# Upright pastern,hindleg confirmation starting to feel the roughness



## HUntet02 (Jun 9, 2010)

Hope you all don't mind me re-visiting an old post(from yrs ago) asking opinions about this mares pastern/back legs. I never worried to much but am now starting to see/feel some of roughness & collection issues we discussed now that she's grown up some. 
This little mare is one of the best-minded, most trainable, friendly and bighearted horse...but I am starting now to really feel her upright pasterns through her trot, she collects up the best she can but its a pit pounding. I'm not trying to dwell on her short comings but would love to hear your thoughts. Haven't seen soreness yet...she's 'used' and ridden about 3/4 times a week. 
If you can't tell much from these recent pics maybe you can go back to older post which has better shots of her legs when younger 

HOpe you can still see her old pics from the below posting
3 yr old hind leg confirmation


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## lilruffian (Jun 28, 2010)

Her stifle is quite low, which would result in a shorter stride.
Her back legs appear slightly sickle-hocked with long cannons and although her pasterns are short, they dont look to be too terrible.


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## Super Nova (Apr 27, 2010)

Hmm I don't really see an upright pastern......maybe a bit on the short side but nothing alarming........doesn't the short stride come more from the shoulder angle?

Super Nova


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## HUntet02 (Jun 9, 2010)

Super Nova said:


> Hmm I don't really see an upright pastern......maybe a bit on the short side but nothing alarming........doesn't the short stride come more from the shoulder angle?
> 
> Super Nova


 I don't know why I"m asking so should I be looking at her shoulder more...


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## HUntet02 (Jun 9, 2010)

lilruffian Did you happen to see the older post on this were a couple of folks said the upright pastern thing? Anyway a guy at my barn says you can clearly see she' pretty straight in her pasterns and he's on I really respect and wouldn't say it to be crude he's a good friend who is just now telling me this when I started having problems with her rough trot. But I tell ya I can't see it in person but she's my first young horse and I'm not very educated on good confirmation...


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## Super Nova (Apr 27, 2010)

Went back and looked at the pics again.....in some the pasterns look up right and in others they do not.....although in all pics they look a little short....in order to know for sure you need to stand her up on level ground preferably concrete......in some pictures her toes are digging into the ground with her heels raised and that does make her pasterns look up right but whether they actually are is another thing.

The ideal angle of the pastern and the shoulder should both be between 45 and 50......I'm no expert but it appears from the picture that her angles are close.....also did some reading.....short pasterns can also cause her trot to be choppy......but maybe she is just not using herself properly?

Super Nova


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Honestly, I do not see upright pasterns. They look pretty average to me.
her hind leg is a bit posty, true.
If the horse has started to feel rough and short striding in the trot, I would suspect a saddle fit that restricts shoulder movement.


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## HUntet02 (Jun 9, 2010)

I know I have trouble seeing it too....but a very wise cowboy whose been around a long time says they are upright not enough angle so she will always be a little rougher, I"m trying to understand more why I'm asking.


Here's her 2 yr old picture

Also Please see older post link below maybe that will shed some light....
3 yr old hind leg confirmation


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

What do you do for conditioning/dry work with this mare?

She could be developing her rough gait due to being 'held' instead of allowed to move.


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## HUntet02 (Jun 9, 2010)

mls said:


> What do you do for conditioning/dry work with this mare?
> 
> She could be developing her rough gait due to being 'held' instead of allowed to move.


Nothing real strenous we do a lot of work on natrual terrain, circling around huge old cedar trees, first at the walk, trot then lope, then we walk the field to relax after each, then work on maybe backing around trees, get her loose again then maybe up and down hills/terrain...then more walking and jogging then slowing back to lope. I never hold this mare in....she's to young we've but weve been steadily working at it in longer and longer sessions for the last year so she can handle it. I make her hold her collection maybe 1 min, 45 seconds or 2min just depends if she's willing to give correclty. 
After all this warm up we do whatever the day brings, whether it be pushing the 3 cattle around a pen, going for a long trail ride, or loping through a pasture....


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## Super Nova (Apr 27, 2010)

The above picture is still not an accurate picture.....her feet are on a down hill slope which will cause the angle to read higher than what it is. I would like to see her standing square on concrete so you can actually take a protractor and measure the angle.

Super Nova


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## HUntet02 (Jun 9, 2010)

Super Nova said:


> The above picture is still not an accurate picture.....her feet are on a down hill slope which will cause the angle to read higher than what it is. I would like to see her standing square on concrete so you can actually take a protractor and measure the angle.
> 
> Super Nova


I don't own any concrete LOOL ....heres the only pic I have left and I think it makes her look as if she toes in but she's doesn't....I'll try to get better pics after the rains stops here


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## Super Nova (Apr 27, 2010)

I still don't see up right pasterns.......I see a pastern that is closer to 50 degrees but that is still with in the norm......as it is 45 to 50 degrees.

Super Nova


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## Chopsticks (Mar 11, 2012)

agree with supernova- those are not upright pasterns, they are actually longish and with more than ideal slope. however, if that's the case, that is not what would typically cause a choppy gait. overly long/sloped pasterns will actually cushion the gait but potentially cause soundness issues in the long run due to overuse of the tendons...i would also look to the shoulder or even the hind end engagement as a potential cause for choppy stride


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## HUntet02 (Jun 9, 2010)

thanks girls I agree and don't see upright pasterns in these pictures although I'm still and always learning I'm not sure what the guy at my barn is talking about......I'm almost afraid to ask about her shoulder, I think I know what a decently sloped shoulder looks like and hers isn't as full and sloped as I'd like but I really don't see to much there either...oh well always learning.


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## Super Nova (Apr 27, 2010)

Her shoulder should be the same angle as her pasterns.....from what I can see her shoulder appears to be slightly steeper.

I think it might be more how she is using herself rather than her actual conformation.

Super Nova


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