Re: RC: Up Hill or Down

[CMKSAGEHIL@aol.com]

In a message dated 1/10/00 10:48:24 AM Pacific Standard Time, 
dleblanc@mindspring.com writes:

<< The assumption that the center of gravity will change is based on the fact
 that the saddle and rider both move back and forth depending on the slope
 of the back of the horse.  Tell you what - let's make it really simple -
 we'll take the rider out of the picture.  Let's just consider the horse. >>

Thanks for providing the math, David.  And while we're considering the 
dynamic horse, let's look at an example from dressage--the levade (I 
think--Charlotte or somebody, correct me with proper names of high school 
movements), where the horse literally remains in a crouch, WITH rider on his 
back in the final stages of learning the maneuver, and the ENTIRE weight of 
horse and rider is supported on the rear, since the front legs aren't even on 
the ground.  Anecdotal reports from the Spanish Riding School state that 
they've had some horses who would do this maneuver in a pout, and who had the 
strength to hold this pose for up to 45 minutes at a time.  Then there is the 
version where the horse settles into this pose but hops repeatedly on his 
hind legs--not in an extended rearing position, but in a collected squat.  
This was an old war maneuver.  Again, the ENTIRE weight is on the rear 
quarters.  One of our stallions does this maneuver repeatedly at play, with 
the average number of hops being 4 to 5 at a time, and the ability to do this 
repeatedly for several minutes.

The model of the horse with 60% of his weight being borne on his front is 
really only accurate when the horse is standing still on level ground.  To 
equate this with the moving animal is on par with saying that the human 
supports 50% of his weight with each foot at all times, when we know full 
well that when he is moving, the weight alternates from being borne 100% on 
one foot and then 100% on the other.  (Unless, of course, we are reduced to 
shuffling behind a walker...)  One of the main goals of collection is to 
shift more weight to the rear, whether one is going downhill or not.

And in answer to kat--she is technically correct that the "right" or "safe" 
way to go downhill is not an extended trot, but rather a collected trot--so 
what we are referring to here is more accurately described as a very FAST 
collected trot rather than a truly extended trot.  I stand duly corrected on 
that point.

Heidi


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