Tags
Backyard Horse, Backyard Horsekeeping, dropped fetlocks, horse conformation, horse's age, lameness, trail riding
Horses love to run, and one of the best things you can do for your horse every once in a while is—let him run. Whether you keep some control of him (a good idea, in most cases), or just turn him loose (galloping uphill is much safer because it allows you to take back control at any time), is between you and your horse. Do you think he’ll stop, or do you know he’ll stop? Since I knew Prim would always stop, I occasionally turned her loose, but only if we were going uphill, the footing was good (packed dirt can be as hard on your horse’s feet as concrete), and we were heading away from home. There’s no feeling quite like it in the world. Freedom, exhilaration, speed, and an almost electrical bond between two species who—for as long as the moment lasts—share the same goal: run as fast as you can.
- Notice that Prim’s hind legs are almost vertical while her hind pasterns (as opposed to her pasterns in front) are almost horizontal. (Photo by Joan Fry)