{"id":28310,"date":"2021-01-20T14:20:40","date_gmt":"2021-01-20T13:20:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/?p=28310"},"modified":"2021-09-02T16:48:46","modified_gmt":"2021-09-02T15:48:46","slug":"strengthen-hindquarter-muscles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/en\/strengthen-hindquarter-muscles\/","title":{"rendered":"How to strengthen the hindquarter muscles of your horse"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Is it also your great pride to see that your horse has well developed hindquarters? For me it is the ultimate result of good bodybuilding and the sign of a well done job. In this article, I&#8217;ll explain you here how to strengthen hindquarter muscles of your horse<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After having written on the <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/en\/neck-muscles\/\" target=\"_blank\">neck<\/a>, <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/en\/strengthen-horse-shoulder-muscles\/\" target=\"_blank\">the shoulders<\/a>,&nbsp;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/en\/muscle-horse-chest\/\" target=\"_blank\">the chest<\/a>, <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/en\/muscles-back\/\" target=\"_blank\">the back and abs<\/a>, all was left was the hindquarters. Let&#8217;s see together how to make your horse&#8217;s hindquarters well developed.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But, as usual, let&#8217;s take it step by step. There are a few things to know beforehand<\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/equisense1.typeform.com\/to\/KORD7WKd#source_acquisition=Blog&amp;campaign_acquisition=Muscu_posterieurs_EN&amp;campaign_comm=TRC_rentree_2021&amp;medium_acquisition=Image=Muscu_posterieurs_EN&amp;campaign_comm=TRC_rentree_2021&amp;medium_acquisition=Image\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/CARTE-IN-APP-NOUVEAU-TRC-EN-1024x609.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-31041\" width=\"564\" height=\"335\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/CARTE-IN-APP-NOUVEAU-TRC-EN-1024x609.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/CARTE-IN-APP-NOUVEAU-TRC-EN-300x178.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/CARTE-IN-APP-NOUVEAU-TRC-EN-768x457.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/CARTE-IN-APP-NOUVEAU-TRC-EN-454x270.jpg 454w, https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/CARTE-IN-APP-NOUVEAU-TRC-EN-850x505.jpg 850w, https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/CARTE-IN-APP-NOUVEAU-TRC-EN.jpg 1495w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 564px) 100vw, 564px\" \/><\/a><figcaption>Click on the image to download the free Top Rider Challenge 2021. Take advantage of a detailed 15-day training program, to train with the discipline of champions!<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"toc_container\" class=\"no_bullets\"><p class=\"toc_title\">Table des mati&egrave;res<\/p><ul class=\"toc_list\"><li><a href=\"#1-8211-Small-parallel-between-human-and-horse\">#1 &#8211; Small parallel between human and horse<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#2-8211-Reciprocal-Apparatus-a-specificity-of-the-horse\">#2 &#8211; Reciprocal Apparatus, a specificity of the horse<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#3-8211-Why-do-some-horses-have-pointier-or-flatter-buttocks-than-others\">#3 &#8211; Why do some horses have pointier or flatter buttocks than others?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#4-8211-The-muscles-of-the-horse8217s-hindquarters\">#4 &#8211; The muscles of the horse&#8217;s hindquarters<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#5-exercises-to-strengthen-your-horse8217s-hindquarters\">#5 exercises to strengthen your horse&#8217;s hindquarters<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n<h2><span id=\"1-8211-Small-parallel-between-human-and-horse\"><b>#1 &#8211; Small parallel between human and horse<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Firstly,<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> let&#8217;s start by doing a bit of anatomy, but comparing human and horse so that you understand fully.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As with the rest of their anatomy, humans and horses are very similar. The only thing here is that the proportions are very different and their pelvis is not oriented like ours because they are quadrupeds.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Thus, their hock actually corresponds to our heel. And their stifle is actually our knee<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image wp-image-3073 size-full\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1000\" height=\"628\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Anatomie_comparee.png\" alt=\"Comparison between the bones of the horse's hindquarters and the human legs\" class=\"wp-image-28311\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Anatomie_comparee.png 1000w, https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Anatomie_comparee-300x188.png 300w, https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Anatomie_comparee-768x482.png 768w, https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Anatomie_comparee-430x270.png 430w, https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Anatomie_comparee-850x534.png 850w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption>\u00a9Equisense<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, the horse has a particularity that you must kn<\/span>ow:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><span id=\"2-8211-Reciprocal-Apparatus-a-specificity-of-the-horse\"><b>#2 &#8211; Reciprocal Apparatus, a specificity of the horse<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The horse has an anatomical peculiarity that it is interesting to explain here. It is called <strong>&#8220;The reciprocal apparatus&#8221;<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In fact, the reciprocal apparatus <strong>is a ligament and tendon system that strengthens the joints of the stifle, hock and fetlock.<\/strong> These three joints are <strong>dependent on each other<\/strong> thanks to these two structures: the <strong>peroneus tertius muscle<\/strong><\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">that connects the lower femur to the middle of the cannon bone. And the <strong>superficial flexor of the finger<\/strong> that goes from the femur to the pastern, passing through the hock.