My symmetry rating is low, what does that mean?
Your horse’s symmetry may vary from one training session to another without actually being a sign of lameness.
So don't panic! If your horse’s symmetry drops one day, first try to understand what could have affected your horse’s rating during the session. Was it just an isolated problem or was it actually a deterioration in its movements?
Several factors can affect your horse’s symmetry.
External factors, meaning the environment that could affect your training session:
- the ground is not comfortable to walk on (for example because it is stony)
- your material (a poorly adjusted saddle is a saddle that bothers your horse and alters his locomotion)
- or even you
I hate to break it to you, but actually, if you yourself are asymmetrical, for example your hands or your seat, or in your movements, you can cause locomotive asymmetry in your horse.
Internal factors that are specific to your horse can affect the symmetry:
- foot pain
- muscle fatigue or osteoarticular problems
- etc.
It’s up to you to look at the objective data of your Motion and compare it to your impressions in order to analyze and understand what could be bothering your horse!
