – 20 minutes hill work at a walk
Stay at 1 hour walking over varied terrain. However, hill work should be increased to 5 minutes on gentle slopes, 10 minutes on medium slopes, and back to 5 minutes on gentle slopes.
Week 5 – 25 minutes hill work at a walk
Maintaining 1 hour walking over varied terrain, hill work should be increased to 5 minutes on gentle slopes, 5 minutes on medium slopes, 5 minutes steep slops, 5 minutes medium slopes, and back to 5 minutes on gentle slopes.
Week 6 – 30 minutes hill work at a walk
By week 6 you should be going on full blown trail rides on varied terrain spending approximately 50% of your time doing hill work. Start at 1 hour trail rides. If you want to ride longer, increase your ride time by 15 minute increments per week or less according to your horse’s fitness level. All riding should be done on a loose rein.
Keys to Success
1. No gadgets
Don’t try to force the horse’s head down. Let him find his natural comfort zone. If your horse is not relaxed enough to ride on a loose rein outside of the arena, practice relaxing on the lunge line and working through the beginning stages of the classical training pyramid. See the following resources for ideas on getting your horse relaxed and engaged:
A Guide to the Classical Training Pyramid
A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Impulsion
Rhythm and Cadence in Classical Training
2. Don’t get impatient
Walking may seem boring, but it really is the easiest way to create a beautiful topline. Is it the only way? No. You can do all kind of special lunging and whatnot, but the chances of someone without years of classical training actually getting it right that way are very slim. This is a relatively easy way to put a nice topline on your horse. For example, the horse below. His topline was developed from several months of walking up and down hills. No fancy lunging or gadgets. Just miles and miles of walking on a loose rein.
Putting a topline on a horse isn’t rocket science. You don’t need any special equipment or fancy training program. It’s all about patience, time, and consistency.
