"In horses, and most other mammalian quadrupeds, 57% of the vertical impulse is applied through the thoracic limbs, and only 43% through the hind limbs.”  (H. W. Merkens, H. C. Schamhardt,G. J. van Osch, A. J. van den Bogert, 1993).

Chazot is learning here to develop the forelegs’ propulsive activity at the trot departure. This is done teaching the horse to control accelerations of gravity through his vertebral column and therefore regulating the weight on the forelegs. The riding technique allowing such education is about matching the biomechanical properties of the rider’s vertebral column with the biomechanical properties of the horse’s vertebral column. The reins are long and there is no weight on the bit. Once in a while the rider reminds the horse to do not push on the bit. 

This technique differs widely from the usual driving the horse onto the bit. Driving the horse onto the bit is a primitive technique that is based on antiquated knowledge of the equine biomechanics. Rushing the horse on the forehand and/or lowering the neck increases the weight on the forelegs. The technique hampers the horse’s ability to move efficiently and soundly.

Forward movement should not be understood as how much the horse’s body is moving forward but instead as how well the thrust generated by the hind legs is transmitted forward through the horse’s body.  Great authors have emphasized the concept over and over warning, "Do not confuse speed and impulsion.”

While familiar beliefs attribute the greatest amount of vertical impulse, (self carriage,) to the hind legs. Scientific measurements have demonstrated that at the contrary, 57% of the vertical impulse is produced by the forelegs while only 43% is created by the hind legs. "In horses, and most other mammalian quadrupeds, 57% of the vertical impulse is applied through the thoracic limbs, and only 43% through the hind limbs.”  (H. W. Merkens, H. C. Schamhardt,G. J. van Osch, A. J. van den Bogert, 1993).

The practical application of this phenomenon is the purpose of this training session. Chazot’s vertebral column is properly orchestrated at the walk and Jean Luc is asking the horse to keep proper mechanism of the vertebral column at the trot. When Chazot succeeds, the forelegs’ upward propulsive activity does increase. In equestrian terms, the movement is going through the horse’s shoulders.

At the first attempt, the movement did not go through and Jean Luc encourages Chazot to understand the concept moving forward at the rising trot.

At the third attempt, second on the video, the movement did not really go through but the idea was in the Chazot’s mind and the Jean Luc confirmed Chazot’s thought keeping the sitting trot on the circle.

At the fifth tentative, Third on the video, the movement went through and Jean Luc rewarded Chazot at the rising trot. As we replay the sequence in slow motion, you can see the change in the propulsive activity of the forelegs which occurs at the third trot stride.

Science Of Motion
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Speed does not create forward movement. In fact, a horse increases the speed stiffening the back muscles. The question may be, when forward movement stop and speed commences? Studies have been done about the concept of the horse’s natural cadence. One researched focused on oxygen intake. For a given oxygen intake, there is a speed where the horse covers a greater distance. The other study focused on muscle fatigue. For instance, at a fast walk, a horse consumes more muscular energy than at a slow trot. The horse natural cadence is the cadence where the horse’s metabolism functions at maximum efficiency consuming minimum muscular work.

Each horse does have his own cadence. Speed is faster that the horse’s natural cadence. Each time Chazot is finding his natural cadence, the movement is more fluid and the trot becomes longer and more rhythmic.

Earlier on we were talking about a rising trot where the rider’s tights and knees are moving downward allowing the rider seat to remain close from the saddle. The technique permits to slow the rider’s body movements suggesting to the horse to slow down the cadence of the trot until the horse finds the comfort of his natural cadence. For some horses the natural cadence will be slower. For other horses the natural cadence will be faster. The common denominator for every horse is the feeling of ease, suspension, amplitude and rhythm.

The search for the horse’s natural cadence needs to be done with long reins and minimum contact. If the nose is pushing on the bit, his back will be contracted and he will be unable to achieve the back muscles’ coordination leading the natural cadence.  Jean Luc Cornille

http://www.scienceofmotion.com

Speed does not create forward movement. In fact, a horse increases the speed stiffening the back muscles. The question may be, when forward movement stop and speed commences? Studies have been done about the concept of the horse’s natural cadence. One researched focused on oxygen intake. For a given oxygen intake, there is a speed where the horse covers a greater distance. The other study focused on muscle fatigue. For instance, at a fast walk, a horse consumes more muscular energy than at a slow trot. The horse natural cadence is the cadence where the horse’s metabolism functions at maximum efficiency consuming minimum muscular work.

Each horse does have his own cadence. Speed is faster that the horse’s natural cadence. Each time Chazot is finding his natural cadence, the movement is more fluid and the trot becomes longer and more rhythmic.

