Well, I got the "formula" from listening to Deb
Bennett--she says 8" for a 1000# horse, adjusting up or down for those heavier
or lighter. It is not exactly a linear formula, but close enough for
horses not too far off of that. Bottom line, though--a great many Arabs
are considerably lighter than 1000#, so the idea that "I won't have any horse
with less than 8" bone because that is inadequate" is not very sensible.
Also, many make the mistake of trying to correlate to height, and height isn't
the issue. I rode a horse for a long time that was under 14.3 and weighed
975# in running shape--so he certainly needed the 8" (he had 9"), whereas I've
dealt with many horses a good hand taller that weighed considerably less in
running shape simply because they had lighter frames and were
lighter-muscled. Regardless of height, a horse that weighs 800# in running
shape and has 7" cannons has enough bone. I also get a chuckle out of ads
for larger horses that DO weigh more that brag about a 15.3 horse that
weighs 1150# and has 8" cannons--nope, he's flimsy, and I wouldn't be bragging
on his bone, at any rate.....
There was a thread awhile back about bone density and there
was a formula presented for how much cannon bone was needed to support horses
of different weights. i.e. I think Heidi Smith was speaking about it, and
would like to see that info again please or be directed to
it.
