How the Rising Trot Impacts the Horse’s Back
- Topics: Article, Back and Spine, Musculoskeletal System, Sports Medicine, Tack
No account yet? Register
How do you ride your trot? A rising trot has many purposes, including aesthetics and our own comfort at this bumpy gait. But none is more important than the protective effects a well-done rising trot can have on your horse’s biomechanical health. French biomechanics researchers have learned that force distribution changes dramatically when we sit and stand with the rhythm of the stride. Combined with proper saddle fit and structure, that can make a big difference in equine back health—for better, or for worse.
“The pressure exerted on the horse’s back is more localized over the front part of the saddle, the withers area, when the rider is in standing phase,” said Henry Chateau, DVM, PhD, of the National Veterinary School of Maisons Alfort Equine Biomechanics and Musculoskeletal Pathology department, and the INRA, the French national agricultural research institution.
“That sounds like bad pressure on the withers—but that’s where a good saddle comes in,” he said. “The role of the tree (and the pommel) is to distribute that pressure laterally
Create a free account with TheHorse.com to view this content.
TheHorse.com is home to thousands of free articles about horse health care. In order to access some of our exclusive free content, you must be signed into TheHorse.com.
Start your free account today!
Already have an account?
and continue reading.
Related Articles
Stay on top of the most recent Horse Health news with