Re: [RC] Size of horse at AERC nat'l champ - csimmons88Years ago someone did a study of horses competing for the year in NATRC rides 25/30 & 50 miles; highth * weight * vet scores were used.General consensus was 15 hands or less & 1000#s or less had less lameness & metabolic problems. Horses over 15 hands & 1000#s generally didn't score as high on their vet scores. (Obviously there are exceptions to this). In response to Lucy Trumbull's Post: One thing that struck me about Mommesin and Monsieur Joseph was that they both had lil' feet. After becoming paranoid about the "endurance horses must have big feet" concept, ...... AERC NC Mommesin 1st FW Division Monsieur Joseph 1st MW Division Re: Feet ..... this is what's important to "me". .... from observation/experience gleaned from my years at the track.The size of the feet are not as important as "how thick are the walls of the hooves". I've had several horses including the *FA Staccato "Get" who can train without shoes. Their hooves hard / walls thick they don't wear down their toes. Another horse comes to mind that I trained who had large dark hooves who needed shoes within two weeks after he started training. He was in danger of wearing his toes "off" behind the white line because the walls of his hooves were too thin. Thick walls "hold nails firmly" without creating sensitivity/pain to the horse. Nails clinched onto thin walls can create sensitivity/pain and are less apt to stay on. I don't want to leave the impression that I condone racing horses without shoes. I put shoes on the horses as needed or when they begin to "breeze" using an outer rim shoe so that the horses don't slip in the turns which could pull/tear the stifle and tendons. I would take into consideration the size of the feet as it relates to the overall size of the horse i.e. ; Would not want to purchase a 1300 pound horse who wears a 00 shoe. ..... As for the rest of the horse ..... this is what's important ... to "me". (Some of this I posted earlier.)The size/height of a horse is not as important as is; the angle of theshoulder, length of the humerus, long forearm/short cannon, strong well muscled back (should be particularly important in Endurance horses), well defined gaskins and long hip (I'll give on the length of the hip if the shoulder is well laid back). Ability to oxygenate their system; large nostrils, good width between the jaws, good depth of girth. The neck should be long enough to act as a pendulum and not so heavy/thick that it adds too much weight onto the front legs. Size/ height becomes a factor when a rider is very tall (don't want the riders feet to drag on the ground) :) :) Bev Scott Ocala, FL --------------------------------------------- This message was sent using Endymion MailMan. http://www.endymion.com/products/mailman/ =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 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!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
|