I've asked that question alot and read alot of opinions and they
say to go straight down.So if the horse needs too they can literally sit down
for balance if they had too.If you zig, zag they may lose their balance and
fall sideways, plus a rider could throw their balance off that way. I believe
that is what CTR teaches too. Rascal and I follow the trail, some of them do
slant here somewhat. But he is alot more stable going straight, and I sure can
balance better.Seems if he ankles , we get more sideways slippage, especially
in muddy conditions. Laurie and Rascal
----- Original Message -----
From:
Heidi Smith
Sent: Wednesday, September 18, 2002
6:00 PM
To: Howard Bramhall;
ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [RC] Trouble going down
hills
You're talking about two different things here,
Howard. The zig-zagging downhill that you've heard is a "good thing"
refers to making switchbacks instead of just doing a Man From Snowy River
number straight off the side. The horse's body should still be
straight with himself, but the PATH that he takes is a zig-zag.
What folks are worried about here is that the horse is
bending his back into a zig-zag (side to side) when going downhill--and
folks are right who are saying that horses who do this are avoiding pain
somewhere. It may well be an ill-fitting saddle that pinches, but it
can also be due to the fact that the horse has inadequate back strength due
to poor conformation of his back and loin, making it painful or impossible
for him to round to carry weight, so going downhill he literally has nowhere
he can put his rear end that doesn't hurt, except off to one side or the
other. The third problem can be hind leg (particularly hock)
pathology--but that usually arises from poor back conformation and inability
to properly engage as well.
Heidi
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, September 18, 2002
6:43 PM
Subject: Re: [RC] Trouble going down
hills
I would love for those mountain riders to chime in on this one,
because I was told at Leatherwood that this is a good thing for the
horse to do when going down a steep incline. Kind of like a
snow skier zig-zaggin his way down the mountain.
Since I've lived in Florida for over 20 years now, my knowledge of
mountains is about as vast as my knowledge on political correctness.
Phil, you still on Ridecamp? Didn't you tell me this was a good
thing for the horse to do as we went down the side of that cliff
together? Lisa, you seemed to spend forever going up and down those
mountains, what do you think?
