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Biomechanical sessions available: Rider Biomechanics - A 360 Approach; Biomechanics-Based Coaching; Equine Gait Analysis; Rider Pilates
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The Biomechanics of Pole Work Exercise with Dr Russell MacKechnie-Guire In horses, poles placed on the ground or raised above the ground are advocated as part of a conditioning programme to improve joint range of motion, develop core strength and activate/strengthen back muscles. Stepping over a pole is a complex motor skill requiring neuromotor control and proprioceptive stimuli. Visual perception determining the position and size of the obstacle is required. The neuromotor control system makes decisions and relays commands to the peripheral nervous system, resulting in an appropriate muscular response being made to ensure the obstacle is cleared. Pole work exercises are commonly used in equine training/rehabilitation programmes to build core strength and improve limb flexion. Ground/raised poles are thought to be beneficial for:
Centaur Biomechanics was found in 2006 by Dr. Russell MacKechnie-Guire who graduated from Warwickshire College in 2006 with a BSc (Hons) in Equine and Human Sports Science and now holds a PhD in Equine Biomechanics graduating from the Royal Veterinary College in 2019. Russell’s thesis was titled ‘The Relationship between Saddle and Rider Kinematics, Equine Locomotion, and Thoracolumbar Pressures in Sports Horses’.
Centaur Biomechanics