Explore expert tips, guides, and insights to support every stage of your horse’s journey
Servicing Oaklands Junction, Macedon Ranges, Pakenham, Mornington Peninsula and outer Melbourne regions*
Equine Biodynamics: Understanding the Top and Bottom Chains…
The “top chain” and “bottom chain” in equine biomechanics refers to systems of muscles, fascia, and movement patterns that interconnect to maintain a horse's balance, posture, and motion. These systems work together to distribute tension and force, enabling coordinated activity
Balance Training
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Balanced training develops both the top and bottom muscle chains of the horse, promoting long-term health, soundness, and improved performance across all disciplines. It supports better biomechanics, efficient movement, and a more harmonious partnership between horse and rider.
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The top (dorsal) and bottom (ventral) chains refers to the combination of soft tissues (ie muscles and fascia) that work together to provide movement and stability. The top chain is responsible for extending the neck, back and hindquarters, while the bottom chain flexes the spine, supports the back and maintains pelvic engagement.
For example:
In collection, the bottom chain lifts the back while the top chain lengthens for balance.
In extension, the top chain propels forward while the bottom chain maintains stability and posture.
Many riders focus on the horse’s top chain (topline and neck shape) without addressing the bottom chain (core strength). This leads to an overactive top chain without correct bottom chain engagement. This can look like
Heavy movement on the forehand
Hollow or rushed gaits
Stiffness and crookedness
Tightness in the back and/or neck
Problems in the contact (mouth open, busy tongue, etc)
Rider discomfort
Understanding and developing both chains of the horse promotes correct biomechanics and efficient movement, improving performance and long-term soundness across all disciplines.
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Cross training
Bottom Chain: Lateral work, hill work, and transitions to engage the core, ground poles of various heights, transitioning from trot to walk, and back to trot, backing the horse up
Top Chain: working long-and-low in self-carriage in a relaxed frame. Ground work such as lunging or walking over obstacles of different heights encouraging the horse to stretch and use its back.
Ensuring proper activation of the bottom chain enables true engagement. This in turn strengthens the top chain (topline).
For example, transitioning from trot to walk, and back to trot, can be very beneficial.
Maintaining Your Horse for Optimal Performance and Longevity
Caring for a performance horse involves both static (baseline) and dynamic (active) management strategies. Here we will outline essential practices in each category to enhance your horse's performance, health, and longevity.
Static Management Practices (pertaining to horse management)
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Investing in a skilled farrier is crucial for optimum performance, soundness, and longevity. Remember; no hoof, no horse.
Baseline radiographs are useful to evaluate medial to lateral balance (inside to outside), hoof and pastern alignment, sole depth, and the structural integrity of the hoof. Horses with poor foot confirmation or chronic foot-related problems may benefit from regular x-rays to monitor for progress or negative changes.
Consider pads for added sole protection in the summer months when conditions become hard under foot. If your horse is barefoot or not shod behind, check regularly for heel pain as a horse with pain in both hind heels will not appear unsound, very common in the summer months
Horses with foot-related pain may have a choppy gait, braced neck, and/or reluctance to go forward.
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Regular assessment of saddle fit by an independent and trusted professional should be a priority as is shoeing or dentistry. Your horse’s shape can change with training and seasonal weight fluctuations, so your saddle should be checked for pressure points.
Saddle models and trees are conformed to suit different shaped horses and riders; however, the best saddle is the one that fits the horse first and the rider second.
Girth shape and material can also affect your horse’s comfort and ability to perform, as well as saddle stability, so chat with your saddle fitter about a girth that appropriately fits your horse. Riding with a loose girth will cause the saddle to slip, while riding with one too tight will restricted your horse’s performance.
Poor saddle/girth fit can look like reluctance to go forward, pigrooting, bucking, rearing, “girthiness”.
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In the Australian summer months, paddocks can often lack cushioning grass cover and become very compact and hard underfoot, contributing to poor performance and extended recovery times. Consider using rubber and/or bedding in shelters to give your horse a different surface to stand on. Stables should be lined with rubber or, if rubber is not possible, have deep enough bedding to keep the horse off the hard concrete.
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The way you use different riding surfaces is just as important as the integrity of the surface. For example, the type of work you do on the roads and trails will be a lot different to hill work or riding in the arena. Variations in surface are important for training a horse’s proprioception, which is spatial awareness and the ability to sense its body’s position and movement without relying on visual cues. This enables the horse to maintain balance, coordinate movements and navigate obstacles and uneven/inconsistent terrain. Horses who adapt to constant use of one type of surface are unprepared for variations on the ground and are more prone to injury.
