What Is Proprioception? How does It Affect Your Horse’s Movement

If you have read our other research summaries on elastic training bands, you will have seen the word proprioception appear several times. It is central to understanding how band systems, tactile stimulators and many other tools used in equine training actually work. But what does proprioception mean biologically, and why is the concept so important in modern core training and rehabilitation?

This article is intended as a foundational overview for veterinarians, equine scientists, physiotherapists, trainers and riders who want to understand the mechanism behind several of the training methods used in practice today.

A brief definition

Proprioception, sometimes referred to as the body’s sixth sense, is the body’s ability to perceive the position, movement and loading of its own parts without looking at them. Proprioception allows a horse to place its hooves precisely where needed, maintain balance through turns and coordinate the trunk and limbs without consciously considering every detail.

Horses and humans rely on the same fundamental system. The differences lie in scale, complexity and sensitivity, rather than in the underlying principles.

How the system works biologically

Proprioception is based on three types of receptors distributed throughout the body. These receptors continuously transmit signals to the central nervous system.

Muscle spindles are located within the muscles and detect muscle length and the speed at which that length changes. They are extremely sensitive and can detect very small changes in muscle length. Signals from muscle spindles reach the brain much faster than visual information, which is essential for allowing the horse to correct its balance in real time without having to look at its own legs.¹

Golgi tendon organs are located where muscles transition into tendons and measure tension. They report how much force a muscle is producing. This system helps protect against overload and enables movements to be regulated with precision.

Joint receptors are located within and around the joints and detect joint angles, speed and pressure. They provide information about how different parts of the body are positioned in relation to one another.

In addition to these three primary proprioceptive sources, the skin’s tactile receptors and the vestibular system in the inner ear also contribute to the body’s overall perception of position and movement. All these signals are collected by the central nervous system, integrated with vision and balance, and used as the basis for motor control.

Why proprioception matters in equine training

In equestrian contexts, people often describe a horse as moving “in collection”, “in balance” or “in a correct frame”. Behind all these descriptions is a functioning proprioceptive connection between the horse’s sensory systems, nervous system and musculature.

A horse with good proprioception:

• Places its hooves where intended
• Keeps its back stable under changing loads
• Responds quickly to small imbalances before they become larger
• Activates the appropriate muscle groups at the correct point in the movement
• Compensates effectively when the surface or loading changes

In contrast, a horse with impaired proprioception, for example following injury, prolonged inactivity or neurological disease, may show uncertain foot placement, uneven loading or difficulty supporting itself through turns. This is why proprioceptive training has become a central part of modern equine rehabilitation.²

How training aids stimulate proprioception

A range of tools used in equine training are based on the same fundamental principle. They provide a small but continuous sensory input that makes the horse more aware of an area of its body that might otherwise move with less conscious control. When the brain becomes more aware of an area, the associated musculature may be activated more effectively.

A clear example can be found in a study led by Professor Hilary Clayton at Michigan State University. The researchers tested four different types of stimulators placed around the coronet of horses during trot. Even a very light tactile stimulator, weighing approximately 55 grams, significantly increased hoof flight arc height during trot, mainly through increased flexion of the shoulder and carpal joints. The weight was too low to influence the movement mechanically. Instead, the effect resulted from the proprioceptive input. The horse’s nervous system became more aware of the limb, and the movement changed in response.³

The same fundamental principle has been described in relation to elastic training bands. The bands apply gentle, continuous contact to the abdomen and hindquarters. This may increase the horse’s awareness of these areas and encourage activation of the core and hindlimb musculature during movement. This is why studies have found that the bands can increase rectus abdominis activation and reduce unwanted lateral and rotational movement of the back.⁴,⁵

The purpose of the bands is therefore not to mechanically pull in the horse’s abdomen or force the hindquarters forward. The purpose is for the horse to respond to a subtle sensory input and adjust its own movement.

The difference between forcing a movement and inviting it

An important distinction in this context is the difference between force based and proprioceptive training aids.

A force based aid, such as tight side reins or restrictive auxiliary reins, physically limits how the horse can move. The horse is forced into a position. A proprioceptive aid instead provides a light sensory input, allowing the horse to choose a different movement pattern in response.

The difference is not only philosophical. It has practical consequences. A horse that has learned to move with better balance through proprioceptive feedback may retain that learning when the aid is removed. A horse that is forced into a position through mechanical resistance may instead have learned primarily to avoid that resistance.

