The effect of rising and sitting trot on back movements and head-neck position of the horse.

The study focuses on observing the effects of two trotting styles – rising and sitting – on a horse’s back movement and head-neck position. Through experiments, the research concludes that the rising trot doesn’t seem to have less of an impact on a horse’s back than the sitting trot.

Research Objective

The main purpose of this research was to determine the impacts, specifically the stresses, of the two common trotting techniques, namely the rising trot and the sitting trot, on horses. Despite common belief that the rising trot decreases the load on the equine back, there hasn’t been any objective research to back this assumption. Therefore, the study was aimed at determining the effects of both rising and sitting trot on a horse’s back movements and head-neck position.

Research Methods

• The research was conducted using 12 horses and one rider.
• The horses’ movements were recorded kinematically during trot under three conditions: unloaded, rising trot, and sitting trot.
• The back movements were calculated using a previously established method with a correction for trunk position.
• The head-neck position was measured in terms of extension and flexion at the first, third, and sixth cervical vertebrae (C1, C3, and C6) and the vertical displacement of the first cervical vertebra and the bit.

Research Findings

The research findings concluded that the sitting trot had more of an extending effect on the horse’s back compared to the rising trot. Additionally, sitting trot also resulted in a higher head and neck position. During rising trot:

• The maximum flexion of the back was similar to the unloaded situation
• The maximum extension was similar to sitting trot
• Lateral bending of the back was larger than both during the unloaded situation and sitting trot
• The horses held their heads lower than in the other conditions
• The angle of the sixth cervical vertebra (C6) was more flexed in rising than in sitting trot

Research Conclusions

The study concluded that the rising trot showed characteristics of both sitting trot and the unloaded condition. However, the research challenges existing notions by suggesting that the rising trot does not seem to be less challenging for a horse’s back as the same level of back extension is observed in both rising and sitting trots. This points to a need for revisiting conventional wisdom about trotting techniques and their impact on equine health and performance.