Poise is usually associated with serenity.
Poise is a concept that comes from aplomb : achieving, in a symbolic sense, that something has great weight or another characteristic of lead (the heavy metal whose atomic number is 82 ). The term is usually used as a synonym for tranquility or calm .
For example: "Despite the difficulty of the situation, the hospital director explained to her, with aplomb, what her husband's surgery would be like" , "We must not despair: it is time to act with aplomb" , "The team lost poise and allowed his rival to turn the result around .
Example of poise
Poise, in this sense , refers to acting in a serene manner, without haste . It is also linked to reasoning about each step: poise, therefore, is the opposite of making decisions without thinking or doing something with desperation.
Take the case of the mayor of a city who is being scolded by some of his neighbors, who are dissatisfied with his decisions. If the leader acts with aplomb, he will take the necessary time to listen to the complaints and then try to reassure the population, explaining in detail the reason for the measures he promoted. On the other hand, if the mayor responds impulsively, he may begin to argue and shout with people who criticize him.
Acting with poise is necessary in emergency situations, where calm and clarity when making decisions can make the difference between life and death . However, it is not a very common trait in humans. This does not mean that impulsivity cannot be beneficial in certain cases; In fact, as always, the ideal is a middle point between spontaneity and inner peace to think before acting.
Vertical arrangement of things
The idea of poise is also equivalent to arranging things vertically . In the field of geometry, poise is the line that is drawn perpendicular to the horizon.
By extension, plumb is the checking of the plumb line (the weight that, attached to a rope, indicates the vertical line) to confirm whether, in a construction, the walls being erected have verticality.
Poises are the way horses position their legs when standing.
The aplombs
The term poise is also used to name the way horses place their legs when standing. It is a line perpendicular to the ground that is measured from the highest point of the withers (a prominence found on the anterior portion of the spine, common to quadruped mammals) and must reach the ground and pass through the elbow, both on the top and on the back.
In this context it is used in the plural, and poor posture is said to give rise to problems such as lameness, lack of strength and interference of limbs. Detecting this anomaly is relatively simple, since it is enough to observe the animal from the side, front and behind.
If the horse is in motion during the examination of its limbs in search of balance problems, it is necessary for it to be placed on hard ground; In addition, we must pay attention to each of the following three phases: the beginning of the stride, the flight and the support . Needless to say, the perfect form is very rare; On the other hand, the degree of imperfection that the majority presents is insignificant, and in no way affects their performance in their daily lives, whether in freedom or in captivity.
If we stand in front of a horse with good posture, we will notice that its limbs are parallel to each other, that their weight is equivalent and that its feet are at the same distance from each other as the beginnings of the legs at chest level.