MARCH 2007 • VOLUME 19 • © HORSES For LIFE™ Magazine

So why is riding on the forehand so bad if the horse does it naturally???

First of all, what does being on the forehand exactly mean?

A horse has four legs. The two front legs are often referred to as the forehand, and the two back legs are often referred to as the hind end. Depending on how the weight of the horse is split - between the forehand and the hindlegs - determines whether or not we consider the horse to be on the forehand. The horse is considered on the forehand when more than 50% of his weight is on his forelegs. Most horses naturally carry about 60% of their weight on the forelegs.

When we look at the horse this seems quite obvious. The large torso, neck, and head are centered over the forelegs. Mother Nature has designed the horse in this manner. Having less weight on his hindlegs means they can be more active than his forelegs. In the world of the hunter and the hunted, freedom of the hind legs provide freedom for bursts of power required for survival.

The horse does not always carry the majority of his weight on his front end. The most obvious example is looking at the horse just before he goes over a jump when he pushes and thrusts his body with his two powerful hindlegs up and over the jump. We see this kind of power at the Spanish riding school in demonstrations of the Levade and the Courbette. But the majority of the time, most horses carry a greater percentage of their weight on their forehand.

Why is it then that as riders it is considered not good if the horse is on the forehand? After all, horses are on the forehand all the time.

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