The horse's back is extremely important for its stability and movement. It also carries the weight of the rider. A healthy back is essential for your horse's well-being, long-term use, and performance.
When weight is placed on the horse's back, the spine bends downward. This restricts the lateral movement of the spine. When moving forward, the standing phase of the legs is extended and the hanging leg phase is shortened. Horses compensate for some of the weight load by tensing their abdominal muscles and arching their backs. However, above a certain load, changes to the back and legs occur over time, as well as pain.
For simplicity's sake, only the rider's weight is often considered in relation to the horse's body weight. Regardless of constitution and training condition, a horse can carry a weight load of 10% of its own body weight without damage. With a normal constitution, it can cope with up to 15%. With a weight load of 20% of its own body weight, damage occurs in horses with a normal constitution. Horses with a more resilient physique and a very good level of training can still cope with this load at moderate performance levels. Weight loads of 25% of the horse's own body weight cause permanent damage to the entire musculoskeletal system in all horses.
The weight of all equipment must always be added to the rider's weight. Including the saddle, the equipment alone weighs an average of ten kilograms.
However, a horse's load-bearing capacity does not depend solely on its own weight. It must be assessed on an individual basis. Additional influencing factors are:
Young, old, overweight or underweight horses, as well as poorly muscled and poorly trained horses, can only tolerate lower weight loads. In general, horses can carry more weight during moderate endurance work than during short, intense work. Horses with broad, well-muscled backs are more capable of carrying weight. Advanced riders with a supple seat may be heavier than beginners with an unbalanced seat.
The cannon bone load index is another criterion for assessing a horse's load-bearing capacity. This is calculated using the circumference of the cannon bone and the horse's body weight:
Cannon bone circumference (cm) x 100 / body weight of the horse (kg) = cannon bone load index (RI)
The higher the RI, the more load-bearing the horse is. An RI greater than 4.4 indicates good load-bearing capacity. Strong ponies have a higher load-bearing capacity relative to their body weight than cold-blooded breeds or graceful Arabians. Some examples of this are:
During training, it is important that the horse maintains an ergonomically correct posture. This increases your horse's carrying capacity and protects it from back injuries. The higher the weight load, the more important it is to maintain an ergonomic training posture.
By nature, the forehand carries 52% of the horse's weight. The additional weight of the rider puts even more strain on the forehand. The aim is for the horse to carry itself with the help of well-trained muscles.
Well-trained back and abdominal muscles create core stability. This protects joints, tendons, and ligaments from strain and is essential for symmetrical movements. A symmetrical body protects individual structures from strain by distributing the load evenly.
The movement impulse generated in the hindquarters is transferred via the back to the forehand and neck. Whether you are working in hand, lunging, riding, or participating in other equestrian sports, make sure there is a positive arc of tension. This causes the horse's back to arch. The training should lead to active carrying of the trunk in order to relieve the forehand. This requires well-trained trunk-carrying muscles and a hindquarters that can step under.
What lies behind this almost unpronounceable name? Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis is a hereditary, incurable metabolic disease that primarily affects Quarter Horses, Paint Horses, and Appaloosas, whose bloodlines all trace back to the Quarter Horse stallion "Impressive."
Gastroenterology is the branch of internal medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. This also includes the pancreas, liver, and gallbladder.
Hypothyroidism, medically known as hypothyroidism, is one of the most common hormonal disorders in dogs. It mainly affects middle-aged to older dogs, with Golden Retrievers, Dobermans, Boxers, and Beagles being particularly susceptible.
An ECG is a measuring device used to diagnose heart disease. It measures the electrical impulses emitted by the heart's activity.
Similar to humans, dogs of middle to advanced age can also develop a sugar metabolism disorder. Canine diabetes is the second most common hormone-related disease in dogs. The first noticeable symptoms are increased thirst and increased urination. If diabetes is detected early, the disease can be well controlled with lifelong insulin therapy. However, certain emergencies can also occur in the context of diabetes, requiring immediate veterinary treatment.
Squamous cell carcinoma is a malignant skin tumor that occurs in cats mainly in the mouth, ears, and nose. Starting in the uppermost layer of skin and mucous membrane, the squamous epithelium, this tumor spreads very quickly and aggressively. Cats of all breeds and ages can be affected, although older cats are more susceptible.
It's not always easy to keep track of everything in our human world that could be harmful to our four-legged friends. Often, we don't even see how quickly Fido has stuck his head in the trash can and hurt himself by eating onion scraps. But it's not just food that poses a danger; the wrong toys can cause problems, as can drinking from a puddle at the edge of a field.
Hip dysplasia, better known as HD, is a very common skeletal disorder in dogs. It is a hereditary malformation of the hip joint that occurs primarily in large breeds and affects up to half of all dogs of a breed.
Elbow joint dysplasia describes a complex of hereditary developmental disorders of the elbow joint. It occurs primarily in fast-growing large dog breeds during the growth phase and leads to varying degrees of lameness.
Tumors of the oral cavity can occur in both dogs and cats. In dogs, about half of these tumors are malignant, while in cats, unfortunately, up to 90% are malignant. Due to the poor visibility of the oral cavity, these tumors are often detected at a very late stage.
Periodontitis is an inflammation of the tissues surrounding and supporting the teeth. It is the most common oral disease in dogs. By the age of five, more than three quarters of all dogs have periodontitis. If left untreated, the disease can have serious consequences for the entire body.
A cat's attempt to get outside through a tilted window can result in serious injury. In most cases, cats manage to squeeze their head and upper body through the window but then get stuck with their hindquarters in the slanted gap. Attempts to free them only make the situation worse, causing the cat to slide further down into the gap and become trapped. The consequences can include serious external and internal injuries, collectively known as tilt window syndrome, which can often lead to the death of the cat.
