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Based on the information in my last blog, How the Equine Shoulders Affect Performance, it’s obvious that the thoracic sling is an important component in the quest for collection. Lifting the withers by activating the sling is the first stage in achieving the uphill posture and balance required for self-carriage. Regardless of whether a horse is conformed with high withers or a high cr …

In this blog, I will describe the horse’s chest and shoulder region focusing on how they differ from our own and the implications this has for locomotion and performance.Locomotion is defined for humans. People are bipedal – we walk on two legs with our bodies in an upright posture. During the transition to bipedal locomotion, the forelimbs evolved into arms and hands with opposable …

Have you ever asked yourself, “how do I properly sit on my horse?” Today we’ll look at where we sit on the horse’s back and how the horse’s conformation affects our leg position. In previous blogs, I’ve explained how the vertebrae are joined together to form a bridge connecting the forelimbs and hind limbs that transmits forces and coordinates movements during locomotion. The vertebral …

Welcome to part three of the deep dive into the reality of kissing spines. Horses afflicted by kissing spines become more painful when ridden because the rider’s weight causes their back to hollow and presses the spines closer together. The horse tries to reduce back movements by tensing the muscles; as a result, the back stiffens and ceases to swing. It doesn’t take long for a …