It's About The Horse

PasoBaby_CarolU · Site Admin Joined: 31 Jan 2009 Posts: 9013

Since this came up on a different thread, but didn't get discussed in depth, I thought I'd start its own thread.

I think there is a certain amount of stretching, suppling, and conditioning that is probably common (or should be) for horses in all sports. Beyond that, horses need different exercises, and different kinds of muscling and muscle development for different sports. Bio-mechanics so often refers only to dressage and collection, but it really encompasses more then that.

I know we have a lot of people on here from different backgrounds, including medical. I'd like to see what thoughts people have about the differences in horses, horse muscling, and disciplines.
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Carol Nudell
Corazon de Oro Paso Finos

"The path to your horse's heart lies through your own."

Rumors are carried by haters, spread by fools, and accepted by idiots. - Words of Wisdom - Mhar

‎"Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss activities; Small minds discuss people." - Eleanor Roosevelt

Jack · Member Joined: 22 Oct 2009 Posts: 269

Don't know much about bio-mechanics but horses in different disciplines seem to balance and move in many ways. I love to watch a good cutting horse do it's job, with the reins hanging loose, and the rider hanging on.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUh5tnM9YDI&feature=related

Jack

Jack · Member Joined: 22 Oct 2009 Posts: 269

While everybody has been watching the WEG in Lexington Ky. a few of us have been visiting the Quarter Horse Congress in Columbus Ohio. Nobody has more fun than the freestyle reiners. Stacey Westfall made a name for herself with her performance there a couple of years ago. Here's this years winner, doing a spoof of Smarty Jones.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzOn5QE9lG0&feature=player_embedded

I think even the horse has fun in this event. Differnt bio-mechanics, different way of enjoying our horses.

Jack

Julie · Member Joined: 07 Feb 2009 Posts: 1297

Its totally different -

racing horses - sprinters and runners,
eventers - pentathlon
dressage - gymnasts and weight lifters.

Differnet muscle types for different horses doing different events!
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Rik(The Sequel) · Member Joined: 03 Oct 2010 Posts: 102

Jack · Member Joined: 22 Oct 2009 Posts: 269

This event is so big that I didn't carry a camera with me. This year was especially frustrating since I was only able to go once and I had to fulfill a promise to help a young lady find some tack that she needed for equine college. I managed to see about four horses in the cutting arena and then saw three in the reining arena. I never made it to the barns or the warm up arena which really pee's me off. I was hoping to go back up last week end for some english events but that didn't pan out.

The open reining is held on a Saturday nite and tickets must be purchased seperately. I've never attended since we have to be back at our place in the evening or our critters would have melt downs, lol. Someday it will work out for me though, just not this year. I saw the video of Smary Jones online and really got a laugh myself.

Ohio's quarter horse congress is the worlds largest horse show. It runs for three weeks in October and the events change as the calendar advances. We always go during the first week, reiners and cutters, and often make another trip to watch different events. Though I didn't see much of what I love, I did manage to purchase some new chaps and a nice Stetson hat while my family and friends were busy in the shopping areas. My wife managed to purchase a puppy while we were there, as well as a bunch of apparal for our granddaughter. This event is quite a shindig in the stock horse world. 7000 horses are there over the three week period.

Here's a vid of one of the barns and their display. It will give you an idea of the money spent by some of the competitors at this show. Take a look and imagine how it would be to have a set up like this to take your 27 horses to show.

http://www.gohorseshow.com/articl...rses_Stalls_at_The_Congress/32550

I apologize for not carrying the camera. I promise to do better in the future.

Jack