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1000\" height=\"628\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Appareil_reciproque.png\" alt=\"reciproqual apparatus on horses\" class=\"wp-image-28314\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Appareil_reciproque.png 1000w, https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Appareil_reciproque-300x188.png 300w, https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Appareil_reciproque-768x482.png 768w, https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Appareil_reciproque-430x270.png 430w, https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Appareil_reciproque-850x534.png 850w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As they are rather rigid structures, <strong>when the stifle is bent, the peroneus tertius muscle<\/strong> will mechanically drive the cannon bone and thus the hock will flex. And as the hock will flex, it will drive the pastern backwards to flex the stifle.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And it&#8217;s the same in extension!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1000\" height=\"628\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/appareil_reciproque_bis.png\" alt=\"reciproqual apparatus on horses\" class=\"wp-image-28317\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/appareil_reciproque_bis.png 1000w, https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/appareil_reciproque_bis-300x188.png 300w, https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/appareil_reciproque_bis-768x482.png 768w, https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/appareil_reciproque_bis-430x270.png 430w, https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/appareil_reciproque_bis-850x534.png 850w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Imagine, <strong>it&#8217;s as if by bending the knee, the tip of your foot was raised and your toes automatically bended<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, no need to look for the muscles under the hock, there are none! Whereas we have muscles located at the level of the foot sole to move the toes.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is it for?<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In fact it is the evidence of the adaptation of the horse to the race and therefore to the high speed gaits. It allows the horse to mobilize the entire lower joints of the hind leg solely through the muscles of the thigh. It is therefore a fabulous energy saver necessary to go fast<\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1000\" height=\"479\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/appareil_reciproque_ter.png\" alt=\"flexion and extension example\" class=\"wp-image-28320\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/appareil_reciproque_ter.png 1000w, https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/appareil_reciproque_ter-300x144.png 300w, https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/appareil_reciproque_ter-768x368.png 768w, https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/appareil_reciproque_ter-564x270.png 564w, https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/appareil_reciproque_ter-850x407.png 850w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2><span id=\"3-8211-Why-do-some-horses-have-pointier-or-flatter-buttocks-than-others\"><b>#3 &#8211; Why do some horses have pointier or flatter buttocks than others?<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I didn&#8217;t talk much about conformation in the previous articles, but here I find that the conformation of the hindquarters is much more noticeable than the shoulder for example. So it deserves a few words so that you can quickly understand why your horse <strong>has a flat buttock, or on the contrary, why he has a pointed croup<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In fact, these differences in appearance are due to the <strong>relative conformation<\/strong> between <strong>the sacral vertebrae, pelvis and femur<\/strong>. Depending on the<strong> length and inclination <\/strong>of these different parts, the appearance and locomotor qualities will not be the same.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In fact, these different conformations have an impact on the <strong>potential of the horses<\/strong> and <strong>the difficulty you will have to muscle them<\/strong>, but not really on the way to do it. The exercises remain the same<\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I will discuss the importance of conformation in a future article.<\/span> For now, let&#8217;s focus on how to strengthen the hindquarter muscles!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><span id=\"4-8211-The-muscles-of-the-horse8217s-hindquarters\"><b>#4 &#8211; The muscles of the horse&#8217;s hindquarters<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here is the important part. The muscles of the hindquarters are actually divided into 3 groups:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>hip or pelvic muscles<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>thigh muscles<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>leg muscles<\/strong><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let&#8217;s see in detail these three groups and how to strengthen them!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><strong>Hip Muscles<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These are the muscles <strong>that mobilize the femur<\/strong>. The most visible of them are <strong>those that shape the croup<\/strong>. These are the <strong>gluteus medius and superficial gluteal muscles<\/strong>. They are attached to the top of the lumbar vertebrae and end at the top of the femur. They thus make it possible to put the hip in extension (to make the hind legs go backwards).<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"450\" height=\"628\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/muscles-de-la-hanche.png\" alt=\"horse's hindquarter muscles and how to strengthen them\" class=\"wp-image-28323\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/muscles-de-la-hanche.png 450w, https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/muscles-de-la-hanche-215x300.png 215w, https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/muscles-de-la-hanche-193x270.png 193w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\"><p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;In the horse, [the gluteus medius] <strong>is the most effective extender of the body and the most decisive agent in propulsion and relaxation.