Straight hind leg versus appearance

[Tsavo]

Two people have told me they thought my horse as a pretty straight hind leg, one an FEI trainer. I didn't know what they were talking about because I don't think my horse has a straight hind leg.

I was thinking about it and I think I have the answer. He tends to toe out on the hinds in keeping with his Clyde ancestry. He is not cow-hocked but is close behind. Anyway, The leg LOOKS straighter if you don't realize he is toeing out. Here are some photos, one I took with his toe straight ahead and one taken from a more toe-on angle since he was not toeing out that day. It is clear that the leg looks straighter the more he toes out.

[Tsavo]

37921876_10213084641650708_4444250184431435776_n.jpg (59.59 KiB) Viewed 19565 times

toe_on.jpg (52.79 KiB) Viewed 19565 times

extreme.jpg (55.79 KiB) Viewed 19565 times

[musical comedy]

You have to have him standing up properly to assess this.

[Tsavo]

Is the first picture not proper for this purpose?

[musical comedy]

No I don't think so. It may make things look different once you get the front straight. Both front and hind cannons need to be perpendicular to the ground.

Also the photos look distorted to me, unless he really looks this way. Looks like a huge body with very short legs.

[Tsavo]

They are distorted for some reason. He looked much fatter than he is. I took them with my tab.

[piedmontfields]

It looks slightly straight but as MC noted it is impossible to tell from these photos. Stand him up properly and shoot that.

[Tsavo]

There is presently a high five figure FEI horse being advertised on FB with a straighter hind leg than my horse has.

Just saying.

[Ponichiwa]

Does it matter? I tend to think the conformation guides are more useful for prospects than for horses actually doing the job-- i.e. helps to weed out the field given no other data, but does not necessarily predict (or preclude) success. Ultimately performance trumps pretty unless there's a major structural issue at play.

[Tsavo]

Well you are right it doesn't matter. But I have been perplexed over the years by the occasional comment about his hind being straight when I don't think it meets that definition. Horses that toe out because they are close behind are not a dime a dozen and that fact could be easily missed. If you are looking at a horse in profile and don't realize they are toeing out, the leg will necessarily look straighter.

That is the only explanation I can come up with to explain these comments. I have looked at my horse's hind in exact profile too many times to count. If he is toeing out you have to stand slightly behind him to get a true profile of the leg. I don't think it meets to definition of straight or even a little straight.

[Tsavo]

What with all the biopsying, I forgot to mention I asked the vet if my horse has a straight hind.

He looked at the leg and said he could use more angle at the hip/stifle. I am not able to assess that. I was looking at where the point of hock was in relation to the butt.

So my vet says he leg is straighter than ideal.

[Koolkat]

What with all the biopsying, I forgot to mention I asked the vet if my horse has a straight hind.

He looked at the leg and said he could use more angle at the hip/stifle. I am not able to assess that. I was looking at where the point of hock was in relation to the butt.

So my vet says he leg is straighter than ideal.

I would agree with that, he looks a bit straight through the stifle.

[Linden]

The photos are not perfect for evaluating the hind leg joints, but yes, the legs do look a touch straight. It doesnt always mean straight legs: straight moving or swinging instead of articulating though. My mare that I got in Germany (now sold) has slightly straight hind legs but articulated beautifully. take a look:




but she has great articulation

[musical comedy]

but she has great articulation

Yup. It's all the body parts and how they work together. For some reason, all my horses have had relatively straight hinds. I'm beginning to wonder if it is really the most common hind conformation.

[Chisamba]

I believe the problem with hind leg conformation is less about articulation, and more about stride placement. Is the stride behind the horse or under the horse? Does the horse carry its weight or push its weight?