In this blog series we’re going to be looking at the relationship between equestrian surfaces in arenas and an equine’s biomechanics. This will combine not only biology and physiology but the engineering of the horses movement itself. Due to the in-depth nature of this topic, we’ll be spreading this over two blogs to make it more digestible. 

In this particular blog, we’ll be diving into the biomechanics i.e. the horse’s gait and its coordinated pattern of movement. Let’s go…

Equine Biomechanics: The Horse’s Stride

They say a horse’s movement or its gait can be described as a ‘coordinated pattern of movement’ that’s repeated in order to form the stride. During each stride, the horses leg moves through what’s known as three distinct phases. These are broken down into the landing phase, the loading phase and the break-over phase. 

As we dive into each phase more, you’ll better understand how key surface characteristics can significantly impact the health of the horses joints and its bones overall. From firmness to cushioning, cupping and even grip, all have a huge impact on the horse but in understanding this, we can better understand the requirements of a surface. In fact it’s vital to understand the relationship between a horse’s locomotion and a riding surface, especially when it comes to deciding on the right surface for you.

Landing Phase

The first phase of any horse’s stride begins with the landing phase i.e. when the horses hoof makes contact with the ground/surface. As it lands on the ground or surface, the hoof slides forward and downwards; in doing so it absorbs the weight of the horse and its rider should it be carrying one. This happens before the hoof comes to a temporary stop. During this temporary stop, the movement causes a horse’s bones to compact, generating vibrations and shockwaves that travel from the ground, through the hoof and up through the leg.

Loading Phase

Following the momentary stop, we have the loading phase. It happens when the hoof is in complete contact with the ground/surface. It’s at this point that the full weight of the horse and its rider is loaded onto that leg. This results in a huge amount of force which is then absorbed by the fetlock joint and surrounding tendons. As the downward pressure is then placed upon the hoof, the heel of the hoof expands outwards and the frog is compressed down against the ground/surface. As we all know, this helps stimulate circulation of blood by pumping the venous blood from the hoof up the leg and back through the body.

Break-over Phase

Last but not least, following the compression of the frog and expansion of the heel, we have the break-over phase. This is the final stage of any stride and happens when the horse’s heel rotates off the ground and rolls over, or ‘breaks-over’ the toe.

During this stage, the hoof will contract back to its original shape pre-heel expansion and will pivot off the ground. The pressure on the frog is released which allows the arterial blood to circulate through the leg and then into the hoof. The foot then pushes off from the surface and into a temporary stage of suspension before beginning the three phases all over again.

In Blog Two Of This Series… 

In the second blog within this series, we’ll be diving into the role of the equestrian surface, its characteristics and how important these are with regards to each phase of a horse’s movement. In the meantime, if you’d like more information on our range of equestrian surfaces, you can find them right here at https://foleysequestrian.co.uk/ or simply email us via sales@foleysequestrian.co.uk and ask for a free sample of each surface. We’ll be only too happy to provide you with a sample of our surfaces along with a free no-obligation quote.