A Look At The Factors Affecting Horse Performance

By Lila Barry


Trainers understand the importance of motivating a horse to perform well. While some horses may be handicapped, there are others that are always in top form when it comes to performing various tasks. No matter which job they do, excellent movement makes it possible for a horse to perform at its best. Bad movement overstretches some muscles while other muscles are under used. The movement degree and range that an animal possesses is mainly determined by its conformation, which in turn affects how it performs. Here is a look at the factors that influence horse performance.

Foot balance is one of the most significant factors. No matter how excellent the conformation of animal is, it will not be of any meaningful use if its foot is weak. To enable it do most of the activities required of it, having a proper foot formation is of essence. The feet must be aligned with the body perfectly and balance at the moment they leave the ground for the animal to have a normal gait.

Many problems related to foot balance are as a result of poor leg conformation. This leads to distortion of the hooves resulting from an uneven pressure loading. The design of the forelimb just like a pillar, for supporting most of the horses heaviness. The recommended forelimb conformation is such that a line can be drawn vertically in a way that it bisects the knee through the center.

Another factor that influences how a horse performs is the back structure. As the back is normally bowed slightly upwards, this upward curvature tends to increase when more weight is placed on the animal.

A trainer can hence put into consideration that when someone is riding on a horse, all types of strains and stresses are triggered. This can distort the backs anatomy, resulting in muscular spasms that cause so much trouble for both riders and the animals themselves.

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.

For example, an animal participating in horseracing can cause a lot of stress to the system of the animal. The rigors and stresses that come with preparations for a competition and the race can lead to strains, muscle spasms and misalignment. Despite these symptoms not causing any significant immediate impact, overall performance of the horse can be affected, in some cases dramatically. Competitions the likes of show jumping lead to such stresses being present on the horses system, which if not sorted early enough can lead to long term injury.

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.




About the Author:



0 comments:

Post a Comment