>>> You know, I've heard that last statement before about Icelandics and it >>> always seems odd to me to have form be at odds with function. Why would >>> Icelandics be any different from any other equine? Unless the "function" >>> being graded has been helped along. . . Could it be because horses with >>> less than stellar conformation are "fixed" up to gait via mechanical means >>> and that manufactured, showy gait is then graded highly?
Many times, I think it's just because people are looking at traits that don't influence gait. For instance, does the width of a horse's chest affect his gaitedness? Not much, probably not at all. Yet, somewhere along the way, the myth popped up that TWH need narrow chests to run-walk. Narrow chests aren't the best trait for long-term soundness, and can affect such gait traits as interferences, but really has next-to-nothing to do with determining soft-gaitedness versus three-gaitedness. Cow hocks don't PREVENT a horse from gaiting, and a noticeable number of TWH have cow hocks (and sickle hocks). Somewhere along the line, people assumed because a couple of cow/sickle hocked horses could gait, that horses NEED them to gait. We need to get more people aware of what traits are important to both 1) long-term soundness, and 2) aiding natural gait. It's quite possible for nicely gaited horses to also be built for long-term soundness...We have plenty of Icelandic's who fit both descriptions, but we need to be favoring those when we breed. Karen Thomas, NC No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.21.0/1296 - Release Date: 2/24/2008 12:19 PM
