Getting right down to the core elements of rider position, effect and influence, Anatomy of Dressage by Heinrich Schusdziarra and Volker Schusdziarra is a staple of the dressage (or any!) rider to truly understand their body in the saddle and how best to use it to for desired effect. Originally translated from German and now co-published …
The Croup
The croup on the horse is identified as the area along the topline from the loins to the base of the tale. From the side, the point of the croup should be in alignment with or just behind the point of the hip which is the bony protrusion at the front of the haunches which …
The Shoulder
There is more to the shoulder than meets the eye. Firstly, it is important to realize that the horse’s shoulder is not actually attached to the spine by a collar bone as it is in humans. Instead, the shoulder is attached to and supports the weight of the front end by sheets of muscle. These …
The Stifle
The stifle joint of the horse is designed similarly to the human knee, in that it is the joint between the femur (thigh bone) and the tibia, with a “knee cap,” the patella, that resides in the front of the joint. The stifle joint can be identified at the front of the hind leg, just …