by goldendryad » Sun Oct 16, 2005 11:07 am
#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#WOW, she's gorgeous. I don't usually like chestnuts but I like her!#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#I think the height thing (preferring 16hh+) is a hunter thing. Generally speaking a 16hh horse is supposed to have that perfect 12' hunter stride.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Also some people think that the bigger the horse the bigger and better it can jump. Not true. I know an 18.1hh warmblood gelding that can't jump worth crud, and he's too clumsy to really do dressage.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#My coach (and she shows dressage and teaches jumping) has a theory about height in co-relation to brains. She thinks the taller the horse the dumber it is and less co-ordinated...she thinks it's brain is too far from it's feet. In some ways it makes sense since those wee little ponies have to be some of the smartest, craftiest equines ever. Same with Arabians, very intelligent. But her 17hh TB was clumsy and not very smart, very accident prone. He was really good at dressage, but not the sharpest crayon in the box. Her little 14.2hh Arabian mare is very sure footed and can really jump. So can a fellow boarder's Arabian mare...she's retired now but kicked butt in jumping in her youth.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#In English riding there seems to be this real draw towards bigger is better. But people aren't factoring in the ability of a smaller horse. British show-jumpers (the really good example escapes me) have competed and won huge, top level competitions on ponies and smaller horses.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Ponies and Arabians are very agile and catty and can jump well over what you'd think they could jump. Traditionally the Bedouins taught their Arabians to jump. They were prized for that ability...that and being able to stop from a full gallop in a slide (sliding stop anyone...) it was used to frighten and trick their enemy. But I'm off track.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#I think conformation for jumping, more than size, is what matters.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#I myself prefer smaller horses, I like their agility, manoeverability and being closer to the ground. I would even consider owning a taller pony, like a Welsh Cob or a Connemara. Plus I'm a small, light-weight girl. A horse with a big body takes up too much of my leg...and a tall one takes me far from the ground...#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Height genetics being passed on...well horse genetics are so complex. That 18.1hh warmblood's parents were both 16.2 and 16hh. I guess he must be a genetic throwback??#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#But nutrition also plays a role. My friend's stallion had a 14.3hh dam and a 15.3hh sire. He's about 15.hh now as a 4year old. But he was severely malnourished before they got him, so may not reach full potential. His dam's parent's were both 15hh+.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#I think the better the food source the more likely they are to reach their optimum height. A poor diet (I think) stunts growth. I've seen horses that were severely underfed when they were younger and they look runty.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#On the other hand I've heard it's a bad idea to over feed a youngster. #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#But maybe the dam also factors in. A dam will only grow the baby in her belly as big as she can handle. That's why smaller mares can get away with having babies to much bigger stallions. Once outside the baby does more growing. But due to the dam's size, does she maybe inhibit the tallness a bit? But maybe baby would do a bit more growing in a big gal like her?#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#I wonder if studies have been done on height and genetics. It would be very interesting.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#