Balance

A horse

Horse

The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...

's "motor" is located in his hindquarters, and a horse that is heavy on the forehand (weight primarily on the forehand) is not able to properly move forward with impulsion

Impulsion

Impulsion is the pushing power of a horse, which comes from its desire to move powerfully forward with energy. However, speed does not create impulsion, and a rushing horse is more likely to be "flat" than impulsive...

. For good impulsion, a horse must either be balanced or have most of its weight tilted back toward its hindquarters.

Good riding aims to help transfer some of the animal's body weight back, getting the horse "off the forehand," but some riding disciplines require a greater amount of this transfer of weight (or "collection

Collection (horse)

Collection is when a horse carries more weight on his hindlegs than his front legs. The horse draws the body in upon itself so that it becomes like a giant spring whose stored energy can be reclaimed for fighting or running from a predator...

") than others. Sports such as dressage

Dressage

Dressage is a competitive equestrian sport, defined by the International Equestrian Federation as "the highest expression of horse training." Competitions are held at all levels from amateur to the World Equestrian Games...

 and show jumping

Show jumping

Show jumping, also known as "stadium jumping," "open jumping," or "jumpers," is a member of a family of English riding equestrian events that also includes dressage, eventing, hunters, and equitation. Jumping classes commonly are seen at horse shows throughout the world, including the Olympics...

 require some of the greatest transfers of weight, while others, such as western pleasure

Western Pleasure

Western Pleasure is a western style competition at horse shows that evaluates horses on manners and suitability of the horse for a relaxed but collected gait cadence and relatively slow speed of gait, along with calm and responsive disposition. The horse is to appear to be a "pleasure" to ride and...

, require a great deal less. However, it is beneficial for all horses to not travel "on the forehand," as this decreases the concussion placed on the front legs and their joints, thereby decreasing the risk of concussion-related lamenesses such as sidebone

Sidebone

Sidebone is a common condition of horses, characterized by the ossification of the collateral cartilages of the coffin bone. These are found on either side of the foot protruding above the level of the coronary band. The lateral cartilages support the hoof wall and provide an important role in the...

, ringbone

Ringbone

Ringbone is exostosis in the pastern or coffin joint of a horse. In severe cases, the growth can encircle the bones, giving ringbone its name...

, and others.

Certain conformational

Equine conformation

Equine conformation evaluates the degree of correctness of a horse's bone structure, musculature, and its body proportions in relation to each other. Undesirable conformation can limit the ability to perform a specific task. Although there are several universal "faults," a horse's conformation is...

 faults will encourage a horse to travel on the forehand, thereby making it more difficult for a rider to attain the shift in weight (although talented riders can usually train any horse to travel better with enough time). Horses that are built "downhill," with their hindquarters especially high, will be harder to collect.

Muscles, tendons, and ligaments

The masseter, or cheek muscle, opens and closes the jaw

Jaw

The jaw is any opposable articulated structure at the entrance of the mouth, typically used for grasping and manipulating food. The term jaws is also broadly applied to the whole of the structures constituting the vault of the mouth and serving to open and close it and is part of the body plan of...

 and allows chewing. The Brachiocephalicus is a wide strap-like muscle that begins at the base of the skull

Skull

The skull is a bony structure in the head of many animals that supports the structures of the face and forms a cavity for the brain.The skull is composed of two parts: the cranium and the mandible. A skull without a mandible is only a cranium. Animals that have skulls are called craniates...

 behind the jaw and ends below the point of the shoulder

Shoulder

The human shoulder is made up of three bones: the clavicle , the scapula , and the humerus as well as associated muscles, ligaments and tendons. The articulations between the bones of the shoulder make up the shoulder joints. The major joint of the shoulder is the glenohumeral joint, which...

 to the humerus

Humerus

The humerus is a long bone in the arm or forelimb that runs from the shoulder to the elbow....

. This muscle moves the head from side to side, pulls the scapula

Scapula

In anatomy, the scapula , omo, or shoulder blade, is the bone that connects the humerus with the clavicle ....

 forward, raises it in collection, and swings the foreleg

Forelimb

A forelimb is an anterior limb on an animal's body. When referring to quadrupeds , the term foreleg is often instead used....

 forward. It is well developed for good movement, and too strong a rein contact inhibits free forward movement. The Sternocephalic begins at the jowl and ends at the sternum

Sternum

The sternum or breastbone is a long flat bony plate shaped like a capital "T" located anteriorly to the heart in the center of the thorax...

. This muscle moves the head and neck. In ewe-necked or bull-necked horses, this muscle is over-developed, and is difficult to get into a relaxed shape. The Rhomboideus begins at the Nuchal ligament

Nuchal ligament

The paxwax or nuchal ligament is a fibrous membrane, which, in the neck, represents the supraspinal ligaments of the lower vertebræ...

and ends at the scapula. It lifts the shoulder and forehand, and pulls the scapula forward. The Splenius begins behind the poll and ends at the beginning of the Trapezius. This muscle turns and extends the neck, and makes up the topline if well developed. The Trapezius is a flat, sheet-like muscle that begins at the Occipital bone

Occipital bone

The occipital bone, a saucer-shaped membrane bone situated at the back and lower part of the cranium, is trapezoidal in shape and curved on itself...

 and ends at the spines of the 7th cervical and all the thoracic vertebrae. It lifts the shoulder and forehand, and if this muscle is well developed, the horse will work in a good outline. The Nuchal ligament begins at the poll and ends at the withers, and helps the muscles in the neck support the head. The deltoid

Deltoid

Deltoid can refer to:* The deltoid muscle, a muscle in the shoulder* Kite , also known as a deltoid, a type of quadrilateral* A deltoid curve, a three-sided hypocycloid* A leaf shape* The deltoid tuberosity, a part of the humerus...

begins at the scapula and ends at the humerus. The deltoid flexes the shoulder joint, and will load the shoulder if over-developed. The Supraspinatus begins below the trapezius and ends at the point of the shoulder; it maintains the shoulder in extension. The Latissimus dorsi begins at the lower thoracic vertebrae and ends at the back of the humerus; it flexes the shoulder and pulls the foreleg back. The Triceps flex the shoulder and extend the elbow; the Biceps flex the elbow and extend the shoulder. The pectoral muscles help pull the foreleg forward. The Triceps Brachii extend the elbow joint; the Biceps Brachii flex the elbow joint. The Extensor carpus extends the knee. The Flexor carpus flexes the knee. The Digital extensor extends the toe and knee. The digital flexor flexes the toe and knee and extends the elbow.

Reference Links

• Rara Equus

• Equiworld