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Thread III: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1311311/posts |
Posted on 09/18/2004 6:56:23 AM PDT by HairOfTheDog
Free Republic has a lot of horse people that have found each other on other threads . And since we all like to talk horses, how about a thread where it is not off-topic, but is THE topic?
A few of us thought it would be interesting and informative to have a chat thread where we can share ideas, ask for input from other horsemen, and talk about our riding and horse-keeping. We have a lot of different kinds of riders and horses, and a lot to share. In the last thread we had a great time and were a great help to each other working through lessons and training, horse lamenesses and illnesses, questions and challenges and always just our stories we like to tell.
I always have a link to this thread on my profile page, so if you have something to say and can't find the thread in latest posts look for it there and wake the thread up!
I also have a ping list for horse threads that are of interest, and Becky pings everyone most mornings. Let Becky (Paynoattentionmanbehindthecurtain) and/or me know if you would like to be on the ping list. As FreeRepublic is a political site, our politics and other issues will probably blend in . There are many issues for horsemen that touch politics land use, animal rights/abuse cases that make the news . Legislation that might affect horse owners.
So... like the last thread, this is intended as fun place to come and share stories, pictures, questions and chit-chat, unguided and unmoderated and that we come together here as friends. There are lots of ways of doing things and we all have our quirks, tricks and specialties that are neat to learn about.
I'm curious, on those big lick TWHs, their legs have got to give out under those conditions. I can't figure out which part is under the most strain, but they've got to break down with muscle, ligament and joint trouble pretty quickly.... I also suspect that people who would block up their feet and put chains on their ankles would also shoot their horses full of drugs to mask pain.
Do you see horses coming out of that with lamenesses and what kind?
You know, i'm not the one to ask, but the TWHs that I knew were extremely sound .. and I think so as a breed.
But you HAVE to know that they can't take that 'abuse' for long without tendons,joints,bones suffering.
Found this on the Horseandstable.com site:
Potential harmful effects of wedges and other products/procedures used to encourage a vertical and exaggerated action in horses (including the Arabian breed) are numerous, especially if these products and procedures are used on a long-term basis. They can be listed as follows:
Increased concussion, leading to:
*hoof cracks, especially quarter cracks
*sheared heels, if feet are not balanced
*ringbone
*traumatic arthritis of the fetlock
Increased length of hooves, leading to:
*contracted heels
*atrophied frog with no frog pressure and resultant decreased hoof elasticity or even thrush (frog infection)
*"hoof-bound" narrow feet (malformed)
*increased incidence of shoeing-associated problems such as nail pricks and damage to the hoof wall due to increased numbers of nails necessary to support the artificial products and long hoof walls
Changing of the pastern axis:
*strain on the extensor tendons
*strain on the suspensory ligaments
*changes in the dorso-palmar or plantar alignment of the coffin and fetlock joints with increased strain on these joints
*decreased tension on the flexor tendons, with resultant contraction of the tendons with long term use of such wedges especially in young animals. If the wedges are removed, sudden stretching of the tendons may cause tendon sprains (bow tendon etc.).
Yeah - it hadn't even occured to me that the hoof structure itself would come apart from too many nails.
I've never seen one of them turned out to pasture like that. Wonder if they can even graze without doing the splits.
Well that was one of the arguments I had. When questioning a person on the practicality (if not the cruelty) of the grossly exaggerated pads, she said "It's no different than you or I putting on high heels to enhance our OWN gait. And NOBODY complains about THAT."
I cocked my head and said "Well, if they were nailed to your feet 24/7 and you were forced to work, sleep, and PLAY in them .. you might complain."
I smiled .. she shut up.
Silly person. I don't wear high heels..... ever :~D
I thought it was a pretty silly statement. Now if she were talking about taking young girls and putting them through surgery, or braces to force their feet to be shaped in such a way as to .............
oh, wait, THAT would be Child Abuse .. hmmmmm
Oh, and welcome:')
Well, happy to chat, but we have to run into town....
See you all later on!
I sketch animals too:') Barn yards are my favorites. Last year I did a wall nativity mural at work. I lost out to the Santa Clauses though:'(. This year I'm afraid I'm not a "team player" Just not interested in decorating. Not because I didn't win but because what money could buy did.
Actually some of those people actually try to CAUSE pain. That's what causes the super high step in some cases. I've heard rumors of trainers actually putting tacks and things like that between the hoof and pad. Of course since all the uproar about "soreing" in the Walking Horse world, there's been the "Designated Qualified Person" or "DQP" at every show who's supposed to check for signs of soreness of the feet before the horse goes in the ring. But what happens then is the trainers will palpate the feet at home in the training barn like the DQP would do at the show and if the horse flinches, they'll beat them within an inch of their life to make sure they learn not to flinch at the show. It's horrible.
As for joint and tendon trouble, I don't personally know anybody who shows horses at that level, but you would think that would be the case. I do know of people who's horses have navicular troubles because of the long toe that is the standard way of shoeing gaited horses who are pacey.
Horses that are shoed like that never get turned out. They stand up in a stall all day unless they're being "trained". I feel sorry for 'em.
Have you ever seen one of those big pads break off? It takes half the hoof with it. They're always held on with a metal band that is bolted to the pad on one side, goes across the hoof at the mid point and is screwed down on the other side. The actual hoof is trimmed at an extreme angle and the toe can be 6 or 7 inches long. When the stresses on that long toe get to be too much, they'll break in two at the band, which is usually way back in the "quick", usually to an artery, and they'll spurt blood like crazy. It's horrible.
I'm trying to follow along but having difficulty. This sounds horrible. Why is it done? For a certain walk?
Yeah. See the picture at post 4687. They're trying to get the "Big Lick", breaking above level, that is required to win in Walking and Racking shows these days.
Are those the actual hoofs on the front or shoes? He looks like he has no back feet:'(
There are a few horrible actors in any sport, and it's good to be aware of what goes on. It's funny to me (not funny-haha, funny queer) that at one end of the spectrum they'll abuse to get more action, and other breeds abuse to get less.
Arab show people I have heard will spice or vinegar under the tail to get a high tail carriage. TWH break their tail bones and put on big fake tails, right? And QH people supposedly deaden the tail because a high tail carriage is a fault in Western Pleasure where everything must be motionless. It's nutty.
Are his back hoofs normal? Maybe it's the front, but they look very tiny and rounded.
Actually, yess ... and the horse does all it can to keep from falling on his face or breaking his leg, then when he stops, he's standing there with what's left of his foot 8 or 10 inches off the ground .. eeeeeeeeeek.
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