How Horses Carry a Rider, and Why It's Important
Horses movement starts with energy being sent to the hind end, and the forward swing of a hind leg. (See posts about strides and engagement.) Horses use their entire body to balance, and travel forward in space. Their back acts as a suspension bridge from withers to sacrum, holding up the viscera (the internal organs in the main cavities of the body, especially those in the abdomen) and the ribcage. They use their neck as a ballast, but almost every muscle in their body is involved in locomotion (means of movement in space). The reality is, no horse can move exactly the same under a rider as they do while moving free. They have to account for the weight and balance of the rider. Riders are sitting directly on the chain of muscles that run along the horses top line, and therefore greatly influence the usage of these muscles. In order to move efficiently and safely under saddle, a horse must engage their abdominals, and therefor reach underneath their barrel with the hind legs, flex
