Why Fast Work is Beneficial for all Horses

Nothing quite compares to the exhilaration of a good gallop — the feel of fresh air on your skin and the rhythm of your horse hooves hitting the ground. As well as being great fun, fast work plays a critical role in a horse's physical development and overall well-being. In this article, we’ll explore the biomechanics of gallop, why incorporating fast work is essential for your horse’s health and how fitness helps promote all-round well-being in all horses.

The Biomechanics of Gallop

Often described as “thundering,” gallop is a four-beat gait with a brief moment of suspension, which is sometimes difficult to see. It’s a naturally extended and asymmetrical movement, allowing the horse to cover far more ground than at canter. At full gallop, a racehorse can reach speeds of 25–30 mph, with stride lengths of 7–8 meters and up to three strides per second.

At these speeds, breathing is coupled with stride. Respiration is limited by the stride rate – up to 180 breaths per minute. Also, at gallop, muscles contract faster than in any other gait, making it good for improving muscular and neurological reactions.

The footfalls

Left Lead: Right Hind : Left Hind : Right Fore : Left Fore : suspension

Right Lead: Left Hind : Right Hind : Left Fore : Right Fore: suspension

The Role of the Head, Neck, and Spine

During gallop, the horse's head and neck must be allowed to stretch and move freely. This action contributes to momentum, opens the airways for maximum oxygen intake, aids in balance, and helps manage shifts in the centre of mass.

The back and hindquarters also play key roles. As the horse gallops, uninhibited hip extension and a maximum stride length drive the body forward. The spine flexes and extends significantly more than in canter. This gives some horses an almost ‘cheetah like’ action.

The Benefits of Fast Work

Every horse can benefit from doing fast work – it’s good for:

• Maximising lung capacity and improving cardiovascular fitness

• Improving coordination and speed of muscular reaction and contraction

• Suppling the hip and vertebral joints

• Toning the pelvic, back and abdominal muscles

• Improving muscular strength, power and fitness

Fast work can encourage the horse to think and move forwards with enthusiasm. This can prevent him from becoming stale in his work.

Fitness Before Fast Work

Before introducing fast work, your horse must be fit enough. Basic cardiovascular fitness is essential not only for performance, it also helps to strengthen the ribcage and back where you sit – plus it improves abdominal strength and tone.

Regardless of your discipline, your horse must be physically prepared. A well-planned fitness programme strengthens musculoskeletal structures, improves performance, and lowers the risk of injury. This is especially vital for young or previously untrained horses, who must build strength gradually before facing the physical demands of advanced training.

Carrying a Rider and Why Fitness Matters

When a rider sits on a horse, the added weight alters the horse’s posture, typically extending the back. The pressure from the saddle also compresses the ribs, which stretches a key muscle called the dorsal serrate. That’s why fitness is so important - strong back and breathing muscles help the horse maintain posture and avoid strain.

This interesting topic is covered in depth in the on-demand lecture demonstration, Riding from the Anatomical Perspective

Riding from the Anatomical Perspective

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When you think of the muscles of the back, you’ll recognise the name longissimus dorsi but you may not be quite so familiar with the dorsal serrate muscle or the rib levator muscles.

Let’s take a closer look at each of them.

• Longissimus dorsi is the main bulk of muscle in the back, it lies above the ribs and either side of the spinous processes. As the name suggests it’s very long - starting underneath the pelvis at the sacrum and runs all the way through to the fourth cervical vertebrae. This is a large gymnastic muscle responsible for big movements. Whenever the horse extends his hip joint and pushes himself forward this muscle is recruited.

• Dorsal serrate is a very thin muscle that attaches from the ribs just to the side of the longissimus dorsi and then comes up to the tops of the spinous processes. Left and right sides are connected by fascia over the spine. This is quite a special muscle because its fibres go across the main bulky muscles of the back which lie parallel to the spine. Its main function is to help lift the ribs in inspiration.

  
  

• Rib levator is a smaller muscle that assist in expanding the rib cage during breathing.

Strong respiratory muscles like the dorsal serrate play a critical role in supporting the back and promote better posture. That’s why fast work, which increases breathing rate is one of the most effective ways to strengthen them. It's for this reason that all horses benefit from cardiovascular conditioning and good all-round fitness is an important aspect of protecting your horse’s body and keeping it healthy.

Fast Work is A Tool for Total Health

Incorporating gallop and other fast work into your training routine is not just about speed—it’s about building a stronger, more resilient horse. As well as improving the performance of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems it will also help to:

• Train all the anatomical systems

• Improve musculoskeletal fitness

• Boost muscle strength and suppleness

• Build core strength

• Enhance back strength

• Improve bone strength

• Condition cartilage, tendons and ligaments

• Enhance nerve conditioning, proprioception and coordination

The Risks of Fast Work and How to Reduce Them

Gallop places considerable stress on your horse’s body. Each limb must absorb forces exceeding three times the horse’s body weight. This puts tremendous demand on the muscles, tendons, and ligaments.

The greatest risk of injury occurs when the horse's core is weak and the horse becomes fatigued - shifting the burden from muscles to connective tissue. That’s why foundational fitness is so important. A gradual, well-structured training plan is your best safeguard against overload and injury.

To minimise the risk of injury

• Only gallop if you and your horse are fit, confident and can stay in balance and control

• Warm up thoroughly before galloping

• Ensure that the environment is safe and the surface consistent and appropriate

• Only gallop for short periods of time relative to fitness and condition

• Do not gallop a tired horse

• Pull up slowly in a straight line and decelerate through the paces to allow the muscles to adjust

• Walk for at least twenty minutes after the heart rate has returned to normal to allow the complete removal of toxins from the blood

• Leave at least four days between fast work sessions to allow muscles to recover

If suitable conditions are not available, interval training and fast work in the form of extended canter can be performed in a school. This may also be more appropriate for over excitable horses or nervous riders.

 Fast work is a conditioning tool but it’s also a cornerstone of your horse’s physical development. By understanding the biomechanics of gallop and the importance of fitness, you’ll not only enhance your horse’s performance but protect their long-term health.

Keen to Learn More?

There are many more resources available from Horses Inside Out if you would like to further your knowledge. We highly recommend the following three books:

Anatomy in Action is a comprehensive study of horse movement from the anatomical perspective. It will help to improve your understanding of equine locomotion and biomechanics, as well as your ability to assess horse movement.

Anatomy in Action - The Complete Collection

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Posture and Performance looks at how to deliver a safe, varied, fun, effective and achievable training programme. It provides all the ingredients for riders to make informed decisions to maximise their own and their horse’s potential, gain more enjoyment, satisfaction and improve their skills.

Posture and Performance

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Horse Anatomy for Performance examines the anatomy of the 11 systems of the horse and explains how anatomy influences the way we manage, ride and train our horses.

Horse Anatomy for Performance

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