POSTSCRIPT

 When you start to read this, you may wonder what is this “Horsey Thing” doing on a web site devoted to “Long Ears”  Read on for a great surprise ending!  Karen Wade of Winchester, VA came here (to Gate Farm) last year to purchase a Jennet “with a baby inside”, for her son nicks birthday.  She went home with 2 little standard Jennets both with babies inside, full sisters, “Jolly & Jilly” who went on to have “Jelly Bean and Lollypop”  Congratulations to Nick and thanks Karen for sharing this project paper with us.

                                                                                Montana’s Moma

 

AGR. 195 HORSE CONFORMATION AND MOVEMENT

INSTRUCTOR:                    Dr. N. Lee Newman

PROJECT:  Choosing a prospect for a Champion Endurance Horse  

TEAM NAME:            100 Milers

 

Team Members:           Karen Wade and Betty Bensenhaver

 

Due Date:                      April 27, 1999

 

 In searching for a world class champion endurance prospect, we first had to determine specific characteristics we were seeking.

            The quality of movement is critical to the success of an endurance horse.  We wanted a prospect that had an efficient gait with a ground-covering stride.  To help get a picture of our “ideal” we stared with a visit to Valerie Kanavy and her three truly world class horses, Pieraz (Cash), TK FireNGold (Fire), and High Winds Jedi (Jedi).

The most striking thing about these horses is how totally unremarkable they are in appearance.  All are purebred Arabians, but they are not at all “typey.”  Cash and Jedi actually look like small Thoroughbreds.  The conformational characteristics they share are:

1.     Fairly small size (15 hands or less)

2.     Long slender neck

3.     Long sloping shoulder with prominent withers

4.     Short, strong back (Fire is even slightly roach backed)

5.     Narrow barrel

6.     Very straight correct forelegs

7.     Long powerful but not heavily muscled hips

8.     Properly angulated hind legs (Fire is actually a bit post-legged)

9.     Well shaped and sized hooves

 

Also picture is a young horse, which Valerie Kanavy considers to have ideal conformation for endurance.  

          After visiting these endurance superstars, we lowered our goals from “world class” to “what’s available”.  We assessed the following three horses for suitability for becoming a champion endurance horse.

1.     Willowbrook Native (Willow), a three year old Arab/Paint Gelding

2.     Rusty, a three year old Anglo-Arab/QH gelding

3.     Dushan, a nine year old Akhal-Teke gelding

 

1.     Willow stands 14.1 hands, and is out an Arab mare that performed successfully, although not outstandingly in competitive trail and endurance rides of 50 miles and less.  Will has the same Polish grandsire as Cash.  His conformation points include the following:

a.    Short strong back

b.    Adequate shoulder angle

c.     Long forearm and relatively short cannon bone

d.    Well shaped hip

e.     Correct hind legs

f.      Strong dense bone

g.    Large well shaped feet

 

Willow’s negative points are:

a.     A rather short neck

b.     Shoulder is a bit too straight

c.     Offset knees with the left foreleg somewhat turned out

d.     Slightly short in the hip

 

He has medium action at the trot.  

 

2.     Rusty stand 15.2 hands. His mother is an Anglo-Arab who is used for competitive trail.  His father is a QH who is also used in competitive trail riding.

Positive conformation points on Rusty are:

a.    Long arched neck

b.    Sloping shoulders

c.     Prominent withers

d.    Short strong back

e.     Narrow barrel

f.      Good shoulder angle

g.    Long forearm with relatively short cannon bone

h.    Good hip length

i.       Good length from hip to hock

j.      Good hip muscling, but not heavily muscled

k.    Symmetrical feet with appropriate size

l.       Correct hind legs

m.  Strong dense bone

 

Negative points on Rusty are:

a.     Slightly offset knees

 

Rusty shows medium action at the trot.  

 

3.     Dushan stands 15 hands.  He successfully completed two limited distant (25 mile) endurance rides with excellent recoveries and no soundness problems,  He has however, had problems with recurrent hoof abscesses two years ago.  The Akhal-Teke, like the Arabian, is a desert horse and tolerates heat well.  The breed is renowned for feats of endurance, but durability over the years is another question.  Some conformation faults such as the long back are typical characteristics of this breed.

 

His good points are:

a.    Long well arched neck

b.    Prominent withers

c.     Narrow barrel

d.    Correct shoulder angle

e.     Good length of forearm and relatively short cannon bone

f.      Good hip length

g.    Good length from hip to hock

h.    Good hip muscling without being heavily muscled

i.       Correct hind legs

j.      Strong dense bones

 

Duhan’s negative points are:

a.     Slightly offset knees

b.     Left front foot slightly smaller and more upright than the right

c.     Long back

 

Dushan has long low action at the trot.  

 

Based on this information provided on the three horses, we chose Rusty as our ideal prospect.  This horse has the most correct conformation, and most closely approaches the ideal established by examining the world class horses.  While he is taller than most endurance horses, Valerie Kanavy states that she now prefers a horse that stands at least 15 hands.

 

Willow is small, and his stride is shorter than the others.

 

Dushan is good size, and has the longest stride, but his long back and history of hoof problems would probably prevent him form having a long endurance career.

 

No that we have gathered and studied all this information provided by this class, independent research, and Valerie Kanavy, we have reached our own conclusion.  What do all the conformation books and Valerie Kanavy know anyway?  Valerie probably just got lucky picking those three winners!

 

We believe that we have come up with a much better endurance prospect!  Her name is Gate Farms Jolly!

 

Jolly is a four year old registered Spotted Ass.  She stands 10.2 hands.  And the following are the reasons we believe her to be the best prospect.

 

a.     Large ears---much better for hearing sign of danger on the trail

b.     Small compact body---needs less food and water and very easy to mount and dismount

c.     Very correct knees (best knees in the bunch!)

d.     Small feet---easily maneuvers through terrain

e.     Shaggy coat---great for repelling wind and rain

f.       Upright mane---keeps neck cooler

g.     Broom tail---won’t catch on briars

h.     Straight shoulder---better for jumping over logs, rocks, and other endurance riders and their horses lying dead on the trail

i.       Too smart to waste energy trotting out for a stupid picture

j.       Female---can reproduce own replacement (As a matter of fact, there’s one in the over right now!)

k.    Extremely cute --- other endurance riders and their horses will lose time to stop and admire her.

 

NEGATIVE POINTS----NONE!!!!!