# APHA flea bitten gray mare



## TerciopeladoCaballo (May 27, 2012)

http://i45.tinypic.com/wv7kli.jpg

There she is about two months ago. I couldn't get her other side  She's a real booger to square out. One hoof is less than an inch higher than the other in this pic because the decided if she would be squared out, she'd do it diagonally to the mats...


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

she is hammer headed and slightly ewe necked.. with a very steep shoulder and very low angle to her humerus. Her withers, back and hind end are ok but she is camped under behind and I wish she had lower hocks.


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## TerciopeladoCaballo (May 27, 2012)

Forgot to add; she's also somewhat cow-hocked in the back legs and usually a bit toed out in the hind hooves as a result. Could you tell me if her neck looks eweish more because of liking to work on her forehand, or that's just how the neck is formed? During the early years of 2-5, she was plowed hard on her forehand in Western ring, she's been English for about 5 years, I'm curious to know if the upside-down neck happened because of that, or because it's just how she's built.

So far, her performance is very versatile; success on the track, barrel racing, trail, hunter/jumper schooling 3ft 6in, Mounted Patrol, sheep herding, and training level Dressage. She loves speed events the most, remembering the patterns after years out of the ring. According to two Dressage trainers, her bad performance tendencies are moving on the forehand, and easily tensing her back or moving above/behind the bit. Her best performance points are impulsion, agility, and bravery.


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

She has never learned to use her ring of muscles and doing that will be difficult for her because she is built forehand heavy and down hill. He ewe neck is conformation but it could be improved if she learned how to use her ring of muscles. She has NO development of her scalenus or crest. None. Right now her neck is "upsdie down" from raising her head and hollowing her back. Is she ridden in speed events with a tie down? 

To start this she needs a couple of months of working on trotting up hills on a long reign.. rider in a 2 point. No jumping, No speed stuff.. just trotting up hills. Add to this teaching her to trot over 8 poles on the ground gradually raising them to 12 inches off the ground.. again trotting her over them with a loose rein and rider in a two point. 

She cannot possibly get off her forehand without first building her abdominal muscles so she can lengthen her back and get her hind legs under her. 

Here is something for you to read. 
http://www.equinestudies.org/ring_revisited_2008/ring_of_muscles_2008_pdf.pdf


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## TerciopeladoCaballo (May 27, 2012)

Elana said:


> She has never learned to use her ring of muscles and doing that will be difficult for her because she is built forehand heavy and down hill. He ewe neck is conformation but it could be improved if she learned how to use her ring of muscles. She has NO development of her scalenus or crest. None. Right now her neck is "upsdie down" from raising her head and hollowing her back. Is she ridden in speed events with a tie down?
> 
> To start this she needs a couple of months of working on trotting up hills on a long reign.. rider in a 2 point. No jumping, No speed stuff.. just trotting up hills. Add to this teaching her to trot over 8 poles on the ground gradually raising them to 12 inches off the ground.. again trotting her over them with a loose rein and rider in a two point.
> 
> ...


Thank you! Odd, she was worked hard in speed events as a filly but has been English equitation for about five years, I swear she remembers those Western days very well and I blame myself that I've let her "get away with murder" as my neighbors have seen; she's a sweet mare but dominant, so usually I would let her go on a loose rein if she wanted and she probably went back to the old bad habits that worked for her a long time ago. Starting a few months ago I put my foot down and haven't been taking so much fuss from her anymore, but she has a hock bone spavin now that I need to work with, which explains why she would hollow out when I ask for her to get her hocks under herself. She's feeling and moving much better this week with her new treatment plan


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

A bone spavin is arthritis. Asking her to get her hind legs under her at this point will cause her pain and will limit her in the future as to how much she can shift her weight to those hind legs. 

Sometimes we need to learn to pick our battles. This horse is built down hill and collection is very difficult for her.. and with a spavin she now has pain to over come as well. 

There is nothing wrong with a horse that can go along on trails and do what is needed on a long rein.


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

BTW the trotting up hills would still be very good for her and help her a lot.


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## TerciopeladoCaballo (May 27, 2012)

Here's an attempted square stance on her left side two nights ago: http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/429166_508423362513392_329014499_n.jpg
Hind toes have been pointing out due to hock joint discomfort


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## TerciopeladoCaballo (May 27, 2012)

The big reason for me pushing her on Dressage is because she strains the heck out of her forelegs if I don't make an effort to get her weight shifted behind; her front hooves are fairly weak and crack more when she's plodding around. Vet says she has a good future, she's only twelve years old, the spavin is more due to the cow hocks and hard work as a filly. Good thing I have an excellent Dressage barn nearby that has success with horses having lame/pain issues, and fellow bone spavin sufferers next door. Probably when she gets much older I'll be happy to retire her to the trails, she likes that sort of activity.


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## 40232 (Jan 10, 2013)

She is slightly sickle hocked and has a poor neck attachment. I love love love her shoulder though, I can only imagine the reach she has!


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## LeynaProof (Jan 3, 2013)

To me her neck just looks like it needs more muscleing along the top. Look at the bulge of muscle under her neck... I don't think she is ewe necked, i just think she has been allowed to go all strung out.


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## TerciopeladoCaballo (May 27, 2012)

Ideas for choosing a stud? We've been considering breeding her late this year for a few years now. I want a stud close to what she is, but with straight hind legs to hopefully produce a foal without sickle hocks. A better neck suited for a good arch is at the top of the list, as well as more of an uphill build. Can't think of much more than that, beside maybe a wider shoulder and cleaner throatlatch. Going to talk to my vet who's been breeding her mare, I see four that stand out so far; an AQHA blue roan, and three overo APHAs. She's registered APHA, so I'd want to be able to have the foal registered as well. All have good conformation and produce jumpers and speed eventers. It's not set in stone to breed her though... I want to preserve her great versatility, gaits, and temperment. If I see a good 4-10yo horse for sale with these traits, I'll probably buy instead of breed. She's already had a colt before, but I don't know how the pregnancy went.


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## TerciopeladoCaballo (May 27, 2012)

Some shots of her in motion (four days after treatment for bone spavin):

http://i49.tinypic.com/24vv1js.png
http://i46.tinypic.com/28c1w6o.png

Her topline muscles were clenched, now they're uncoiling and stretching out nice. Still a ways to go, but pretty nice start.

How far her hock is currently flexing at walk on hard ground:

http://i50.tinypic.com/r9o26f.png

As for her reach... I've seen her stride a set of four bounces at 3ft 6in and perform spanish trot over poles like a pro back before her bone spavin came up


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

I would never breed this horse. Her front end it too weak.. really not a brood mare. 

If you want to breed horses, get a better mare. Sorry if that is blunt.. but it is honest.


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