If a youngster dishes can it still be trained for showjumping and dressage?

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yaddowshad

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Can a horse that dishes (4 yr old) still be trained to a reasonably high level in showjumping? does it make his forelegs week?

Does it eeffect dressage marks?
 
My 5 year old dishes slightly and he has successfully started BE90 eventing. I also do BD with him. I have noticed a fair few horses dish at the BD shows I go to and it doesn't seem to affect their marks.
 
Dishing is when one of the front legs moves out to the side like they are doing breast stroke, usually easily seen in trot. can be either leg and occasionally both. can be minor or extreme.
 
IMO yes, my 4yo is away being produced by a pro showjumper and he dishes badly on the left forelimb. seems to come from the elbow though on this horse so it is all the limb which makes him look toe in on that foot

Although the foot lands balanced, it was picked up at his futurity grading from the age of 1. He loose jumps and jumps under saddle well.

My farrier does a good job and we have a lateral extension on that foot
 
I considered a ' disher' when I was in the market for a horse to be produced as a showjumper but on speaking to my vet I changed my mind.

He said why would you want a horse that dishes when there are so many good horses that dont and secondly depending on the severity of the dishing it would put added pressure on the front legs because it is a fault. Not ideal in a SJer.
 
as long as the foot lands straight it wouldn't bother me at all.

watch any GP/International dressage competition and a hgh proportion (over 50% usually) will dish noticeably.

there is a thought that horses that dish give themselves more room in lateral work on the flat and are more careful jumpers as they swing their front feet to the side instead of dangling them.

Pippa Funnell's horse Supreme Rock was an awful disher- didn't seem to affect him ;)
 
In an ideal world all our horses would have perfect conformation and move straight, but life is not like that. The reality is that if you horse has the right temperament and attitude you will do better with him despite his dishing, than a straight moving horse with a bad attitude.
 
I wouldn't personally go out and buy a horse that dishes but as I had mine as a foal, it came with him. So we go with what we have :)

I do agree given the choice, I would choose one that doesn't over one that does.
 
Mean't to say agree though I would rather have my lad that dishes with a fab temp than something straight moving with not so good temp.

Like you say Supreme Rock didn't suffer as a result.

I was talking to a judge the other day who did agree it gives them more movement laterally.

Differing opinions I guess, So long as the foot lands balanced I am ok with it
 
My remember my instructor telling me once that dishing can no longer be marked down in dressage tests.

Perhaps someone else on the forum knows more about this?. Presumably this is the case so long as the horse moves in a straight line and lands straight....
 
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