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Christos Axis
Member
Username: Christos
Post Number: 280
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, Feb 26, 2004 - 6:38 pm: |   |
I am puzzled with one of our mares. Her chest is so narrow that her front legs almost rub against eachother.
I'd think that with conformation like this she'd have zero lung and heart volume, but despite her lean 15 hands, she outlasts and outruns any other horse.
Am I wrong to think that a narrow chest would impair athletic ability? She suggests I don't have a clue...
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Gill Bridgeman
Member
Username: Gillb
Post Number: 37
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Friday, Feb 27, 2004 - 3:12 am: | |
Hi Christos, I also have a Morgan with what I'd call a narrow chest - perhaps not quite so narrow as your mare but still not a lot of room between those front legs. I also have a pony who has an extremely wide chest and a 'leg at each corner'.
Now my Morgan has miles more stamina than the pony and always has done; it's never affected his athleticism one jot. He finds dressage and lateral work easy (his narrow chest is probably an advantage here). I'd also say he'd make a good endurance horse!
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Gill Bridgeman
Member
Username: Gillb
Post Number: 38
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Friday, Feb 27, 2004 - 3:15 am: | |
I also meant to say the only problems I've ever had with him due to being narrow, are that sometimes he speedicuts (cuts into the opposite leg) when he's messing around in the field - but never when he's being properly schooled. Even this hasn't happened often. |
Gill Bridgeman
Member
Username: Gillb
Post Number: 39
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Friday, Feb 27, 2004 - 3:17 am: | |
I also meant to say the only problems I've ever had with him due to being narrow, are that sometimes he speedicuts (cuts into the opposite leg) when he's messing around in the field - but never when he's being properly schooled. Even this hasn't happened often.
Another disadvantage from my point of view was that in his early days he could move sideways VERY fast, but doesn't do it so much now he is better schooled, thank goodness!! |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM
Moderator
Username: Dro
Post Number: 10024
Registered: 1-1997
| | Posted on Friday, Feb 27, 2004 - 7:30 am: | |
I don't think we really have a clue Christos. It would be hard to argue that all things being equal a increased "lung area" to "body mass" ratio would be a good thing during aerobic (long distances, moderate speeds) exercise but there are many factors. In the short fast run though anerobic exercise predominates so lung capacity less important.
DrO |
Stacy Upshaw
Member
Username: 36541
Post Number: 14
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Friday, Feb 27, 2004 - 8:24 am: | |
Couldn't the anatomy involve more length of lung in this horse to make up the lung volume? We often see this in people who are long of back but lean - on xray their lung fields show up farther down the rib cage. Stacy |
Christos Axis
Member
Username: Christos
Post Number: 284
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Friday, Feb 27, 2004 - 10:21 am: | |
Thanks, all,
She is a remarkable horse in many ways, so I would like to discover the reason for her traits, good and bad.
Stacy, her chest is deep enough to balance the thinness (she wears a normal girth for her size) but still, it does not explain her performance.
I am thinking that her "flat" body radiates heat better, but still, her endurance is too much.
Is there any way to estimate a horse's heart volume?
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Christos Axis
Member
Username: Christos
Post Number: 285
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Friday, Feb 27, 2004 - 10:33 am: | |
She does look like a Morgan, Gill, as far as I can tell from pictures.
No interference, despite her conformation, even with very fast work.
And yes, she's very fast sideways, but I think that this comes with a small horse anyway...
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