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[RC] Weight on the forehand (was: Gaited horses downhll) - k s swigart

Phil said:


I read all this talk about flying down hill.  With 65%
of a horse's weight being on the front end, along with
the rest pushing him with gravity, ....


The problem with this oft repeated "65% of a horse's weight being on the
front end" refrain is that this number (which varies from about 60% to
70% depending on who is saying...and, obviously varies from horse to
horse) is strictly a STATIC number (i.e. it is ONLY true when the horse
is standing still--and, BTW, when unmounted, just having a rider on its
back will shift the total load as will either "standing under" or
"parking out").

How much weight a horse carries on its forehand while it is moving can
vary from 0% to 100% depending on its way of going and the phase of its
stride, and even the average amount of weight a horse carries on its
forehand while moving can vary from about 30% to 75%.

And yes, horses can be taught (and different horses do by differing
amounts naturally) to shift their loads from their forehands to their
hindquarters.  I have one that is SO naturally inclined to do this that
at the slightest provocation he will shift ALL his weight from his
forehand to his hindquarters. :)

Since, as a general rule, the hindquarters do mostly pushing and the
forehand does mostly braking, if you want to get the most speed for the
least amount of work, you want to lighten the forehand as much as
possible (obviously not entirely) to minimize the braking as much as you
can.

Believe it or not, it is mostly the muscles of the back and the
underline that are used to do this.  If you want your horse to stay
sound for running down hill (or for anything else for that matter) it is
a good back that a horse needs most. :)

kat
Orange County, Calif.



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