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Re: [RC] Cow hocked question - Zephyr Arabians--- Bar JM Ranch <barjmranch@xxxxxxxxx> wrote: Hi, My 2 year old Shagya Arabian stallion, whom I plan to train for endurance someday, is slightly cow-hocked. It is mainly noticeable when he is standing relaxed. I only noticed it when he walks or sets up after I REALLY started looking for it. Could this pose a problem for endurance? Is he *really* cow hocked? I've met very few truly cow hocked horses, but lots that are labeled "cow hocked." The true cow hocked horse has hocks that are close together and then the hind canons angle out from the hocks; the hind canons are not parallel. Correct hind legs when viewed from behind will have the hocks closer together than most people picture as "text book straight." Then the hind canons will drop parallel to each other and the toes will point slightly outward. The direction the toes point is the same way the stifle points; if the horse is dead straight in the hind toes, then it's also dead straight forward in the stifle and the stifle will hit the barrel of the horse while moving. Text book straight hind legs are not what you should look for unless you're maybe talking about beef cattle. :) Not a single prey species that I've noticed that has to run and turn to stay alive has text book straight hind legs. Deb Bennet has several good diagrams of hind legs viewed from behind in her books. There is also a good diagram on the ATA web site: http://www.americantrakehner.com/SportHorse%20Conformation/SHCfigure6.htm ~Nicole ===== * Zephyr Arabians & KattWmn Web Design * * http://www.zephyrarabians.com * * http://www.kattwmn.com * * From the "Horse Capital of the USA" Norco, CA * * * * You have the right to remain silent, anything * * you say can be misquoted and used against you. * __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now. http://mailplus.yahoo.com =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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