Page 110 - Adams and Stashak's Lameness in Horses, 7th Edition
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76   Chapter 2


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                                                            G

            Figure 2.9.  Proportions. P = poll, W = highest point of withers,   limb length, WG = height and overall limb length, SB = length of body,
            L = caudal loin, B = point of buttock, S = point of shoulder, C = center   PW = length of neck, WL = length of back, LB = length of hip. Source:
            of gravity, U = underline, G = ground, WU = depth of body, UG = lower   Reprinted with permission from Hill and Klimesh. 20

            (Figure  2.9). Proportionately shorter lower limbs are   in the lumbar region), sharpness of withers, slope to the
            associated with a choppy stride. The horse’s height or   croup, and length of the underline in relation to the
            overall limb length (point of the withers to the ground)   length of back all affect a horse’s movement (Figures 2.8
            should approximate the length of the horse’s body (the   and 2.9). 36
            point of the shoulder to the point of the buttock)    The neck is measured from the poll to the highest
            (Figure 2.9). A horse with a longer body than its height   point of the withers (Figure 2.9). The back measurement
            often experiences difficulty in synchronization and coor­  is taken from the withers to the caudal extent of the loin
            dination of movement. A horse with limbs proportion­  located in front of the pelvis. The hip length is measured
            ately longer than the body may be predisposed to   from  the  caudal  loin  to  the  point  of  the  buttock
            forging, overreaching, and other gait defects. Overall,   (Figure 2.9).
            the right side of the horse should be symmetrical with   A neck that is shorter than the back tends to decrease
            the left side.                                     a horse’s overall flexibility and balance. A back that is
                                                               much longer than the neck tends to hollow (flex down
            Proportions and Curvature of the Top Line          or is more concave). A very short hip, in relation to the
                                                               neck or back, is associated with lack of propulsion and
              The ratio of the top line’s components, curvature of   often a downhill configuration. A general rule of thumb
            the top line, strength of loin (longissimus dorsi muscles   is that the neck length should be greater than or equal to
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