The horse industry is a business that unfortunately, is loaded with experts in marketing strategies. By contrast, very few professionals have adequate knowledge of equine physiology. As a result, riders are submitted to attractive theories but in complete contradiction with actual knowledge of the equine biological mechanism. "We are being sold products and social scenarios that appeal to our fantasies but ultimately fail us.” (Fred Ritchin). This is true for training techniques and therapies as well. Some therapeutic approaches want you to believe that static manipulation pulling on one front limb in different direction is going to improve the horse’s range of motion. These theories ignore or dismiss the fact that for a great part, the amplitude of the forelegs movement is recoil of the elastic strain energy accumulated in the tendons and aponeurosis during the support phase. The superficial digital flexor muscle for instance does0 not elongate during the support phase, but instead resist, (isometric contraction) in order to maximize the elastic strain energy accumulated through the elongation of the superficial digital flexor tendon. In the same line of uneducated thought, training techniques want you to believe that touching the front limbs with a dressage whip or a bamboo pole is going to enhance the horse range of motion. The techniques hamper in fact the front limbs elastic recoil forcing the horse into unsound front limbs kinematics.
Posted on: Wed, 07 Aug 2013 14:50:40 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015