Check it Out!    
RideCamp@endurance.net
[Date Prev]  [Date Next]   [Thread Prev]  [Thread Next]  [Date Index]  [Thread Index]  [Author Index]  [Subject Index]

Re: Cannon Bone measurements



Angela C. McGhee wrote:
> 
> When our horses "build bone", I know it becomes more dense, but can they
> become thicker in circumphrence?  I was working a Race of Champions and
> some of these horses had legs like Belgians! My old endurance horse
> (which I sold to a Jr) seems to have bigger cannons than when he started
> doing this back in 1990.  Is that my imagination?  They were never
> measured.  Maybe he just has more hair.

Yup,bone that is subjected to repeated, low level stress will respond by
adding more bone and increasing the circumference.  Somewhere around
here I have a study that observed significant response in bone after
only walking on hard packed dirt for about a hundred yards or so four
days a week.  I know Cato added 3/4" to the circumference of his cannons
in about three years of conditioning.  The key is to remember to provide
additional stress to bones in small, frequent increments, not to try to
build bone overnight by excessive work on hard ground that will injure
soft tissue.

Susan Garlinghouse




> 
> Angie McGhee, Kaboot, and Isaiah
> 
> >her recommendation upward to 8" per 1000#.  It is important to
> >remember that
> >this measurement DOES relate to body weight--a 750# horse with 6-1/2"
> >or
> >6-3/4" has oodles of bone, while a 1200# horse with 8-1/2" is a bit on
> >the
> >flimsy side.
> >
> >Heidi Smith, DVM--Sagehill Arabians (Oregon)
> >
> >
> 
> _____________________________________________________________________
> You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail.
> Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com
> Or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]



Home Events Groups Rider Directory Market RideCamp Stuff

Back to TOC