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The quality of an arena surface is crucial for the performance, longevity and well-being of horses during training and competition. A well-designed surface must strike a balance between impact firmness and cushioning—this means supporting the hoof on top of the surface and providing effective shock absorption to protect the horse’s joints while allowing for optimal movement.
Additionally, the surface must offer adequate grip, ensuring that horses maintain traction with each stride, to prevent slipping, tripping and promote movement confidence.
Arena levelness and uniformity are essential for movement and mind confidence, supporting training and long-term soundness. An unpredictable footing surface affects both safety and performance. -
Consistent bodywork is essential for horses and contributes to their overall health, performance, and well-being. It could be the key component missing from your horse’s management.
Injury prevention
Horses can develop tension or imbalances due to training and physical/mental stressors. Being proactive with consistent bodywork sessions can help identify and treat these issues before they lead to poor performance or serious injuries.
Enhanced Performance
By addressing muscular imbalances and soft tissue restrictions through regular bodywork, horses often experience better posture, an improved range of motion and stride length. This can result in enhanced athletic performance in all disciplines.
Recovery Support
Bodywork aids recovery by promoting blood flow to muscles, reducing lactic acid build-up, and facilitating quicker healing from strains or minor injuries.
Stress Relief
Regular bodywork offers physical and psychological benefits, helping horses relax and let go of tension through touch therapy.
Behavioural Improvement
A horse that is comfortable in its own body is generally more willing to cooperate under saddle or during handling on the ground. Consistent bodywork will reduce behavioural issues stemming from pain or discomfort caused by musculoskeletal problems.
Overall Well-Being
Ultimately, consistent bodywork contributes significantly to a horse’s overall quality of life, as physical wellness often translates into better mental health as well. Consistent bodywork is a vital component of equine care that fosters physical health to enhance performance capabilities and long, happy careers.
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Provide a diet tailored to your horse's workload; consider keeping it slightly alkaline to promote better health. Investigate which ingredients are inflammatory to see if they can be replaced. Keep it simple and don’t be fooled by big brands and advertising.
Incorporate joint supplements as necessary based on activity levels and age-related considerations.
Dynamic Management Practices (pertaining to ridden management)
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It is important to understand the difference between fitness and strength, and to build both gradually. Fitness work could include interval training or sustained periods of relaxed trotting and cantering, road work and hill work. Strength or core training consists of lateral work and collected movements, transitions within the pace, transitions between each pace, ground poles of various heights, gymnastic jumping grids and static exercises such as carrot stretches. Never introduce a new exercise or increase the difficultly of an exercise while trying to increase fitness at the same time.
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Implement cross-training routines that focus on balancing muscle development across the top and bottom chains (e.g., back/core strength). This could include:
Work on a variety surfaces
Ridden pole work, small jumps and grids
Exercises targeting the core, carrot stretches, transitions; trot to canter, canter to trot
Groundwork exercises and pole work in-hand to target specific muscles and proprioception.
Correct lunging or long-reining
Cardio only training days to maintain fitness (long trails, hill work, extended arena work without difficult exercises)
Long distances of walking, trotting and cantering in straight lines helps to reset the body
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Effective exercise warm-up and recovery protocols are crucial for maintaining your horse's health, performance, and longevity. Correct warm-up and recovery will help reduce the risk of injury, enhance muscle repair, and prepare the horse for subsequent training sessions.
How do I know my horse is warmed up?
Warming up is to prepare the soft tissues and joints for more strenuous work. Often you will feel a change in attitude, the horse becoming more responsive and relaxed with a desire to get going. Always spend at least 10-15 minutes warming up with a gradual increase in activity level
When has my horse cooled down?
Technically when the heart rate is below 80 beats per minute and the rectal temp is below 40°C. A visual cue is when the breathing has slowed and the horse is no longer sweating. You should walk your horse under saddle or in hand until they have stopped puffing and sweating.
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Individualise Each Horse's Ridden Program
It is essential to tailor the riding program for each horse to optimise their performance and well-being. Evaluate how many rides per week are appropriate, taking into account the number of consecutive ridden days and planning for necessary rest days. Effective training requires an understanding of each horse's unique mental and physical needs, allowing you to determine when they require increased activity and when they need time to rest and recover.Always warm up for at least 10 – 15 mins with a gradual increase in activity levels
Integrate adequate walk breaks, breathers into every session to help manage fatigue
Vary activities within rides, alternating between different gaits and exercises.
Cool down post-ride similarly by allowing time at a lower intensity before concluding the session.
The horse should not be puffing when you get off.
