Flexion & Bend / Lateral & Longitudinal

Flexion and Bend/Lateral and Longitudinal

By Maribeth Dunlap

February 2007

I often run into folks who seem to not fully understand the differences and meanings of flexion and bend. Flexion refers only to the joint at the poll. Bend refers to the entire horse from the poll to the tail.

There are two types of flexion and bend, lateral and longitudinal. Lateral has to do with the right and left sides of the horse. Longitudinal has to do with the topline of the horse.

Lateral Flexion is when the horse looks slightly right or left (side to side) and is flexed only in the poll area while the rest of the body is straight. Lateral Bend refers to a continuous bend through the whole horse, either bending right or left, from his poll to his tail.

Longitudinal Flexion refers to the “yes” movement of the horse’s head at the poll area. When a horse flexes longitudinally, his head (or face) comes closer to the vertical line. Longitudinal Bend refers to the “roundness” of the topline through the whole horse from the horse’s poll to his tail. The horse stretches towards the bit while engaging and lowering his haunches creating a rounded topline.

Note: there can be flexion without bend, but there can be no bend without flexion.

Positioning is another term for Lateral Flexion.

Photo: Maribeth riding Milano

This article was written by Maribeth 2007 – All Rights Reserved Used With Permission.