Re: Hazards on endurance rides related to horse size

[Zebella <zebella@idt.net>]

I had always been told that a smaller horse has an advantage in rough
county, and indeed, my 14'2 h gelding is a mountain goat....he can go
over or through anything you can point him at.  He seems to be faster in
rough county than alot of the larger horses we ride with.


As always, there are exceptions, and the 15'2 h gelding we bought is all
legs and neck.  Even at a hand taller than the other horse, he weighs in
about the same.  He has an incredibly fast walk, and in the rough
country, puts his nose almost on the ground and just glides over
everything. (when he isn't spooking, that is) <G>

The nose almost to the ground caused another problem however....my
biothane breastcoller rubbed him raw everywhere...even the top of his
neck where the strap comes over.  has anyone else had this problem?

So maybe it just comes down to the individual horse rather than the
tallest or smallest?

I've never been on an endurance ride that had hazards like you
described, though our training trails have plenty.

tracy