A Look At The Factors Affecting 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.

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.

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 other factor that affects how an animal performs is the structure in its back. Since the back is usually curved slightly upwards, when extra weight is placed on it, it sort of slightly strain the upward curvature.

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.

Stress and injury is another factor that influences how horses perform. The ability of an animal to go about their duties in top shape without getting injured is quite vital. However, the conditions that make an animal not achieve peak performance can only be known if it is stretched to the limit of competitions.

For instance, horseracing is capable of piling up significant stresses on the animals system. The stress and rigors associated with training for competitions and the actual races can cause muscle spasms, strains and misalignment. Although these symptoms are not a major cause of worry, they can influence the performance of an animal, in some instances quite dramatically. Other types of competition such as show jumping place the same stresses on the horses system, which can result in long term injuries if not treated early enough.

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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