Cross Breeds

What's going on with a thoroughbred race horse's gait when said to be "climbing"?

It seems recognizable. Is there anything that may cause this and do trainers use any equipment to correct this? Thanks everyone.

Public Comments

1. A horse may be "climbing" when his forward momentum is thwarted, either by horses in front of him or by the rider rating him. Basically, his center of gravity is moved back and he's light on the forehand, with more upward (vertical) motion to his body than is typical with a horse that should be moving forwardly. If a horse is climbing as a result of being run into a spot where he can't move forward, the solution is to move him out of the traffic jam, if possible, and get him running again. If a horse is climbing as a result of being rated, the solution is to school him to run behind horses and accept being rated. This isn't always possible with some horses. A trainer can try changing bits or adding a figure-8 noseband to give the rider more authority, but if the horse is resistant to being rated that may or may not help. Thoroughbreds vary greatly in their fluidity of movement and ability to change pace and course. Some are very fluid, very well-balanced and able to make sharp changes or gradual changes equally well. Some horses are much less fluid, taking longer to get going in stride and not becoming unbalanced if they are asked to "down-shift" or change course. It's the jockey's job to know how his horse moves, what he's capable of doing, where his mind is, and to do the minimum amount of changing course and speed necessary to complete the race. The notation "climbing" in a chart would indicate to me that a horse has lost momentum and is unbalanced, directing his energy upward rather than forward. For some horses, this is just a momentary setback until they get re-balanced; for other horses, you might as well tear up your tickets, because they aren't going to get their momentum back. It might also indicate a resistance on the part of the horse, and you'd have to look at what was happening when the horse started climbing. If horses were suddenly stopping in front of him and he was climbing because he couldn't downshift that fast and he had nowhere to go, that's one thing; if the horse was hauling the rider up out of the saddle and the rider "put his feet on the dashboard" to reel the horse in and the horse started climbing, that's another thing altogether.
2. Karin C is right but I would also add that one of the main reasons horses climb is because they don't like getting hit in the face with dirt and debris from horses in front of them. Most of the good ones will learn to run through it, but some - especially cheaper horses - need a shot of courage in the form of protective screens over their eyes, being kept outside of the pack by their rider, switching to grass, staying on top so they never get hit, etc. Screens and shadow rolls are designed to help keep a horse's head down, minimize the amount of crap that hits their eyes and and level them out. They can be an effective aid as long as you're not dealing with a horse that is just a naturally bad mover.
3. if i was on a horse and he was climbing it would feel like he is lifting his front legs up higher than he should ,and not making any ground. maybe you could try bungee cords. or a german martingale.