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RE: [RC] speaking of twh/mft - Bob Morris

If you look at the way a horse is built you may notice that
the barrel of the horse is wider than the stifles are when
at rest.  So, the motion of the hind leg is not straight
back and forth but it tends to be on a bit of a diagonal.
Wider in the front and narrower towards the rear of the
stride. In essence what happens is though the hind foot hits
the ground surface a bit wider than the front foot( in order
to not step on the front foot) upon lifting free of the
ground it swings slightly back in line with the body and
then out again at the extension. All a function of a well
conformed horse that is traveling at speed a bit beyond the
normal, and doing it in a safe manner. You should be so
lucky to have such a horse!

Bob

Bob Morris
Morris Endurance Enterprises
Boise, ID

-----Original Message-----
From: ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Tamara
Woodcock
Sent: Wednesday, December 31, 2003 3:08 PM
To: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: RE: [RC] speaking of twh/mft


I'm very interested in someone explaining the pros and cons
of a horse going
wide behind.

I have a boy that goes wide behind when he hits a truly big
trot.  This is
observable under saddle and when he's loose in the pasture.
I was really
encouraged initially to see this, thinking he would have
this killer trot
and be a great distance mount.  His hind hoof prints were
maybe a handspan
outside the front prints.

However, both dressage trainers that have worked with him
have said that
horses that go wide like this do so because their backs
aren't strong enough
to lift their front ends off correctly.  That it is a sign
of the horse
still being on the forehand, and not balanced.  That going
wide is a fault
that can be fixed with sufficient back strengthening
exercises.

So which is it?  A desirable characteristic or a fault?

-Tamara

-----Original Message-----

I don't know if it's the gait that gives them downhill speed
or the
build. Kaboot has always been a very fast downhill horse.
Anybody who's
seen him trot out will tell you he's a mile wide in the
back. When he
hits a big trot his hind legs are *way* wider than his
body...leaves
tracks like a rabbit. When he goes downhill he just drops in
the rear and
flies. Not sure what's going on back in the back.  I always
have to wait
at the bottom for my traveling buddy. I've had a Walking
Horse vet claim
she thought his stifles were bothering him because of how
wide he slung
out his rear legs but he flexed clear. He's a bit bowlegged
almost like a
Walking Horse looks  from behind sometimes when they spread
out for their
running walk. Makes him have almost a wobble look when he
walks but he's
never had any problem in the rear end.

Angie


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Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.
Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp
Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp

Ride Long and Ride Safe!!

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Replies
RE: [RC] speaking of twh/mft, Tamara Woodcock