Re: Cannon Bone measurements

[Tivers@aol.com]

In a message dated 98-01-31 08:51:53 EST, rides2far@juno.com writes:

<< When our horses "build bone", I know it becomes more dense, but can they
 become thicker in circumphrence?  I was working a Race of Champions and
 some of these horses had legs like Belgians! My old endurance horse
 (which I sold to a Jr) seems to have bigger cannons than when he started
 doing this back in 1990.  Is that my imagination?  They were never
 measured.  Maybe he just has more hair.
 
 Angie McGhee >>

Yes, they will slowly develop thicker bone with conditioning--even older
horses will do this. With racehorses the problem is that we introduce speed
too quickly and the bone tries to remodel too quickly, pulling its minerals
from within to a large extent--you get a drop in density as you get an
increase in circumference. This leads to splints, bucked shins, and sometimes
fractures.

ti