Natural Crookedness
Hey Athletes!
Are you right or left handed? If you’re not ambidextrous and use both hands equally, you most likely have a dominant side that you prefer to use. Your horse is the same way. Do they have a better way they go around the arena? What hoof does your horse put forward most frequently when grazing? Because your horse is using one hoof/leg more often than the other, that dominant front leg takes more load than the other one. This means that one side is getting worked more than the other.
What does this mean for us? This natural crookedness can have many implications on how we train and condition our horses and especially how we fit saddles. Saddles are made for perfectly symmetrical horses, which we know are few and far between in the real world. So how can you help balance out your horse?
First, take note of what side your horse is more dominant on. Observe how they want to stand. Stand behind your horse (if it is safe) and take a picture over their back. Is one shoulder larger or more developed than the other? The horse in the below photo has a larger left shoulder.
Look at your horse’s hooves. Because one side is going to be loading more than the other, the two front hooves are most likely going to look different. That is ok! While we want them to be as symmetrical as possible, when they look different, they are most likely adapting to how your horse loads and the hoof is trying to be balanced and have optimal contact with the ground. When we try to make both front hooves look exactly the same and the body is not in symmetry, we can be throwing off the horse’s natural balance and causing issues higher up in the body.
Shoulder in, haunches in, poles in a fan with one side raised are all great exercises for helping to correct asymmetry. Looking for more exercises to help get you through the winter? Check out our Equestrian Off-Season Bingo Challenge https://www.facebook.com/groups/2992968740998115
To help combat your own asymmetry and how it may be affecting your horse, book a coaching call with Sarah to get exercises tailored to you https://ridelikeanathlete.com/shop/p/rider-fitness-assessment-customized-3-month-training-plan-bnkc8
“Horses do not come straight, and the horseman with all his knowledge and art will spend all his life to correct this imperfection.”
– Jacques D’Auvergne,
Cheers!
Ashley