Rising Star Farms

: Unlike humans, horses don’t have collarbones. Their shoulders are held to the rest of their skeleton via a sling of muscles and ligaments instead, often referred to as the “thoracic sling.”

Why is this important? We often ask our equine athletes to perform complex movements that require tremendous strength and coordination, and horses carry the majority of their weight in their front end. Therefore, it is imperative that the bulk of the muscles that support the front end are kept healthy and conditioned, and the horse is trained to use their “motor” — that is, engaging the large hind end muscles as much as possible to avoid excessive weight bearing on the front end.

If the front end of the horse is consistently overweighted or not at an appropriate level of fitness, repetitive biomechanical stresses get transferred down the leg to the smaller ligaments and tendons that were not designed to bear this weight, which can then lead to injury.
•
Brough to you by the AAEP Horse Owner Education Committee

Conflict Behaviours and Dressage Scoring A study examined high dressage marks awarded to horses with head positions behind the vertical, in direct conflict with FEI dressage rules.

YES!!!

Study Group Recommends Measuring Noseband Tightness at 2024 Paris Olympic Games A study group from the French National Assembly has outlined recommendations to help improve equine welfare at the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

This strikes me as being emblematic of the path FEI has been going down for some time...not one that serves global Dressage interests and especially the welfare of the horse.

Thomas Baur: "Does the FEI Dressage Committee Sit in an Ivory Tower?" Guest columnist of this week is German Thomas Baur, show director of the Global Dressage Festival in Wellington as well as at numerous CDI's in the U.S.A. and Europe. He is the former vice chair of the International (Equestrian) Event Organizers Association (IEOA) and was a member of the FEI Dressag...

Good to know!

This information might help our followers that have horses

Oh, if only everyone followed these!

Absolutely!

This is so true

Very good information!

**CENTAUR BIOMECHANICS BLOG SERIES**

GIRTH BUCKLE HEIGHT – DOES IT MATTER?

It has been a long-held belief that the position of the girth buckle can influence the rider’s leg position and effectiveness of their leg aid. To limit this, riders can choose a girth which allows the buckles to be fastened so that they do not hinder the riders leg position or effectiveness. This generally means using a short girth so that the buckles are fastened in the region behind the horse’s elbow (A), meaning the buckles are out of the way of the rider’s lower leg.

Previously we have demonstrated the effect that girth design has on equine locomotion (1, 2). In brief, girth pressures are highest in the region behind the horse’s elbow and not over the sternum. When girth pressures were reduced with girth modifications, this was associated with improved gait features. In conclusion girth pressures can have a significant effect on the locomotor apparatus of the horse.

As already mentioned, girth pressures are highest in the region behind the elbow therefore, by positioning the buckles in this region, you are increasing the pressures and consequently affecting the horse’s locomotion. The girth lies over the junction of various muscles: intercostal, thoracic serratus ventralis, descending/ascending pectorals, external abdominal oblique and re**us abdominus all of which are involved in posture and locomotion therefore, girth fit and design are important considerations along with the girth buckle height. The horse will develop a locomotor strategy to alleviate any discomfort caused by, in this case, the girth. Girth pressures are directly related to locomotion with girth pressures occurring every stride therefore, it seems logical to understand why some horses will alter their way of going in response to equipment induced pressures.

As a general rule, the higher the girth buckles can be positioned, the better avoiding the region behind the elbow (B). This does not affect the riders leg position or use of their leg aid therefore, the long-held belief that girth buckles should be low down, is a fallacy and greater awareness of the effects that girth buckle height can have on equine comfort and performance is needed. Girth fit, design and positioning of the buckles should be discussed with a qualified saddle fitter and the effect that the girth can have on equine comfort and performance should not be underestimated.

Hope the above is interesting.

Previous blogs http://www.centaurbiomechanics.co.uk/blog/

Please like / follow our page for more blogs and please share to raise awareness.

Dr. Russell MacKechnie-Guire
Centaur Biomechanics

1. Murray R, Guire R, Fisher M, Fairfax V. Girth pressure measurements reveal high peak pressures that can be avoided using an alternative girth design that also results in increased limb protraction and flexion in the swing phase. Vet J. 2013;198(1):92-7.
2. Murray RF, V.; Fisher, M.;Pfau, T; and MacKechnie-Guire, R. Girth design in galloping racehorses influences limb kinematics, under-girth pressures and force distribution. Equine Veterinary Journal. 2021;53(S55):11-.