Earlier on we were talking about a rising trot where the rider’s tights and knees are moving downward allowing the rider seat to remain close from the saddle. The technique permits to slow the rider’s body movements suggesting to the horse to slow down the cadence of the trot until the horse finds the comfort of his natural cadence. For some horses the natural cadence will be slower. For other horses the natural cadence will be faster. The common denominator for every horse is the feeling of ease, suspension, amplitude and rhythm.

The search for the horse’s natural cadence needs to be done with long reins and minimum contact. If the nose is pushing on the bit, his back will be contracted and he will be unable to achieve the back muscles’ coordination leading the natural cadence.  Jean Luc Cornille

http://www.scienceofmotion.com

Chazot is gaining confidence in his ability to deal wit the rider’s movements. He is exploring forward motion. In some instances he is going fast, at other moments he is going forward. When Chazot is exploring forward movement, the forelegs are showing greater suspension as well as more fluidity. In forward motion, and at the contrary of conventional beliefs, it is not the hind legs which are creating the greater percentage of upward vertical force but rather, the forelegs are producing the greatest amount of vertical impulse. "In horses, and most other mammalian quadrupeds, 57% of the vertical impulse is applied through the thoracic limbs, and only 43% through the hind limbs.”  (H. W. Merkens, H. C. Schamhardt,G. J. van Osch, A. J. van den Bogert, 1993).

When Chazot is going fast instead of forward, the movement of the forelegs is more flat, mechanic and rapid. In terms of limbs kinematics, the difference between the two forelegs movements can be explained through the braking phase and the pushing phase. A fast horse is controlling balance through greater braking activity of the forelegs. By contrast, a truly forward horse is controlling balance through better use of the forelegs’ propulsive activities.  We will further these differences in later publications.

During the sequence in slow motion, the increase in the forelegs’ suspension can be seen during the fly period. As the horse is airborne between the push off of one diagonal and the landing of the other diagonal, the horse gives the impression of prolonging the flight period reaching further forward with the forelegs.

The horse is voluntarily ridden with very loosed reins. He will learn basic forward movement and balance control without any support of the rider’s hands. Turns are asked for by the rotation of the rider’s pelvis and down transitions to the walk are asked for by straightening the rider’s vertebral column. Jean Luc Cornille

Science Of Motion
www.scienceofmotion.com

As we showed some of Chazot aggressive moves, we received many e-mails telling us that such behavior should not be tolerated. The horse, therefore should be disciplined, which exactly the reason why Chazot’s mind went into aggressive protective reflex mechanism. Punishments created the problem and more punishment would only create more problems. Our approach is to engage and challenge the horse intelligence. We do believe that when asked at a level of subtlety that is the level where horses are genetically designed to function, horses are capable to process intelligent thoughts. While exuberant and mischievous on his way to his turn out earlier in the day, Chazot is all business later in the afternoon. He is athletically calm, which mean concentrated, confident in his athletic abilities and assured that his "errors” will be analyzed instead of reprimanded.

We tolerated the intolerable because the horse’s intolerable behavior was the result of human intolerance, which is synonym of incompetence. The intolerably misbehaved horse is turning into a confident athlete because we allow his intelligence to process life through rational thoughts rather than blind submission. 

The rising trot is voluntarily done differently. The rider’s upper body is slightly inclined forward. Instead of lifting the body high above the saddle, the rider remains close form the saddle at all time. This is achieved lowering the tights and knees each side of the saddle as the horse motion is lifting the rider’s body upward. The technique permits reducing to the minimum the disturbances created by the rider’s movements above the saddle. Later, the same technique will be used to slow down the horse’s cadence.

One may wonder why slowing the horse cadence when the purpose is to create forward movement. The response has been given by many classic authors and through the wisdom of centuries, "Do not confuse speed and impulsion.” Speed is created stiffening the horse’s vertebral column. The faster the horse goes, the stiffer becomes the horse back.

Forward motion of the horse’s body, commences with proper forward transmission through the horse’s vertebral column of the forces generated by the hind legs. This demands that the horse’s vertebral column is educated to convert the thrust generated by the hind legs into horizontal forces, (forward movement,) and vertical forces, (resistance to gravity and consequently balance control.) Rushing the horse fast forward around the ring does not create forward movement. Instead, the misconception creates speed and increased load on the forelegs.

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During this sequence it is fascinating the watch this young horse playing with the biomechanical properties of his vertebral column. When the back muscles properly convert the thrust generated by the hind legs into horizontal forces, (forward movement) and vertical forces, (resistance to gravity and therefore, balance control,) the upward propulsive activity of the forelegs propels the front part of the horse’s body upward in proportion to the hind legs. When by distraction or any other reason the back muscles contract losing their ability to properly control the forward translocations of gravity through the spine, the load on the forelegs increases and the propulsive activity of the forelegs diminish. Jean Luc Cornille

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