23/07/2026
2 years of weight gain and muscling!
This is my personal horse, Rocky. He dropped weight very quickly a couple of winters ago when he stopped eating his hard feed.
This boy is now on a fibre based diet which correctly supports his system.
When looking for feeds, I keep in mind not only palatability for my picky pony, but the effects on his brain (can’t have too much sugar) and body (I choose not to feed grains for gut health and ulcer prevention).
This feeding routine alongside consistent work (including hill work) have helped transform him into the body he has today.
The other thing I get asked about a lot is how to build topline. Whilst poles are some people’s go to, I’m a big believer in putting the weight on first, in order to turn it into muscle. So if your horse is hollow at the withers and atrophied over the back, up the fibre, up the hay and get that fat on to support their systems correctly, THEN build the muscle.
Remember, this transformation didn’t happen in a couple of months, it takes time and consistency.
