EOTW Analysing Your Own Horse's Gait

Introduction:

Welcome to this week’s "Exercise of the Week." Today, we’re diving into the importance of understanding and assessing your horse’s gait through both videos and still shots. Is a photo really just a moment in time, or does it actually represent what is happening? Let’s explore this with a practical exercise.

The Importance of Gait Purity:

When assessing your horse’s movement, a primary consideration is the purity of the gait: a four-beat walk, a two-beat trot, and a three-beat canter. Additionally, we strive to develop the transfer of weight to the hindlimbs, which can bend, absorb impact, and propel the horse forward. Many horses suffer from being ridden out of longitudinal balance, often being on the forehand, unless we take steps to correct this.

Why It's Great:

This exercise is fantastic for identifying and correcting issues in your horse’s paces. It encourages the rider to strive for a correct three-beat canter, promoting better balance, impulsion, and overall movement quality. By analysing still shots from your videos, you can gain insights into the purity of the paces and make necessary adjustments to your training regimen.

What To Do:

1. Record a Video: Begin by recording a video of your horse in motion, capturing all three gaits – walk, trot, and canter. You can use any video you already have. Side view, landscape mode is best.

2. Analyse the Video: Watch the video and identify moments where your horse’s movement appears smooth and balanced. Also watch for inconsistencies. Pay special attention to corners and transitions, as these often reveal hidden issues.

3. Capture Still Shots: Pause the video at various points, capturing still shots of your horse in different phases of each gait. These moments should be unbiased, not chosen for a specific aesthetic.

4. Evaluate Each Still:

- Footfall Beat: Ensure the correct footfall beat is visible (four-beat walk, two-beat trot, three-beat canter). This includes landing and leaving the ground, and moving in air.

- Hindlegs: Check that the joints in the hindlegs are bent and weight-bearing.

- Nose and Poll: The nose should be in front of the vertical, and the poll should be the highest point.

- Bonus - Rider Position: Use the stills to also check that your position is balanced at all phases - if the horse were to magically disappear, would you land in balance on your feet?

What to Look For:

In our examples, we saw a young horse struggling with canter. Around the corner, he got slow and lacked impulsion, resulting in still shots that, while initially impressive, revealed faults such as being on the forehand and losing the three-beat rhythm. This emphasises the importance of not relying solely on still shots for assessment, as they can sometimes be misleading.

Conversely, a more active canter in a second video showed a correct three-beat rhythm, with the poll high and the nose in front of the vertical, even when the hind legs were in the air. This highlights the value of understanding the full movement, rather than just a single moment in time.

How to Nail It:

- Assessing the Canter: Look for the correct three-beat rhythm in all phases. The hind legs should bend, absorb impact, and propel the horse forward. The poll should be the highest point, and the nose should remain in front of the vertical.

- Identifying Issues: Check for signs of the horse being on the forehand, such as straight hocks, lack of bend in the stifle, and incorrect footfall.

Tips for Success:

- Consistent Recording: Ensure your videos are taken under similar conditions for accurate assessment.

- Frequent Checks: Regularly analyse your horse's canter to monitor progress and detect any emerging issues early.

- Balanced Riding: Focus on maintaining a balanced position as a rider to help your horse achieve the correct canter. When looking at your horse in the stills, also look at your own position.

Hints, Tips, and Tackling Troubles:

- Adapting to Your Environment: Whether in a sand arena or on grass, ensure your horse is comfortable and familiar with the surface to get a true representation of their canter.

- Perfecting Techniques: If you notice irregularities, work on exercises that enhance hind limb engagement and overall balance, such as transitions and lateral work.

Mindfulness in Training:

Consider your horse's fitness and mental state when approaching this exercise. Avoid overdoing it; a few short sessions a week can be very beneficial without causing undue stress. Always listen to your horse and adjust the intensity accordingly. This is an excellent tool to compare how far you have progressed over time. If you’d like expert help, you can book a Zoom call here to share videos and receive in-depth analysis, plus a recording and transcription of the call.

Wrapping Up:

By regularly analysing your horse’s gait through videos and still shots, you can develop a deeper understanding of their movement and address any issues of balance or gait purity. Video is an invaluable tool for improving your horse’s performance and understanding their movement. By incorporating this analysis into your training routine, you can achieve a more balanced, responsive, and harmonious ride. Remember, correct gaits are essential for your horse’s health and performance, and there's always more to learn. Happy riding and analysing!

Until next time,
Merindah