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Beth Walker wrote:
> I didn't exactly excel in physics back in the day, but I think the 
> formula you want is the one for "work" -- W = Force * distance * cos 
> Theta.   So:  given the same mass to carry, a horse moving uphill is 
> doing more work than a horse on the level.

Clearly more work is done going uphill. However, horses have to raise 
the load to move forward. They can't just push forward. For example the 
trot has a moment of suspension which means the whole load has to be 
lifted off the ground. You have to integrate over the path of the center 
of gravity to calculate the work.

> As to the effect of a rider - I would think that a poor rider is hard 
> to carry because they are out of rhythm with the horse.  Hence, their 
> mass is working against the horse and the direction of travel.  
> Essentially, because their body is moving (i.e. bouncing) in 
> opposition to the horse, there is an additional force component to 
> consider.
Yep the horse has to use his muscles to balance the rider in that case. 
Technically what is going on is a out of balanced rider is applying an 
acceleration component that he horse has to apply work to mitigate or 
else both would fall over and go splat. Force is again mass X acceleration.

Truman

>


--

"It is even harder for the average ape to believe that he has descended 
from man." H.L. Mencken


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