The horse needs physical strength, focus and a balanced rider to jump successfully. He also needs a good technique, willingness, coordination and the ability to convert forward momentum to upward thrust.

Watching a horse jumping fences is fascinating as you see them using their bodies to an extreme. You'll see greater range of joint movement and biomechanical relationships within the body becoming more obvious. The same connections exist when you’re riding your horse on the flat they just are just more subtle.

The Anatomy of Jumping

Studying the biomechanics of jumping and having the ability to assess and recognise what is a good jump, gives you an ability to pick the best exercises to ride on your own horse to improve his performance and jump.

This lecture demonstration starts by looking at the anatomy and more specifically how the horse uses his body when he’s jumping. Gillian explains how the horse uses his neck in jumping, studies how the forelimbs contribute to elevating the forehand at take off and absorbing forces at landing. We look at how the hind limbs create upward and forward power to create the trajectory, and the connections between the hind limb, and the back.