Equine Biomechanics For Riders

RIDING & HORSEMANSHIP. By understanding how the horse's biomechanics works and how to influence it, most of the misunderstanding between horse and rider is avoidable, and the vast majority of schooling problems solvable. Although in its infancy, equine sport science teaches us how a horse's body and mind functions. The knowledge of equine biomechanics turns horse training and riding teaching into a completely logical process. In this work, Karin Blignault investigates the horse's natural methods of performing movements and compares this with the movements he performs in dressage and jumping.

"This is a book about connections within equitation libraries of interwoven reading and practice. When riding horses, humans can participate in the elite equine capacity to move. An atlas may serve as a map, a guide to cooperative athletic performance between two very different species"--Cover p.[4].

Rider Biomechanics is a collaboration between rider biomechanics coach Mary Wanless and functional anatomist Thomas Myers. Myer's seminal book Anatomy Trains explains how connective tissue joins muscles together into functional chains. Some of these chains extend from head to toe, and they are the 'lines of pull'. Elite riders excel in balancing the tension in their lines, creating a stable balanced structure which can transmit and redirect the forces of the horse's movement. Easy, fluid, sitting eludes less skilled riders - but this book, with its copious photographs and illustrations, provides a route map for reorganising 'lines of pull', sitting, and influence on one's horse. It is through balancing one's own lines that you learn how to balance one's horse, changing his carriage and movement, and discovering the secrets of the few talented riders who naturally possess those skills.

Effective horse trainers strive to improve the performance of their horses while preserving the integrity of the musculoskeletal apparatus. Biomechanics and Physical Training of the Horse supplies an anatomical and functional overview of the topic, enabling trainers to optimize the different exercises their horses undergo during training and competition. Following a brief description of the biomechanics of the muscles underlying equine movement, the book discusses the muscles of the forelimb, hindlimb, and neck and trunk. These fundamentals have direct bearing on the later chapters, which focus on training and the core exercises for a horse. This text is illustrated throughout by the author’s top-quality photographs, diagrams, and his own beautiful anatomical drawings. The book is of lasting value to all professionals and well-informed amateurs who work with horses: veterinarians, trainers and riders, researchers, physical therapists, and educators in equine courses.

This is a comprehensive handbook of the anatomy of the equine locomotor system. This uniquely illustrated guide has been produced in close collaboration with veterinary experts and provides an excellent tool for those involved in veterinary medicine, equine physiotherapy and training of horses. The extensive and clear anatomical plates cover the skeleton, ligaments and muscles and include terminology in English and Latin.

First published in 1959, The Way to Perfect Horsemanship was immediately recognized as a classic work of equestrian literature. It offers insight into the psychology of the horse as well as its muscular system and the mechanics of movement. It explains in detail the basic principles of training, the fundamentals of riding, and the effect of training aids. Everyone, from trainers to occasional riders, will benefit from this book.

Do you struggle with pain, a lack of mobility, or a position in the saddle that just won't improve? Do you ever feel like you cannot find the right exercise routine to help your body and your riding, let alone fit it into your busy schedule? Biomechanics for the Equestrian will show you how to prepare your body for life in and out of the saddle by changing the way you move throughout the day. Discover what is causing your lower back pain or the stiffness in your hips and learn how you can move yourself away from discomfort and towards performance, without having to find extra time in your day. Key topics covered include: the physiology of movement; understanding your body; the riding connection; alignment; expansion breathing; mobilization; strengthening and integrating exercises into a busy day. Working with the mechanics of the human body and how we were all designed to move, you will learn how to build a sustainable and functional body that can sit in the saddle with comfort, strength and balance.

The Dynamic Horse is written for everyone who wants to understand equine biomechanics and locomotion. This book addresses key concepts, including tempo, rhythm, balance, and collection; jumping mechanics; speed and economy of movement; characteristics of different gaits; locomotor qualities that affect athletic performance and soundness.