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Understanding Movement

in Racehorses

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Travel: refers to the flight of the hoof (limb) in relation to themidline of the horse & other limbs (cranial / caudal view)

Action: the style of movement, including joint flexion, stridelength, and suspension (lateral view)

Movement consists of a horses travel and action.

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1) Walk: four beat gait (left hind, left front, right hind, right front)

The walk is ideal for movement evaluation (i.e. assessing movement abnormalities)

2) Trot: two beat, diagonal gait (right front & left hind, left front & right hind)

The trot is ideal for lameness evaluation because it is the horses steadiest & most

rhythmic gait

3) Canter: three beat gait (hind limb, other hind limb simultaneously with its diagonalforelimb, other forelimb)

The sequence of limbs depends on the lead. (i.e. right lead left hind, right hind and left

fore, right fore)

The horse has four natural gaits

4) Gallop: four beat gait in which each limbbears the weight of the horse individually

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Terminology

Balance: coordinated form of a horses movement as reflected byequal distribution of weight from left to right and propulsion from the

hindquarters

Asymmetry: a deviation in the normal pattern of a gait

when a horse is moving asymmetrically, the horse is said to be off

Impulsion: thrust, the manner in which the horses weight is settledand released from the supporting structures of the limb in the act of

carrying the horse forward

Suppleness: flexibility

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Step: a single beat of a gait that may involve one or more limbs

i.e. there are four steps in a walk, two steps in a trot

Stride: the distance from the point of breaking over to the point ofnext contact with the ground of the same hoof / a full sequence of

steps in a gait

Tempo Turn of Foot: the rate of movement or the rate ofstride repetition

a faster tempo results in more strides per minute

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Collection: shortening of the stride within a gait without adecrease in tempo that is brought on by a shift of the center of

gravity rearward (usually accompanied by an overall bodyelevation and an increase in joint flexion)

Extension: lengthening of the stride within a gait without anincrease in tempo that is brought on by a driving force from

behind and a reaching in front (usually accompanied by a

horizontal floating called suspension)

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The two biomechanical factors that

make a racehorse successful are

1)Stride Length / Extension2)Turn of Foot

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Factors That Affect Movement

Pain: a horse can compensate and alter its movement to decreasestress and pain

back pain can mimic a lower limb lameness!!

Shoeing: improper shoeing, as well as prolonged periods betweenshoeing, can result in alterations of movement

just a week past the horses needs can adversely alter the horsesmovement and increase susceptibility of lameness in the foot

Tack: improper saddle and / or saddlepad fit can cause back pain and

subsequently poor performance

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Age & Stage of Development: young horses that do not havefully developed muscles may lack the width of chest, stifle and / or

hip that will prevent them from interfering once they are mature

Conformational Faults: alters standard movement that canincrease the chance of interference

Imbalance: generally caused from a poor rider

The rider determines how the horse distributes its weight from

front to rear and from side to side!!

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Traction: the surface the horse is worked on directly affects itsmovement

the wider the web of the shoe, the less traction it provides

Level of Fitness / Fatigue: a horse has 15 minutes of peakperformance whether in a daily work session or at competition

A rider must know how to properly warm up a horse and then

assist the horse to work in a balanced frame.

If overworked, many horses will continue to move forward but

will modify their stride to minimize fatigue and discomfort .

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Phases of the Stride

1. Landing

2. Loading

3. Stance

4. Breakover

a. Heel Liftb. Toe Pivot

5. Swing

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Landing: the hoof touches the ground and the limb begins toreceive the impact of the bodys weight

Loading: horses center of gravity passesover the hoof as the fetlock descends

Stance: the fetlock rises comparable to the position when the horseis at rest

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Breakover: measured from the time the heel leaves the ground tothe time the toe leaves the ground

The onset and duration of break-over is sensitive to changes in

hoof balance, especially hoof angle and toe length.

Swing: the limb moves thru the air and straightens in preparationfor landing