The Physics of How Horses Jump, Part 1

Jumping is one of the most beautiful and athletic activities horses are capable of. Understanding the phases of the equine jump can help us with riding, training and judging in jumping sports.

A horse’s jump has five phases: approach, takeoff, flight, landing and recovery. In this post I will talk about the approach and takeoff.

Horses can jump from any gait or a standstill, but they usually jump from the canter. Ideally, they jump most ordinary obstacles “in stride”; that is, the length of the jump is the same as the length of the canter stride.

The first two phases of the horse jump:

1. Approach

During the approach, the horse sees the jump, judges the effort necessary to clear it, and adjusts his line, or direction, pace, balance, impulsion and length of stride to arrive at the best takeoff point. He needs a well-balanced, rhythmic gait to allow him to adjust his stride and engage his hind legs under his body for takeoff. Because of the way a horse’s eyes focus, he must raise or lower his head to adjust his focus on the jump.

2. Takeoff

The last stride before takeoff is often short. Balanced on one foreleg, the horse engages his hind legs forward under his body, flexing the loin at the lumbosacral joint. The hinds legs should be lined up together for maximum thrust. 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. Both hinds legs thrust powerfully against the ground, his neck extends forward and his shoulders rotate, bringing his forelegs up. His forelegs fold tightly to avoid hitting the obstacle and his hind legs extend backward as he leaves the ground.

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 light himself higher. Failing to engage both hind legs or push strongly enough, or “leaving a leg behind”, robs the horse of power and “scope” (the 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 no fold sufficiently, he may and his knees and hit the fence with his forelegs. Hitting an obstacle in front, especially above the knees, may cause a fall and is therefore considered a serious fault.

Stay tuned for the rest of the phases of the horse jump!

Happy Riding!

Source: Equine Wellness Magazine