Conformation and muscling of horses necks?

[Skib]

Could someone kindly explain where the muscles should be seen on the neck of a horse? May be with a link to some on line pics?
Long ago Mehitabel on NR began to educate me in conformation, but I have never understood necks. Nor why the correct development is so important.

And the next question is, how do you train and exercise a horse to get that desired neck?

(I have moved this question from the thread by KPnut on her particular horse)

 

[domane]

My understanding is that horses that work on the forehand or use haynets (like mine.... guilty of both ) will develop the muscles at the bottom of the neck more than those that run aling the top, just down from the mane. It is more desirable for a horse to have a neck with more musculature along the top- which is more noticeable when a horse carries itself in a correctly rounded frame. This gives a more aesthetically pleasing topline too.

Gracie has a thick "underneck" ....the black bit. Whereas the white bit at the top is thin and wimpy.....



She had never been schooled correctly so rides hollow. I am working to undo this and encourage her head down so that she engages her back..... but it is a work in progress.

 

[Jane&Ziggy]

Here's Ziggy one month after I bought him:
Like Gracie, he had lots of muscle under his neck and no topline. See the muscle bulging at the side and bottom of his neck? He was used to rushing, pulling and resisting with his neck. He was hollow in his back even when standing in the field, and more so when ridden. He had lovely dapples though.

Here he is, a flea-bitten grey, in May last year (the most recent pic I can find which shows the neck conformation clearly).
Although he's never become properly schooled we have been paying attention to his posture and way of going. You can see that there is more muscle at the top of his neck, less at the bottom of his neck, and his back is lifted, rather than hollow.

As you know I have a RWYM instructor but what we are aiming for is first, to get him going like this - long and low, with his neck relaxed and his back engaged. I can achieve this pretty reliably now in walk and trot through my seat. Once this is established I have to start giving him a much firmer contact to bring his chest back towards me - at the moment he is like a tube of toothpaste with all the toothpaste squirting out the front!

Thank you for asking this question, because looking at these pictures I can see a change for the better in my pony which otherwise I might not have noticed.

 

[joellie]

Marley has a thick set neck, always has..
This is when I only had him a month or so

This is a more recent one...@Jane&Ziggy and @domane can you advice me on this...Marley was known for taking off speeding up with no brakes but also for being very opinionated and nappy. When I first got him I experimented trying different things with him and soon found out if you held him in a strong contact he would speed up and loosening the contact he would calm down. I ride him long and low as much as possible, at the start he would lean on me very heavily, i would drop the reins completely when he did it, he still tries it on but I either give a sharp half halt or I drop the rein. Do either of you have this problem riding long and low and if so how do you correct it?...sorry @Skib to hijack your post

 

[MrC]

Being honest your question depends a lot on breed, natural stance and conformation, the pictures above are good examples of hollow stance and overdevelopment of the muscles under the gullet, trying to find a decent example online is hard as most are showing show horses who are, a lot of the time, fed into condition rather than worked. This one I have posted

The best example I have seen in a difference in neck musculature and topline would be the ex racing TB of the dressage team Diamonds in the Rough. Weedy ex racer to well developed and muscled (barefoot as well ) dressage horse.

They have a Facebook page which I'm sure they would be happy to show before and afters should you ask them. I could copy and paste but would rather not without permission.

 

[Skib]

Thank you all. Have been working hard so not had time to absorb the info and look on line.
But today, as a first step I found this article on the neck and neck conformation. It doesnt deal with the question I asked about muscles but I did find it very interesting. Especially the first few sections.
So I will post the link.
http://equimed.com/health-centers/lameness/articles/horse-conformation-head-neck-and-shoulders