Page 47 - AABT Results Magazine 2020

Interesting

Hocks should move horizontally in all movement as this allows the horse to keep
under center of gravity with ease. Horse that move their hocks slightly “upwards and
behind” will have difficulty in transferring weight behind to lighten their front end and
transferring weight behind.

The knee of the horse should move up and forward in the stride with freedom of the
elbow. Horses that trot with a forward but straight leg/knee have a restricted elbow
(tied in elbow). A horse with tied in elbows will have restricted shoulder movement
which only allows the shoulders to move forwards and backwards instead of the up
and forwards rolling motion that shoulders should have.

Knee definition was a real eye opener for me , this means you should see the knee
from every angle when you walk around the horse. As you walk around the horse
there maybe an angle that the horses knee goes in a dead straight line from forearm
to cannon bone, this is a weakness in the conformation.

Yes I did test it out on my own horse and there were definitely angles that I lost all
definitions of the knee - sigh! I guess I should note that my horse has tied in elbows
and a dip in front of the withers also, double sigh!!!

I hope this information is helpful and I wish everyone all the best. I am going out to
hug my 20 year old galloping house wife horse and tell him I love him, faults and all.

Tanya Hosford.