The Horse in Positive Tension: Harnessing Equine Kinetic Energy for Top Performance

Everything you know
about riding and the horse's movement isn't what you think it is! Did you know
that:

- On a functional
level, traditional ways of teaching rider position and horse movement do not
actually work with the biomechanical system that is horse and rider?

- Use of the
inside rein does not encourage the horse to bend to the inside?

- Training exercises
and lessons that claim to be simple cannot be as easily applied as it might
seem?

In these pages,
physical therapist and equine movement specialist Stefan Stammer uses a
startlingly unique collection of color illustrations to make movement patterns
in the horse visible to the human eye, in order to help riders better
understand the principles of energy and motion happening within the horse. By
forming new mental images for the rider, Stammer's goal is to profoundly impact
the rider's daily work with her horse so that it is harder for her to make
common mistakes or interfere with the horse's natural mechanisms.

With his hind end
as his engine, the horse generates kinetic energy (the energy his body
possesses due to its motion). For optimal movement and performance, this energy
should flow through the horse's body to the horse's mouth, where it is
fine-tuned with the rein aids before cycling back to the hind end. However, this
movement flow is often unintentionally disrupted on its way through the horse
by the rider. When, however, the cycle of kinetic energy within the horse is
supported through the correct understanding and application of biomechanics--the
mechanical laws relating to his and his rider's movement and structure--the outer shape of horse and rider
together achieve "positive tension." This is the rhythmic stimulation of all
the neuromuscular functions necessary to perform harmoniously and at peak
ability.

Most importantly, once the rider understands the basic principles of
the biomechanics of a horse in movement, her "feeling" in the saddle will
improve. Better "feel" is an integral building block for the small and subtle
steps of progress, which should accompany a rider for her entire life with
horses. This smart, fascinatingly composed book is for any horseperson looking
to limit riding and training mistakes, grow an understanding of how the horse
best functions, and optimize equineability and performance.