RideCamp@endurance.net
Re: Re: Standardbreds
I have a Standardbred mare who raced for many years. Yes, she was unsound from her racing days, however, her back was the soundest part of her body! She had a bad shoulder, and her pasterns and hocks had issues, but I could push and bounce on her back without problems. In my mares favor, she is very short backed, even shorter than a lot of Arabians. She is not the norm. Most Standardbreds have long backs, which may be the trigger more than the way they train them. My mare is too old to use for CTR's or endurance and I have been looking for a younger mare, and this has been a problem in finding one suitable. One I looked at was so long backed that the seller even commented that you could put two saddles on her. As anyone who has ever owned one will tell you though, they are the sweetest animals ever put on this earth. My mare is so sweet, that she will come when called, and you can turn her out on the lawn and all she'll do is graze and visit with whomever is there. And she will do anything I ask of her, even if she doesn't want to or physically can't. She has never refused anything. Wildlife doesn't phase her (even a dead deer carcas/squirels/rabbits), snowmobiles, mountain bikes, street bikes, motor cycles, ATV's (going at speeds of 40+mph - when I had to turn her and charge one to get it to stop), dogs, etc. The only thing she doesn't like, and is very vocal about it, is geldings. Because of this, she always has to be last.She is my best buddy even though she is now retired. The breed needs more consideration in this sport because of their toughness and heart.
Carolyn Burgess
----- Original Message -----
From: Linda B. Merims
Sent: Sunday, February 11, 2001 1:09 PM
To: ridecamp@endurance.net
Subject: RC: Re: Standardbreds
One person with personal experience using their Standardbred mare
for endurance commented on her general stiffness and lack of
agility, particularly going downhill.
I board my Morgan in a Standardbred race training barn. One of
the most common unsoundnesses among these race horses is a
bad back. I don't know what it is about the way these horses
are asked to go that causes the problem, but many of them
are excruciatingly tender in the lumbar region. All you
have to do is touch them there (the back between the end
of the rib cage and the beginning of the hip) and they wince
and sink down. One mare was so bad you could get her to collapse
in the ties right down to the ground just by resting your hand
on her.
I would suspect many retired Standardbreds continue to experience
back pain from their racing days.
To the plus side, these are generally wonderfully mellow, sweet-souled
horses, many of whom give me the impression of a real sense of humor.
They aren't as intense as the Morgans. And *some* of them even
have pretty heads!
Linda B. Merims
lbm@ici.net
Massachusetts, USA
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