Ridecamp: Re: [RC] bone

> I took a gelding to Equine Affaire last year to stand
> in the IAHA booth.  He is 14.2 and at max 800 lbs
> (probably less), and he has 7-3/4" bone -- with these
> proportions, he looks quite heavy-boned to the eye.  I
> had an "endurance rider" come up to the booth and
> start to loudly explain to her friend that this horse
> was the "show kind" and "can't be ridden" due to how
> light his bone was.  It took a lot of control for me
> to keep my temper as she stood there and insulted my
> horse (that I also happen to have bred).  When I
> objected to her proclaimations about my horse
> (nicely!), she told me that her horse has 8" cannons.
> I asked how big her horse was.  She said 15 hands.  I
> tried to explain about proportions of size to bone,
> etc to her, but she left in a huff.

I see this sort of thing happen more and more with people who claim to be
endurance riders, and it is disheartening.  You are right that for a horse
that weighs 800#, the 7-3/4" cannon circumference represents A LOT of bone!

BTW, your example also illustrates why height cannot be used in calculating
adequate bone.  My stallion Abu Ben Surrabu is likewise close to 14.2 (he is
actually about 14.2-1/2, but close enough for purposes of illustration).  In
running shape, he weighed 975#.  So for him, 7-3/4 would be inadequate,
whereas for your horse, it is way more than adequate.  (FWIW, "Junior" has
9"--also oodles more than he needs.)  By the same token, I see people with
really HUGE Arabs literally bragging about having 8-1/2"--when for the
weights of their horses, it is marginal at best.

Heidi


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