The 'Trot Up' - Part 2 - The Trot

The Trot Up – why do we do it and what am I looking for❓

There are exceptions, however in most cases when I visit your horse I will ask to see them ‘Trotted up’

This is really a ‘slang’ term for a Locomotion Assessment.

As I only get a relatively short time to spend assessing and treating your horse I will start with a basic Locomotion Assessment and I will ask to see the following, on a hard surface and in a straight line.

▪️Walk

▪️Trot

▪️A small circle around the handler in each direction

▪️Back-up

(I can then always ask to see more if necessary)

The Locomotion Assessment is to firstly help me quantify if the horse has any lameness and if it has if I should continue with the Assessment & Treatment of if the horse should in fact be referred to a vet 🏥

In majority of cases there is no obvious lameness requiring veterinary care, and I am actually assessing minor restrictions and asymmetries in a horse’s movement that will benefit from Equine Massage Therapy ✔️

So what am I then looking for in each of these movements and what can the Locomotion Assessment tell me❓

Today I am going to focus on the Trot

In the Trot I am looking for:

▪️An even 1,2 rhythm using diagonal pairs of limbs (Right Hind & Left Fore, Left Hind & Right Fore)

▪️For the hind foot and diagonal fore foot to meet the ground at the same time

▪️Even rise and fall of the pelvis

▪️Even rise and fall of the hocks and fetlocks

▪️Straightness and symmetry through the back and ribcage (as we are assessing on a straight line)

▪️Even protraction and retraction of each limb, the angle of the hind limb and diagonal fore limb should mirror each other

▪️Head held centrally and moving slightly in a relaxed manner, the head should be much more still in the trot compared to the walk

▪️Tail held softly and centrally

▪️Relaxation through the back and ribcage

▪️A slightly heel first landing of the feet

▪️For the limbs to have minimal and even rotation in the ‘swing’ phase

▪️For the limbs not to twist in the ‘stance’ phase

▪️No toe ticking, dragging, over reach or forging

▪️The trot is useful for assessing stability and strength in the horse

▪️The transition from walk to trot should be smooth with no reluctance to trot, 'hopping' into the trot or raising of the head and neck

So you can see there is lots to observe just in the Trot.

Often the trot shows up any asymmetries in the horse more obviously than the walk.

This is because the limbs are used symmetrically within the gait.

The way your horse moves in the trot can give me a good indication of how straight your horse may feel under saddle when you ride them 🏇

Assessing the trot can also give me an idea of how your horse is likely to feel when I get my hands on them and where they may have restrictions and asymmetries in the soft tissue.

This can help me to detect areas of tension more quickly as well as compensation patterns in the horse’s body.

There are many common compensations patterns that horses have, however every horse is an individual, and it’s surprising how horses can adapt their bodies to compensate for an issue❗️

Some horses still surprise me and so watching them move can be key to putting the pieces of the puzzle together in order to come up with an effective treatment and therapy plan ✔️

Look out for my next post coming soon where we will have a look at what I am looking for in the small Turns during the locomotion assessment 👀

Jess | Jessica Limpkin Equine Massage Therapy