Raised walk poles - how do they benefit training and rehabilitation?
1. Increases limb joint flexion- pictures 1 and 3 show increased forelimb joint flexion and picture 4 shows increased hind limb joint flexion. Compare left hindlimb flexion in picture 4 to left hind limb flexion in picture 2, where the hindlimbs are yet to travel over the poles- it is reduced. Can you see how the flight arc of the left hind is reduced in picture 2 compared to picture 4 where it is preparing to negotiate the pole?
2. Hind limb flexion, engagement and gait pattern influences how the horse engages the back musculature. Compare the area just behind the numnah on pictures 2 (HL less flexion and engagement = muscles here not engaged) to pictures 4 and 5 (HLs are engaged = muscles are engaged). Also look at the line drawn to show the angle of the neck - compare this between when there is increased engagement of the hindlimb (pictures 4 and 5) and where there is not (picture 2). Engaging the hindlimb promotes self-carriage and works the musculature across the topline of the horse.
3. Picture 4 shows the increased forelimb protraction (seen in the increase forelimb stride length) and picture 5, the increased hindlimb protraction. By increasing the limb flexion and hindlimb engagement, the protraction phase of the stride is also increased, which improves the overall quality of the gait.
4. Core engagement- the walk is a 4 beat gait, meaning that each limb has its turn to be off the ground. While there is one limb off the ground, the horse is only being supported by the other three. This reduces the base of stability, which means that engagement of core musculature is increased to maintain balance. By raising the pole, the time each limb is off the ground is slightly longer than it would be in ground poles or no poles were used. This increase in time results in an increase in core engagement. Compare the abdominal muscles in picture 2 to that of pictures 3 and 4.
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