The hip flexion will then induce a tension in the dorsal ligament system. The hind legs are therefore brought back under the horse. You understand it now, when the abdominals contract there’s a hip flexion. Important point #3 – To build muscles in your horse’s back you need to build muscles in its abdominals first Now that we know all this, everything is simpler. This chain is predominant for well ridden horses! Their contraction allows the horse to lower its neck, to bring back its hind legs under itself and in doing to so pull up the horse’s back. They allow the neck to lower itself because, yes, what we call a “neck extension” is actually a low cervical flexion. Those allow the horse to bring its hind legs back under itself.Īll these muscles are therefore neck, torso and hip flexors. The ventral chain however is made up of the ventral cervical muscles (the muscles at the bottom of the neck allowing it to bend), the abdominal muscles and the femoral cranial muscles. Main muscles – according to Denoix (2014) Let’s talk about muscle chainsįrom a muscle perspective, it’s important to talk about both muscle chains: the dorsal chain and the ventral chain. That’s what happens when you see horses with their heads high, their backs hollow and no engagement in their hind. If these muscles are rigid because they need to carry the rider’s weight or to absorb their movements or even because the saddle hurts hurts the horse, the horse’s movement won’t be pretty. “The back muscles aren’t designed to carry a rider” But they have to be relaxed and flexible in order to work correctly. The back muscles operate the horse’s stride and its bend (amongst other things, to keep it short). The ligament system is taking care of that. What you need to keep in mind is that the back muscles aren’t designed to carry a rider.

Important point #2 – To build up muscles, the back has to be relaxed It’s this bridge that allows it to carry a rider while leaving the back muscles to work freely. So when the horse’s head is down, its back forms a bridge.

Repeat the same process with the horse’s head down. Keep its head up and measure the space between the lowest point of the back and the stick. Balance a wooden stick over your horse’s withers and its rump. The horse’s back ligament system according to Denoix (1997)Īs a consequence of these ligaments existing when the horse lower its head, the horse’s back is pulled up automatically.

Back in focus horse