&#8221;<\/strong><\/span><\/i><\/p><cite>Jean Marie Denoix<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The buttocks also have the function of being <strong>abductors<\/strong>. That is to say that <strong>they stretch the hind leg outwards<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For hip flexion, it is the Iliopsoas muscle that takes care of it! Do you remember it? We talked about it in <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/en\/muscles-back\/\" target=\"_blank\">the article about back and abs muscles<\/a>! <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\"><p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;[\u2026] It is the most effective agent of hip flexion. <strong>It is therefore the ultimate hind leg engagement muscle<\/strong>&#8220;<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Jean-Marie Denoix<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"943\" height=\"628\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/photo_fesse.png\" alt=\"horse's hindquarter muscles and how to strengthen them\" class=\"wp-image-28326\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/photo_fesse.png 943w, https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/photo_fesse-300x200.png 300w, https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/photo_fesse-768x511.png 768w, https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/photo_fesse-405x270.png 405w, https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/photo_fesse-850x566.png 850w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 943px) 100vw, 943px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3><strong>Thigh Muscles<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They are called <strong>femoral muscles<\/strong> because they are around the \u2026 shin ! Obviously it\u2019s a joke. They are around <strong>the femur of course<\/strong>!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They are further divided into 3 groups: <strong>cranial \/ caudal \/ medial femorals<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>The cranial femorals <\/strong>are therefore in front of the femur.<strong> <\/strong>They are used to <strong>flex the hip <\/strong>and to<strong> put the stifle in extension. <\/strong>Among them is the <strong>Femoral Quadriceps.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> <\/span>The caudal femorals<\/strong> are behind the femur. These are the ones that are well drawn in horses that are a little thin. They <strong>form two masses behind the buttocks<\/strong>. Depending on the moment of the stride, t<strong>heir function will be different<\/strong>. Simply put, they mobilize <strong>the stifle and the hip<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Finally, the medial femorals are on the <strong>inside of the thigh<\/strong>. They play <strong>the role of adductor<\/strong> and thus bring the <strong>hind leg inwards<\/strong>!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"450\" height=\"628\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/muscles-de-la-cuisse.png\" alt=\"horse's hindquarter muscles and how to strengthen them\" class=\"wp-image-28329\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/muscles-de-la-cuisse.png 450w, https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/muscles-de-la-cuisse-215x300.png 215w, https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/muscles-de-la-cuisse-193x270.png 193w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3><strong>Leg Muscles<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They are the ones who are <strong>around the shin<\/strong>. They end in long tendons which are attached on the hock itself, or on the top of the cannon bone, or even below the pastern, on the phalanges.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Their role will therefore be <strong>to bend or extend the hock and the fetlock<\/strong><\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I will pass a little bit quickly on their intervention in the different movements.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"460\" height=\"628\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/muscles-de-la-jambe.png\" alt=\"horse's hindquarter muscles and how to strengthen them\" class=\"wp-image-28332\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/muscles-de-la-jambe.png 460w, https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/muscles-de-la-jambe-220x300.png 220w, https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/muscles-de-la-jambe-198x270.png 198w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 460px) 100vw, 460px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2><span id=\"5-exercises-to-strengthen-your-horse8217s-hindquarters\"><b>#5 exercises to strengthen your horse&#8217;s hindquarters<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now that you know all the muscles and their roles, <strong>let&#8217;s see how to develop them<\/strong>. Here are 5 exercises to strengthen your horse&#8217;s hindquarters.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>All these exercises can be found on our Equisense mobile application! It is free, don&#8217;t hesitate to download it on your mobile phone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/equisense.com\/products\/motion-sport?variant=39499137941546&amp;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Image&amp;utm_campaign=barrage_EN\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"587\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/e\u0301cran-app_EN-1024x587.