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<< > Now on to your real question. Deb Bennett has had a wonderful
>series in
>Equus mag on what horses are good for depending on their conformation.
Is this the one where she says such things as racehorses are too
weak to ride? And where she ends up with her very own horse as an
example of "the perfect horse"? >>
Actually, what Deb Bennett says is that are better "engineered" to "run" than
to "be ridden". In a racehorse man has selected over generations those genes
which produce a "fast" horse--"fast" being the primary goal, over all others.
Especially in the last 30 years or so, when the TB has changed from the
classic, long distance runner he was, to something much more akin to the
modern quarter horse--a sprinter. But that is another subject. A horse
built "to run" and a horse built "to be ridden" ARE built significantly
differently.
A horse whose structure enables him to achieve astonishing speed on a
racetrack will probably NOT easily be able to lighten his forehand, "sit" on
his haunches for collection, move in self carriage. More work on both horse
and riders part will be required to achieve these goals. It works both
ways--a Tennesee Walker, or Lipizzan, or Warmblood, are "built" to carry
weight on the "ring of muscles" formed by spine, longisssimus dorsi muscle
(long muscles laying the length of the horse's back), sscalenus muscle, first
rib, sternum, rectus abdominis muscle (long muscles laying the length of the
horse's belly), pelvic bone--back to the spine and longissimus. There are
other bones/muscles involved, but these are the primary ones. It is this
suspensory "ring of muscles" which allow a horse to move with the spring like
"self-carriage" or "collection" so desireable in a riding horse. Because of
their framework, most horses who have an easy time achieving "collection"
will not have an easy time throwing their weight on to their forehand and
galloping fluidly and swiftly. Their "uphill" build makes them want to "sail
up in front" at speed--an undesirable trait in any kind of racehorse, it'll
slow him down! But "sailing up in front" is called being "light on the
forehand" when that horse is ridden for pleasure rather than speed.
Horses bred for speed and speed alone too often are very light of bone,
with a corresponding tendency to undersised hooves. They tend to have long
cannons, both fore and aft--a significant weakness in a riding horse! A low
set neck, which will weight them on their forehands, a downhill body build,
again, will weight them to the forehand.
Racehorses have long, narrow, rearward set loin-couplings, which does
increase speed--and is exactly opposite of the short, broad, foreward set
coupling desirable in a riding horse. Speed comes from a loin coupling set
BEHIND a line drawn from one projecting hipbone to the next--the further
behind this line, the faster--and WEAKER--race breeders knowingly sacrifice
back strength for speed, which in their sport makes sense, I suppose. Back
strength, AND the ability to "coil the loins" thus engaging the "ring of
muscles" for collection is aided by a much more foreward placed loin
coupling. The more foreward of a set coupling, the shorter and broader it
should be. This vastly increases back strength and elasticity, as well as
"engageability." The gaited breeds, such as Tennessee Walkers, are often
considered the "ideal" riding horses. In these breeds the loin coupling as
often as not sits right on top of the imaginary line drawn from one
projecting hipbone to the next--this makes for a smooth, "naturally
self-collected" gait, and a strong back. Such a horse will not, however, be
as fast as one with a more rearward set coupling.
I have only touched on a few differences between a racer and a "riding
horse." Does this mean an ex-racehorse will fall apart under regular riding?
Of course not. It does mean his owner needs to take his conformation into
consideration when designing a riding/excercising program for him. He will
probably need more "stretching down" and reaching for the bit
excercise--strengthen those back muscles, he will probably need more flexion
excercises such as trotting increasingly smaller circles. Etc. etc---
As Deb Bennett says, "The highest purpose of conformation analysis is to
use the information to design training programs for the needs of the
individual horses."
My race-conformed David gets plenty of excercises designed to strenthen
his rather longish, rear-set loin coupling, as well as designed to encourage
him to PUSH with his rear end rather than PULL with his front end, as
racehorses often are inclined to do. Trotting flexed to a circle, longe
work, cavalletti etc. It helps--in fact, he has begun to use his front end so
nicely (now that it isn't dragging his butt after him) that I'm toying with
the idea of working towards some amatuer level dressage tests. Don't know if
I've time to mess with that AND endurance though--
It is true that in one of her columns Deb Bennett gave her 29 year old
quarter/arab mare as an example of the "perfect" riding horse. I was
charmed! I've a 25 year old quarter/arab gelding looks just like Ms.
Bennett's mare--even down to color! I always *knew* Tash was perfect--nice
to see it vindicated in print! <VBG>. OK, so Ms. Bennett is human! I've
always had troubles seeing my own horses conformational flaws too--even
though I can point out every single one your horse has!<g>
Trish & "pretty David" (not perfect, just pretty) & Tash (he's the perfect
one--)
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