A Good Hind Leg 

A commonly heard term in and around the dressage scene is that horse has a “good hind leg.” This refers to an “active” hind end of the horse. A good hind leg reaches under the horse’s center of gravity and provides forward impulsion and suspension in the gait (or overtrack at the walk, or scope in the jump). This is often characterized by distinctive, flashy action. Conformation and training are both major factors in a horse’s use of its hindquarters.

Some trainers talk about the rotation of the pelvis to facilitate a good hind leg, but this is incorrect. The “rotation” is actually flexion of the lumbo-sacral joint, which is very minimal. The action of the stifle is much more important. If the stifle flexes forward under the horses body, the rest of the hind end and lower back will follow suit. A good stifle angle is therefore essential to a hind leg with driving power, more so than any other joint angle (although if a horse has a good stifle angle it is likely to have good angles elsewhere).  

A horse’s shoulder angle will also affect the hind leg. If a horse has a very straight or stiff shoulder, there is nowhere for the impulsion created by the hindquarters to go. This will impede the use of the hind end. Luckily, even a straight shoulder can be suppled by good training and body work to allow movement to travel all the way through a horse’s body.

Croup angle is another important factor. I would argue that it is more important than any other conformational factor. I have taught a horse with a straight shoulder and straight stifles/hocks to passage,  just by facilitating a strong croup and active lower back. A too-straight croup can prevent the horse from utilizing the limited flexion of the lower back that would otherwise be available and keeps the hind legs farther out behind the horse, not matter how good the angles are. In other words, a too straight croup can prevent the horse from being able to “sit” and push forward. These horses may have extravagant hock action (some Arabians) but less driving power.

Some horses naturally have a good hind leg. These horses often have ideal angles in their hind end conformation (not just the stifle) a supple back and a loose shoulder. This presents a stunning picture. Think elite auction horses, or the equine equivalent of absurdly talented dancers with stunning posture. Most horses are not so naturally gifted. The horses that are not born with movement for a 10 can be taught to coordinate their bodies to achieve the same goals as more naturally talented horses. The place to start is developing the lower back, or the lumbar region of the back. The development of muscles here will open a window for the horse to begin to healthily develop as an athlete. It will enable the horse to begin to lift with its abdominals and facilitate the correct use of the thoracic sling and topline of muscles to support the rider in self-carriage. Basically, the horse with a good hind leg has good posture, and horses can be taught to have good posture.