Re: RC: Up Hill or Down

[Truman Prevatt <truman.prevatt@netsrq.com>]

I sure hate to admit it but I have to agree with Tom here. While I rode
the mare downhill fast and am starting to ride the current horse
downhill fast I did it because of a lot of training in the sand which
provides for strengthening the tendons, ligaments, etc.

Both these horses are balanced and do downhill well. The "feel like"
they are skiing on their back legs while tippy toeing on the fronts. But
that is more of a illusion than a reality. A well balanced horse will do
downhills better than a poorly balanced horse - but hell a well balanced
horse will go up hill better than a poorly balanced horse.

But with the front end lower than the hind end, the center of gravity is
actually thrown forward which puts more stress on the front legs. One
way to see this is to simply put the horse on the flat and draw the
force vector from the "center of gravity" to the center of the earth and
measure the distance from the front feet to where the force vector
intersects the earth. Now put it on an incline and notice how this
distance becomes smaller since the force still points toward the center
of the earth.

Truman



Tivers@aol.com wrote:
> 
> In a message dated 1/9/00 3:24:02 PM Pacific Standard Time, CMKSAGEHIL writes:
> 
> << Then kindly come down when we get back into spring training, and we'll
> show you how it works.  We have a lovely canyon within walking distance, so
> you don't even have to inconvenience yourself by getting on a horse and
> experiencing this phenomenon if you don't want to.  But David is
> right--that's exactly how a good downhill horse does it.
> 
>  Heidi >>
> 
> A picture will do. Show me a horse going downhill in a
> barrell-racer-coming-to-a-stop posture. Or one that has obviously shifted the
> combined center of gravity rearward. Anybody have a picture of a horse
> trotting or galloping downhill? Let's see if the horse and rider have been
> properly TRAINED to defy the laws of physics.
> 
> ti

-- 
Truman Prevatt
Mystic “The Horse from Hell” Storm 
Buck's Mystic Karma
Rocket a.k.a. Mr. Misty
Jordy a.k.a. Bridger (when he is good)
Danson Flame - hey dad I'm well now and ready to go!

Brooksville, FL


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