Pseudo research- weight % and horse 'happiness' and soundness.

I'm going to do my retired OTTB as I have insight into almost all his working life.

1: rider weight (in riding kit ideally) to horse weight (in ideal BCS) percentage. 12%
Is this based on horses weight on a scales, weight tape or estimate. Weight tape

2: a. length of horses working career to date if still in full work or b. age of retirement from full work and c. age of retirement to no/very light work Age 2 (racing) to age 15. Now 23.

3: horse breed/breeding if known, type if not Thoroughbred (Deputy Minister x Torsion lines)

Does he/she have or have had any of the following:

4: DJD/Spavin/other degenerative bone related problem- if so age of onset and speed of progression Ringbone, onset around 10 - retired due to this
5: Any incidences of serious soft tissue injury (any tendon or ligament requiring over a week off)- if so age of onset, was the horse working at the time, if not working at the exact time of injury was the horse in no/light/medium/hard work at the time (thinking along the cumulative effect) Bowed tendon - while racing at the track aged 2 yrs. Rehabbed and sound on it to date. Sacroiliac issues that were very mild his whole life
6: Kissing Spines (diagnosed via blocks and then rehabbed or had surgery)- if so age of onset No

Behaviour wise do they

7: stand to be tacked up Yes
8: stand to be mounted Yes
9: have any resistance through either up or down transitions No
10: work correctly to a stable elastic contact through choice Yes
11: what noseband do they school at home in? Hack in? Jump in? Plain, loose cavesson
12: nap Yes
13: have any significant quirks or habits (anything you've have to warn a 'guest' rider about No

Maintenance wise do they

14: Require 'tweaking' from physio/osteo when they come for maintenance visits (if you have regular 'back' treatment) Chiro adjustments and massage didn't seem to make a difference to him tho I did them a few times because apparently I love wasting money
15: Require frequent saddle flocking changes or deliberately uneven flocking Saddle fitted yearly - no major issues
16: Require any form of medication He had oral joint supps, Adequan, Pentosan and Legend - they didn't seem to help. Corrective shoeing and intraarticular joint injections kept him going till age 15 when he was mildly off at trot so I chose to retire him. I expect anyone else might have given him painkillers and so on, but I was done.
17: Do they show any stable vices? No

I do think this horse being worked hard as a 2 yr old and his upright pasterns and shoulder caused his ringbone issues.
 
1: rider weight (in riding kit ideally) to horse weight (in ideal BCS) percentage. Is this based on horses weight on a scales, weight tape or estimate. If the horse was never truly broken in/had a career other than as a ridden horse state this.

Horses weight on scales - roughly 600kg at a guess, 578 last measured but he was stood slightly off it. Rider - 14st 6lbs roughly with tack. Percentage - 15.45%. If we go by the 578kg figure, its 16%.

2: a. length of horses working career to date if still in full work or b. age of retirement from full work and c. age of retirement to no/very light work

A - been in work for 2-3 years. Nothing heavy though, light schooling, bit of jumping, hacking, local shows.

3: horse breed/breeding if known, type if not

Oldenburg X Connemara. Rubin Star N was the sire (Oldenburg, by Rubinstein). Connemara is unknown.

Does he/she have or have had any of the following:

4: DJD/Spavin/other degenerative bone related problem- if so age of onset and speed of progression

- No

5: Any incidences of serious soft tissue injury (any tendon or ligament requiring over a week off)- if so age of onset, was the horse working at the time, if not working at the exact time of injury was the horse in no/light/medium/hard work at the time (thinking along the cumulative effect)

- No

6: Kissing Spines (diagnosed via blocks and then rehabbed or had surgery)- if so age of onset

- Yes - onset age 8.

Behaviour wise do they

7: stand to be tacked up

- Yes

8: stand to be mounted

- Yes

9: have any resistance through either up or down transitions

- No, has very good transitions

10: work correctly to a stable elastic contact through choice

- He will go on the bit very easily, dont even have to ask him to work properly, but the kissing spine was causing slightly odd movement in his rear end and probably the cause of him disuniting a lot. Hoping this will go away now that its been treated. He wasnt like this when I got him.

11: what noseband do they school at home in? Hack in? Jump in?

- Cavesson noseband for everything. Would probably be fine without one.

12: nap

- No

13: have any significant quirks or habits (anything you've have to warn a 'guest' rider about

- Can be spooky at odd things you wouldnt think a horse would spook at. Does not like change at all even in a familiar place and will spook if something has been moved out of its regular place.

Maintenance wise do they

14: Require 'tweaking' from physio/osteo when they come for maintenance visits (if you have regular 'back' treatment)

- Never has until the kissing spine became worse and he was tense through his back. Had physio out a lot as well

15: Require frequent saddle flocking changes or deliberately uneven flocking

- Slightly uneven, he has less muscle on the right side. Not really frequent flocking changes though, its been reflocked once even though the saddler has been out several times.

16: Require any form of medication

- Does rigcalm count? If so he gets that each day because the mares make him think he's a stallion when they are in heat

17: Do they show any stable vices?

- No unless he is the only one in then he'll go mad, but otherwise he's happy in his stable.
 
I'll do this as a larger rider for my old horse who is currently on full loan and will be gifted to her loaner soon as only had current one 6 months

A quick poll, obviously some of these are more directly related to the topic than others but I think all will be interesting!

1: rider weight (in riding kit ideally) to horse weight (in ideal BCS) percentage. Is this based on horses weight on a scales, weight tape or estimate. If the horse was never truly broken in/had a career other than as a ridden horse state this.

Based on weighbridge, 20% horse is 15.2
Now with a rider who is a well built man, she has no trouble carrying him. He is around 15 stone (if I had to estimate) and very fit

2: a. length of horses working career to date if still in full work or b. age of retirement from full work and c. age of retirement to no/very light work

Still on full work, out on loan. Broken aged 4, still working now at 19, worked 4 days a week, shows and hunts regularly in winter

3: horse breed/breeding if known, type if not

Tb x type, no recorded breeding

Does he/she have or have had any of the following:

4: DJD/Spavin/other degenerative bone related problem- if so age of onset and speed of progression
No

5: Any incidences of serious soft tissue injury (any tendon or ligament requiring over a week off)- if so age of onset, was the horse working at the time, if not working at the exact time of injury was the horse in no/light/medium/hard work at the time (thinking along the cumulative effect)
No

6: Kissing Spines (diagnosed via blocks and then rehabbed or had surgery)- if so age of onset
No

Behaviour wise do they

7: stand to be tacked up
Always
8: stand to be mounted
Always
9: have any resistance through either up or down transitions
No, does good level of dressage with her loaner
10: work correctly to a stable elastic contact through choice
Always
11: what noseband do they school at home in? Hack in? Jump in?
Cavesson
12: nap
Never
13: have any significant quirks or habits (anything you've have to warn a 'guest' rider about
Nothing

Maintenance wise do they

14: Require 'tweaking' from physio/osteo when they come for maintenance visits (if you have regular 'back' treatment)
No
15: Require frequent saddle flocking changes or deliberately uneven flocking
No

16: Require any form of medication
No

17: Do they show any stable vices?
No, but out 24/7

nb. I realise any results will be hugely biased as I assume people who are over the 15/20% mark are not going to come and comment that their horses are now sour wrecks!

If we get enough answers I'll to collate a little (with the knowledge that a HHO survey needs a good serving of salt to be taken with it)[/QUOTE]
 
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