Then films of Johnson and two other top runners, Carl Lewis and a sprinter
from England, were overlaid over this computer generated runner. The form
Lewis and the British runner were close but did not exactly match the
computer generated runner. Johnson exactly matched the form of the
computer generated model. This surprised everyone involved in track. What
was thought to be unorthodox and awkward turned out to be the most
physically efficient running form.
While I think we have some understanding of the horse and "proper frame", I
am not willing to claim we know everything. A horse may be much more
efficient as a physical device in a slightly hollowed back position and
maybe not. I don't think we know. But what is clear when you add the
saddle and a rider you interfer with this position. Training, riding style
and saddle all become a trade off - probably without a good answer. Maybe
this is why the sports saddle works well for lighter weight riders.
Just a few observations from the human world.
>
>At first, the horse has to work to stay in a nice frame. But as
>they work up to it, it becomes easier to stay there, and the benefit
>for them is that they can last longer in the correct frame than if
>they were running around with a hollow back. Sort of like a baby
>learning to walk. They can crawl real fast. Then they learn to
>walk, and fall. They crawl for awhile till they figure out the
>mechanics and suddenly they can run. But we as the riders have
>to teach our horses how to carry themselves correctly.
>The benefit for us as riders is that the trot turns into a very
>smooth and easy to ride gait. Which makes our backs feel better,
>and makes their backs better because we aren't pounding on them.
>
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The race is not always to the swift, but to those that keep running.
Truman and Mystic "The Horse from HELL" Storm
and Danson "The Demon in Training" Flame
prevatt@lds.loral.com - Sarasota, Florida
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