This is why modern equine and human rehabilitation, including the research underlying Clayton’s work, increasingly focuses on methods that stimulate proprioception rather than restrict movement.²

When proprioception is impaired

Reduced proprioception may have several causes and should be assessed by a veterinarian and physiotherapist:

• Injury or inflammation in joints, tendons or ligaments may interfere with signals from local receptors
• Muscle atrophy following prolonged inactivity may reduce the number of functioning muscle spindles
• Neurological disease may directly damage the pathways that carry proprioceptive information to the brain
• Long term compensation for a previous injury may cause the horse to stop activating certain muscle groups effectively

In these cases, the primary goal of proprioceptive training is not strength, but to reconnect muscle groups that have gradually become less involved. This is an important reason why proprioceptive training is often recommended by veterinarians and physiotherapists early in the rehabilitation process, when more demanding strength training may not yet be appropriate.

Practical considerations

For riders, trainers and professionals who want to apply these principles in practice, there are several useful points to keep in mind:

• Variation is more effective than repetition. Proprioception develops through new and changing situations, rather than by repeating the same task continuously.
• The surface matters. Walking on uneven ground, gentle slopes and varied surfaces gives the system more information to process.
• Slower is often better. Walking over poles gives the brain more time to integrate sensory information than faster gaits.
• Small inputs can have a significant effect. A tactile stimulator weighing only 55 grams clearly altered movement in Clayton’s study. Large mechanical forces are rarely required to stimulate proprioception.
• Signs of impaired proprioception should be taken seriously. Uneven loading, uncertain foot placement or repeated stumbling are signs that warrant veterinary assessment.

Summary

Proprioception is the body’s ability to perceive the position and movement of its own parts. The system is based on muscle spindles, tendon organs and joint receptors, together with information from the skin and vestibular system. It forms the foundation of balance, coordination and muscle activation, both at rest and during movement.

Modern equine training and rehabilitation increasingly use proprioceptive stimulation as a tool to improve movement quality and muscle activation. Elastic training bands are one of several methods based on the same fundamental principle: inviting the horse to move more effectively rather than forcing the movement.

In other articles on our research page, we examine individual studies and applications in greater detail. If you are a veterinarian, equine scientist or physiotherapist and are aware of relevant research that should be included here, you are welcome to contact us at support@corebyd.com.

References

1. For an accessible overview of muscle spindles and their role in motor control in riders and horses, see Harris, S. E. (2012). The Power of Proprioception. EQUUS Magazine. The article is based on established neuroscience literature concerning muscle spindle sensitivity and signal transmission speed.
2. Clayton, H. M. (2016). Core Training and Rehabilitation in Horses. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Equine Practice, 32(1), 49 to 71. DOI: 10.1016/j.cveq.2015.12.009. PubMed ID: 27012507. This review describes proprioceptive stimulation as a central mechanism in modern equine rehabilitation.
3. Clayton, H. M., Lavagnino, M., Kaiser, L. J. & Stubbs, N. C. (2011). Evaluation of biomechanical effects of four stimulation devices placed on the hind feet of trotting horses. American Journal of Veterinary Research, 72(11), 1489 to 1495. DOI: 10.2460/ajvr.72.11.1489. PubMed ID: 22023127. The study found that light tactile stimulators weighing approximately 55 grams significantly increased hoof flight arc height during trot through increased flexion of the shoulder and carpal joints. See also Clayton, H. M., White, A. D., Kaiser, L. J., Nauwelaerts, S., Lavagnino, M. & Stubbs, N. C. (2010). Short term habituation of equine limb kinematics to tactile stimulation of the coronet. Equine Veterinary Journal, 42(3), 227 to 233. DOI: 10.2746/042516409X478505.
4. Pfau, T., Simons, V., Rombach, N., Stubbs, N. & Weller, R. (2017). Effect of a 4 week elastic resistance band training regimen on back kinematics in horses trotting in hand and on the lunge. Equine Veterinary Journal, 49(6), 829 to 835. DOI: 10.1111/evj.12690. PubMed ID: 28432739.
5. Shaw, K., Ursini, T., Levine, D., Richards, J. & Adair, S. (2021). The Effect of Ground Poles and Elastic Resistance Bands on Longissimus Dorsi and Rectus Abdominus Muscle Activity During Equine Walk and Trot. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, 107, 103772. DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2021.103772. PubMed ID: 34802619.

Last reviewed: July 2026