Cursoriality

Cursoriality is the suite of anatomical and physiological adaptations that enables animals to run efficiently on land, often over sustained distances.

Parasagittal limb posture: A limb posture in which limbs move mainly forward and backward beneath the body. Positioning limbs beneath the body supports efficient forward strides.
Locomotion: Movement by an organism from one place to another. Cursoriality is a specialized form of terrestrial locomotion.
Horse: A large, hoofed mammal of the genus Equus, domesticated by humans for transport, labor, and sport. Horses combine elongated limbs with high-speed terrestrial locomotion.
Arboreal locomotion: Movement adapted to traveling through trees and other elevated, branched habitats. Grasping and maneuverability in trees favor different limb proportions from open-ground running.
Limb lengthening: Evolutionary elongation of limb segments that increases stride length or running speed. Longer distal limbs can extend stride while reducing the mass carried near the body.
Stride: A complete cycle of limb movements during locomotion, measured from one contact by a foot to its next contact. Stride length and frequency together shape running speed.
Cheetah: A large cat native to Africa and parts of Iran, known for exceptional sprinting speed. Its flexible spine and long limbs support extreme acceleration and short pursuits.
Fossoriality: Adaptation for digging and living underground. Powerful digging limbs serve a different locomotor specialization from efficient running.
Tendon elasticity: The capacity of tendons to stretch under load and return stored mechanical energy. Elastic tendons recycle energy between foot strike and push-off.
Center of mass: The point at which a body's mass can be treated as concentrated for analyzing its motion. Its movement helps explain balance and energy use during running.

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