Answer

By Your Horse

Dressage rider and instructor Claire Lilley says…

For your horse to build muscle on his back end he firstly needs to be stronger through his back and belly muscles. These muscles are essential for him to work in balance with you on board. In an ideal world, I’d recommend that you lunge your horse, but as you can only hack, here’s how to do it from the saddle:
1. To bring your horse’s back up, you must first sit up in a good position. Keep your hips upright, your stomach and back muscles toned, and your legs down into the stirrups.
2. Keep your thighs, knees and upper calves on your horse’s sides all the time so you can feel his muscles. Your elbows must be by your sides, your shoulders back and down, and your hands absolutely still, holding the bit steady.
3. Once you’re sitting like this, half-halts and walk-halt-walk transitions are the key to your horse using his back and quarters correctly.
4. To half-halt, stop ‘walking’ with your hips, press your legs against his sides firmly enough to stop him moving, and go stiff in your upper body. In effect, you’re body blocking him so he has to stop.
5. As soon as you feel your horse hesitate, release your muscle tone, softening your legs to allow him forwards. This hesitation is where he has to take weight on his hindlegs, helping him build muscle on his back, belly and haunches. When he takes weight behind properly, his belly muscles firm up as he tucks his pelvis under.