Movement

Objectives
 Define and describe how a horse moves
 Discuss types of movement and faults
associated with conformation
Anatomy affects movement
 Front limb attachment (soft tissue)
 More concussive forces on front limbs =
~60% weight bearing
 Head/neck serve as lever/pendulum to
balance
Center of Gravity
 Point of balance
 If
body is suspended
 Remains relatively still during movement
Evaluation of movement
 Degree of action
 Varies due to breed/use
 Usefulness depends on ability to move
straight and true in a long, swift and elastic
stride
 Athletic vs. Way of going (WOG)
 Keep in mind the conformation!
Gaits
 Symmetric or Asymmetric
 Stride = placement of foot to next
placement of same foot
 Divided into two phases
 Swing phase
 Stance phase
Swing Phase
 Limb is pulled forward then backward
before initial ground contact
 Pendulum
 Area of rotation changes with length of
limb/segments
 Area of rotation changes with inhibition of
any one part
Stance Phase
 Hoof is in contact with the ground
 Four components (Sub-phase)
 Initial
ground contact
 Impact phase
 Loading phase
 Breakover
Stance Phase
 Initial ground contact = heel first or flat
footed
 Impact phase = first milliseconds
 Loading phase = body weight moves over
limb
 Breakover =heel leaves the ground with
rotation towards the toe
 Ideal break-over

Hoof/pastern angle too straight,

lengthens break-over

Long toe/long sloped pastern

shortens break-over
Evaluation of movement
 Length
 Distance from point of breaking over to point
of contact with the same foot
 Directness or trueness
 Line in which the foot is carried forward (within
the stride)
Evaluation of movement
 Step
 Distance between the imprints of the two
forelegs (or hind legs)

 Stride
 Distancebetween the successive imprints of
the same foot
Evaluation of movement
 Suspension
 Length of time between strides where the legs
appear to hang in the air

 Spring
 Manner in which the weight is settled up the
supporting structure
Ideal Movement
Ideal Movement
 Walk
 Long stride
 Free-flowing
 Swing in shoulders, back and hindquarters
 Head moves up and down and side to side
Ideal Movement
 Trot
 Even strides
 Head and neck remain mostly still
 Thrust from behind
 Swing in shoulders, back and hindquarters
Ideal Movement
 Canter
 Even strides and a balanced appearance
 Head and neck act as pendulum only when
necessary
 Thrust from behind
 Swing in shoulders and hindquarters
Movement dysfunctions
Movement dysfunctions
 Forging
 Contact of the sole or shoe of the forefoot with
the hind toe (over-reaching)

 Rope walking
 Twistingof the striding leg (in motion) around
the supporting leg
Movement dysfunctions
 Paddling (winging out)
 Toed in horses; feet follow an outward arc

 Dishing (winging in)

 Associated with a toed out horse; movement
is on an inward arc
Movement dysfunctions
 Interfering
 Strikingof the fetlock or cannon of the
supporting leg with the opposite leg in motion

 Scalping
 Over-reaching where toe of forefoot scrapes
the coronary band of the hind foot
Movement dysfunctions
 Rotating hocks
 Hocks do not move in a straight line (usually
in base wide horses)

 Lameness
 Any horse showing lameness (head bob or
hip drop) MUST be placed at the bottom of
the class
Movement dysfunctions
 Cross-firing
 (Pacers) Interfering of diagonal forefeet and
hind feet

 Dwelling
 Noticeable pause in the flight of the foot
 Looks like stride was completed before the
foot was on the ground
Movement dysfunctions
 Pounding
 Heavy contact with the ground

 Rolling
 Excessive shoulder motion
 Usually in horses with wide set legs and
protruding shoulders
Movement dysfunctions
 Trappy
 Short,quick, choppy stride
 Found in horses with upright pasterns and
shoulders