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-31738\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/e\u0301cran-app_EN-1024x587.png 1024w, https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/e\u0301cran-app_EN-300x172.png 300w, https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/e\u0301cran-app_EN-768x440.png 768w, https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/e\u0301cran-app_EN-471x270.png 471w, https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/e\u0301cran-app_EN-850x487.png 850w, https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/e\u0301cran-app_EN.png 1041w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><figcaption>Measure your horse&#8217;s cardio and the quality of your courses with <a href=\"https:\/\/equisense.com\/products\/motion-sport?variant=39499137941546&amp;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Texte&amp;utm_campaign=barrage_EN\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Equisense Motion Sport<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/equisense.com\/?utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Image&amp;utm_campaign=Muscu_posterieurs_EN\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"324\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Bannie\u0300re_blog_2_EN-1024x324.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-29942\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Bannie\u0300re_blog_2_EN-1024x324.png 1024w, https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Bannie\u0300re_blog_2_EN-300x95.png 300w, https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Bannie\u0300re_blog_2_EN-768x243.png 768w, https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Bannie\u0300re_blog_2_EN-1536x486.png 1536w, https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Bannie\u0300re_blog_2_EN-2048x649.png 2048w, https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Bannie\u0300re_blog_2_EN-604x191.png 604w, https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Bannie\u0300re_blog_2_EN-850x269.png 850w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3><strong>Exercise #1 &#8211; Working on slopes<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>And yes, as for us, working uphill and downhill makes for<strong> incredible buttocks.<\/strong> You don&#8217;t need complicated exercises to strengthen the hindquarter muscles of your horse.<br>When going uphill, the horse has to use a lot more force to propel themselves forward. It is therefore a very good exercise to<strong> develop in concentric contraction the buttocks,<\/strong> especially the<strong> gluteus medius<\/strong> (the largest), and the <strong>caudal femorals.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><strong>Exercise #2 &#8211; Reinback<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reinback, as I have already mentioned in the article on back and abdominal muscles, is a very good exercise to <strong>strengthen the Iliopsoas muscle<\/strong>. So, you will have understood it, to improve the engagement of the hind legs, which is  The principle is that it makes it work <strong>&#8220;in fixed point inversion&#8221;<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When the horse moves forward, the fixed point of the Iliopsoas is the vertebrae and ilium (the pelvis). The mobile point is the femur. It will pull the femur forward. When the horse moves backwards, it is the opposite! I<\/span>ndeed, <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the fixed point becomes the femur, the mobile point becomes the spine and the pelvis. <strong>The muscle will therefore have to pull the horse&#8217;s body backwards, which is much more difficult.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The principle of fixed point inversion<\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To picture this exercise, imagine you are lying on your stomach at the end of your bed, your arms hanging in the air and mimic the movement of push-ups with your arms. Too easy! Very roughly, in this case the fixed point is your body and the mobile point is your arms. Now really do push-ups. Now it&#8217;s a little less easy\u2026 because you&#8217;ve inverted the fixed point (your hands) and the moving point (your body). Reinback is the same principle.<\/span> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Body-Building<\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In addition to the work of the iliopsoas, reinback allows the <strong>caudal femorals and the gluteus medius<\/strong> to work in concentric contraction since they will allow the hind leg to retract (the fact that the hind leg is going backwards)!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Also, you can combine <strong>reinback with a fast trot start<\/strong> to make it a <strong>&#8220;plyometrics&#8221;<\/strong> exercise. It works the explosive power of the muscles by quickly <strong>linking concentric and eccentric contractions<\/strong>. So it&#8217;s a great exercise to strengthen the hindquarter muscles.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Trot_arret_reculer_EN.png\" alt=\"Trot-halt-reinback, an exercise to strengthen hindquarter muscles\" class=\"wp-image-30190\" width=\"452\" height=\"380\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Trot_arret_reculer_EN.png 602w, https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Trot_arret_reculer_EN-300x253.png 300w, https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Trot_arret_reculer_EN-321x270.png 321w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 452px) 100vw, 452px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Reining back <\/strong>trains the<strong> psoas-iliac, the femoral caudals and the gluteus medius<\/strong> in a very intense way! Even more when followed by an <strong>energetic start at trot.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Exercise #3 &#8211; Jumping at walk<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The jumps at the step are <strong>extraordinary to muscle the buttocks <\/strong>as well. Compared to jumps at trot or canter, jumps at walk have the advantage that they require <strong>a lot more strength because of the lack of speed<\/strong> when approaching. It is therefore a very good exercise to <strong>develop explosivity and therefore to gain muscle volume<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To do this, go on a small obstacle at walk. The obstacle should be really small at the start, then make it higher as your horse understands the exercise. <strong>Be extremely flexible in your hands<\/strong> (almost do it with loose reins). <strong>The jump will likely be quite strong<\/strong>. Consequently, don&#8217;t hesitate to hold the mane at the beginning.