Re: RC: neck conformation?

[Rides 2 Far <rides2far@juno.com>]

> Anyone have a general guideline for determining the optimal length a >
horse's> neck would be w/r/t general ideal conformation?  Anyone > know
> how the neck length influences movement for a distance horse?

How's this... the horse should be able to eat without spreading his
forelegs.  I had a horse with a short neck who had to spread his legs to
eat.  He was a terrible uphill horse. I think that neck needs to be long
enough to reach forward and down to be a good hill horse.  My long backed
horse had a long neck to balance it, and no back problems (and LOVED a
good hill climb).  

Equus had an article that showed how you want to keep it all in
proportion. If the back is long, the neck needs to be long, and the head
needs to be big enough to balance the equation.  Picture the forelegs
being the middle support of a suspension bridge...the head and neck
balance out the back...if the head were too small, it's like the back
would sink.  Does that make *any* sense?

Angie
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