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I too have seen many horses with
slight conformation flaws do well at endurance and the track, obviously they
have been able to compensate for less then perfect legs. I don't think I have
seen any horses that had moderate-plus flaws do well. I also agree with
Heidi about the back and having a horse with strong loins and a good back,
especially to carry weight.
I have a horse with bench knees. The
first year of riding he 'popped' both splints right beneath the knees and may
even had a high suspensory issue. After healing and time off, he built up more
bone underneath the inside knees which strengthened the area. Now, he has had no
problems since. His body compensated for the extra stress on the inside part of
the leg by building up more bone.
What about tendons that are
'tied in at the knee'. I see a lot of this and the experts say that the horse is
more prone to tendon issues. Is this the case? Anyone have any experience? Also,
what about calf knees? Not bad, just a little. I want to compare to high
mileage horses not just horses that have done a few rides but the ones that stay
sound year after year after year.
Lauren
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