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Saut_pas_EN.png\" alt=\"Jumping from walk, an exercise to strengthen hindquarter muscles\" class=\"wp-image-30193\" width=\"452\" height=\"380\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Saut_pas_EN.png 602w, https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Saut_pas_EN-300x253.png 300w, https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Saut_pas_EN-321x270.png 321w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 452px) 100vw, 452px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>The whole of the muscles of the hindquarters is solicited to make the horse jump and to propel them. <\/strong>It is an extremely complete exercise. It will also allow horses that rush to learn to jump slowly, gradually restoring their self-confidence. Horses that don&#8217;t break down their jumps enough will also find it a great advantage.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Jumping from walk <\/strong>helps developing muscles of the buttocks in volume and makes the horse gain in explosiveness!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><strong>Exercise #4 &#8211; Raised staggered poles<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>The raised poles in all three gaits <\/strong>actually accentuate the<strong> normal movement of the limbs during the stride.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The hind legs will therefore &#8220;move back more&#8221;, making the gluteus medius, femoral and caudal leg muscles work. They will bend harder and will have to go forwards, working the iliopsoas, cranial femorals and cranial leg muscles.<\/span> This all together will allow to strengthen the hindquarter muscles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Barres_surelevees_EN.png\" alt=\"Raised staggered poles, an exercise to strengthen hindquarter muscles\" class=\"wp-image-30196\" width=\"452\" height=\"380\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Barres_surelevees_EN.png 602w, https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Barres_surelevees_EN-300x253.png 300w, https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Barres_surelevees_EN-321x270.png 321w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 452px) 100vw, 452px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is a <strong>very good routine exercise<\/strong> to do almost without moderation!<\/span> <strong>Raised staggered poles <\/strong>help <strong>accentuating the movement of the limbs<\/strong>.The limbs have to flex more, move more forward, and more backwards.<strong> It\u2019s great for the hindquarters in general<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><strong>Exercise #5 &#8211; Lateral Movements<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Finally, lateral movements are perfect <strong>for working on adduction <\/strong>(pulling the leg inwards) and <strong>abduction<\/strong> (moving the hind leg outwards). Therefore, they will allow the <strong>development of the medial femorals <\/strong>(those in the inner thigh), which will <strong>act as adductors.<\/strong> And the gluteus medius accompanied by some cranial femorals which play the role of abductors!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Mouv_lateral_EN-2.png\" alt=\"Lateral movements, an exercise to strengthen hindquarter muscles\" class=\"wp-image-30187\" width=\"452\" height=\"380\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Mouv_lateral_EN-2.png 602w, https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Mouv_lateral_EN-2-300x253.png 300w, https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Mouv_lateral_EN-2-321x270.png 321w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 452px) 100vw, 452px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Lateral movements <\/strong>are great to strengthen the buttocks. Indeed, they will develop <strong>the muscles of the inside of the thigh<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Not all lateral movements make the muscles work in the same way. However, <strong>all of them are good for a complete training<\/strong>!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I refer you to the article that deals in depth with this subject for more information: <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/en\/lateral-movements\/\" target=\"_blank\">7 reasons to train lateral movements everyday<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are the exercises you can do to strengthen the hindquarter muscles of your horse. Send us pictures when your horses have a &#8220;bulging butt&#8221;<\/span>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">See you soon for a next article<br><\/span><strong>Camille Saute<br>Scientific Director at Equisense<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sources<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">J.-M. Denoix, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Biom\u00e9canique et gymnastique du cheval<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Paris, France: Vigot, 2014.<br><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Courbette : \u00a9Alain Laurioux, IFCE<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\">Photo de couverture : \u00a9Nathalie Hupin &#8211; Equisense<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Is it also your great pride to see that your horse has well developed hindquarters?&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/en\/strengthen-hindquarter-muscles\/\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":30202,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0},"categories":[6179],"tags":[10340,10321,7211],"yst_prominent_words":[753,6337,7763,6681,7765,7868,815,855,808,8338,8337,7751],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28310"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=28310"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28310\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":31045,"href":"https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28310\/revisions\/31045"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/30202"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=28310"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=28310"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=28310"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.equisense.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=28310"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}