Learn your Bio-Mehcanics!!!

I guess one of the things I find fascinating, and a little frustrating, is the lack of knowledge about HOW a horse's body moves.

Most folks know that horse have the three basic gaits: Walk - four beat rhythm. Trot - two beat rhythm. Canter - three beat rhythm. There are variations on all these gaits in their speed and suspension depending on the breed.

Breed aside - The faster you move in a gait - the less suspension you have. Think about this. Don't confuse FAST with BIG. When a horse motors along at, say, a fast trot, the legs move, the back gets stiff and the head comes up (picture an Icelandic Pony). The stride is not long and flowing, but short and choppy. I call it "pogo-sticking" because the horse stabs at the ground instead of pushes off the ground.

On the other hand, when a horse motors along at a slower trot, the legs move, the back begans to swing, and the head relaxes and lowers (picture a (good) Training level Dressage horse). Don't confuse SLOW with SMALL. The stride is longer, but not lazy, and the horse has moments of being off the ground in SUSPENSION. That's the push.

Now ask yourself, which would you rather ride? Short, fast and choppy? Or long and flowing?

This flowing gait can be created in any horse where the goal is freedom in the movement. Freedom in movement allows for relaxed and stretching muscles, which allows for contraction and relaxation over a greater range of motion.

For example...You want you horse to be "collected." (A mis-used concept, but out there none-the-less) You pick up the reins and put your leg on and press your horse "into" the bridle. His head is tucked and he can carry you very slowly at any gait. And this is your daily routine.

Now ask yourself - What are the Muscles doing????

When you ask for small muslces movements over and over, that's exactly what you get. Small. However, in the constant CONTRACTION (small), your horse's muscles do not get a chance to STRETCH and move in a relaxed way (big). By riding your horse with small muslce movement and not allowing your horse to go forward with BIG muscle movement, you end-up lowering his range motion further, and in-turn create a horse that eventually can't do the small muscle movement because his muscle have ratcheted down so much, he has NO range of motion.

There is a remedy for this. Let your horse GO FORWARD. Go! Go! Go! Pretend you are riding out with the hounds! Let your horse put his head DOWNWARD. When he learns to stretch downward, he will open up his topline and strengthen his neck, back, and hindquarters. Ride your body into BIGGER movement with more suspension to encourage him to do the same. Think Big. Think Suspension. Think Air Time. Let your horse take the reins. Work up to feeding reins out to the buckle (be aware of how your horse make react to the freedom and ride accordingly as he may feel like woo-hooing! with all the freedom). When/if he gets "sticky," send him forward.

His ability to be able to balance and stretch will improve as his "full range of motion" strength gets bigger and longer. Give yourself a good three months of "stretch" time. This may seem like FOREVER! but it is winter and the perfect time before the show season kicks back into high gear.

Next blog - the muscles you are stretching.

If you have any questions - call or post them on my Facebook page!