 During "flight", the horse's center of mass follows a parabolic trajectory over which it has no control.The horse can change the position of its legs and body in relation to the center of mass, however, which is critical to clearing an obstacle safely.The horse's body rotates through the air, a quality called "bascule", to ensure that while the forehand clears the fence, the shoulders are the highest point of the body, and while the hind end clears the fence, the hips are the highest point of the body.