Going downhill is about hind end engagement AND conformation. Too many
Arabs are too straight on the back legs. They are not built with their hind
legs under them in the first place. (You know in order to get that pretty “show”
high tail carriage). This conformation fault makes it harder for them to get
under themselves and go down hill. They make great trail and flat land horses, but
pound their front legs going down hill at a trot. Once you have ridden a horse
that truly knows how to go down a hill tucked under them, you don’t ever
want another horse. Horses that are put together right for going down hill,
take to going down a hill on their hind end like a duck takes to water. There
is hardly any training at all to it; they just prefer it that way. Plus they
are easier and safer to ride. You don’t feel that you and the horse are
going to trip and going tumbling all the way down. I have also noticed that the
older bloodlines with the shorter Arab and shorter back seem to have this type
of conformation. Of course there are always exceptions, but it seems to me that
the show industry has really taken a lot from the ARAB. JMHO
Lynette Helgeson
From: Truman Prevatt <tprevatt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [RC]riding downhill
Going down hill is all about hind end engagement. It the best walkers
make the best downhill horses has
been my experience since going down
hill safely is all about hand end
engagement and nothing about pounding
