Some Of The Factors That Influence Horse Performance

By Lila Barry


Trainers know the importance of enhancing the performance of a horse. Some horses are handicapped while others are physically fit and ready for a certain type of job. While some have easy when it comes to train and ride, others prove to be difficult. Irrespective of the discipline, the best movement enables an animal to utilize its potential to the fullest. Bad movement under utilizes some muscles while overstretching others. The range and degree of movement that it has is determined largely by its conformation, in turn affecting performance. Here are some of the factors affecting horse performance.

One of the main factors is foot balance. Irrespective of how accurate the conformation of an animal is, probability is that it will not be of much use if it has a weak foot. In order for horses to perform a majority of normal activities, it is essential to have a good foot formation. For it to keep up with a normal gait, its feet should be perfectly aligned with the body and balanced at the instance they are above the ground.

Most problems associated with foot balance are as a result of inadequate leg conformation. This can lead to the hooves being distorted as a result of uneven loading of pressure. The forelimb design is similar to a pillar, in a manner that supports most of the weight of the animal. The perfect conformation of the forelimb should be such that straight line drawn vertically downwards can bisect the knee when passing through the center.

The structure of a horses back is another factor which affects its performance. In a normal animal, the back is curves slightly upwards, with this curvature tending to increase in case someone rides on it.

Anyone who trains or rides horses should know that in the process of riding, all types of stresses and strains are set up. This can distort the anatomy of the back, leading to muscular spasms capable of causing a lot of problems both to the animal and the rider.

Injury to the horse as well as stress is the other factor. In the case of all types of animals, whether racehorses or gymkhana ponies, their ability to achieve whole athletic potential without the risk of getting injured is paramount. Condition that may prevent animals participating in competitions from getting peak performance can most of the times only be known if the animal is pushed to its full limits.

When an animal is participating in horseracing, its system can undergo a lot of stress. The rigors that trainers subject them to when practicing for races as well as the races themselves can cause muscle strain, torn ligaments and spasms. Although these symptoms cannot prevent a horse from going about its duties, they can affect how it performs in a dramatic manner. Some of the competitions that the animals go through, such as show jumping, can result in long term injury is not fixed early enough. It is recommended that the animal is checked for muscle injuries regularly.

The last factor is a tack whose fitting has not been done correctly, resulting to a wide variety of problems. For instance, a badly fitted saddle can lead to hollowing and resisting, shortening of slides and stiffness. Basically, a saddle that is poorly fitted disrupts horse performance, causing it not to achieve its full potential.




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