the only animal with 4 knees that cant jummp

As the back rounds, the hindquarters rise and the hind legs begin to fold.Īs the hindquarters pass over the highest point of the jump, the hind legs are folded. This helps create the bascule or arc in the horse’s body. The lowering of the head and neck pulls on the nuchal and dorsal ligament systems, especially the supraspinous ligament that runs down the top of the back.

His neck extends forward and down as his shoulders rotate, raising and folding his forelegs to the utmost as they pass over the highest point of the obstacle. In flight, the horse leaves the ground, traveling up, forward, and over the obstacle in an arc or “bascule” (a French word meaning “arc in motion”). Hitting an obstacle in front, especially above the knees, may cause a fall and is therefore considered a serious fault.

Failing to engage both hind legs or push strongly enough, or “leaving a hind leg behind”, robs the horse of power and “scope” (ability to jump high and wide.) If he is too slow in raising his forehand or folding his forelegs, or if his shoulders do not rotate or his forelegs do not fold sufficiently, he may hang his knees and hit the fence with his forelegs. The balance and thrust of the takeoff are critical, as this determines how high and wide the horse jumps – once in the air, he cannot lift himself higher. His forelegs fold tightly to avoid hitting the obstacle, and his hind legs extend backward as he leaves the ground. As the horse leaves the ground, his neck extends forward and his shoulders rotate, bringing his forelegs up. Both hind legs thrust powerfully against the ground, sending the whole horse up and forward. The horse “sits” on his hindquarters with his hocks bent as his forelegs thrust against the ground, one after the other, using the muscles of the forelegs and shoulders (especially the triceps) and the spring mechanism of the forelegs to lift the forehand. The hind legs should be lined up together for maximum thrust. Balanced on one foreleg, the horse engages his hind legs forward under his body, flexing the loin at the lumbosacral joint. The last stride before takeoff is often short. A very high head position or restriction of the head and neck can affect his ability to see the jump. Because of the way a horse’s eyes focus, he must raise or lower his head to adjust his focus on the jump. He needs a well-balanced, rhythmic gait to allow him to adjust his stride and engage his hind legs under his body for takeoff. During the approach, the horse sees the jump, judges the effort necessary to clear it, and adjusts his line (direction), pace (speed), balance, impulsion and length of stride to arrive at the best takeoff point.

The only animal with 4 knees that cant jummp