APPROACHDr Lindsay St George, PhD in equine biomechanicsAs the horse approaches the fence, he shortens his stride and decreases the speed in an attempt to gather energy and become a bit of a coiled spring. The reduction of speed is generally produced by the forelimbs, which impact the ground at a more acute angle, decreasing the forward velocity and initiating development of vertical (upward) velocity. The head and neck stretch forward to lower the centre of mass, while the fetlocks extend, stretching the elastic structures (i.e. These act as energy-storage devices, storing elastic strain energy, almost like stretching a rubber band, and then releasing it. As a horse approaches the fence it shortens its stride and decreases speed Phil Mingo/PPAUK for The TimesPaddy Brennan, Gold Cup-winning jockeyI like to see the fence ten strides away,…

Source: The Times March 11, 2019 17:03 UTC