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Sketelal Maturation, conformation, etc.

NZ Appaloosas May 24, 2009 February 22, 2011

Forums

With the recent discussions on conformation, rate of maturation, etc., I thought this would be a good time to post Dr. Bennett's Ranger piece as a point for discussion. The Ranger piece was first written around 2000 or 2001, IIRC. I couldn't find the original piece, but I have found the new and updated version, done 2008. Enjoy the read, I always do! http://www.equinestudies.org/ranger_2008/ranger_piece_2008_pdf1.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; Diane

lipigirl Mon, 05/25/2009 - 08:28

This reminds me very much of a TB that was raced as a yearling and then sold on - the 5th or so owner wanted to know why is reared up and tried to grab the rider off it's back with it's teeth (as in rather than blame the horse as a nut-job!) they had it xrayed and where the weight of the rider had pushed down on the undeveloped spine, it had pushed it in to the intestines - it was shot mercifully. That is why I like a horse's bones to have set before I work with it. ;)

NZ Appaloosas Mon, 05/25/2009 - 23:46

Yeah, everyone goes on about the knees being closed, and seem to forget (or never learned) that the growth plates close from "the bottom up", so to speak...and that the spine is the last set of growth plates to finish closing.

Diane