Madasmaz
Well-Known Member
I visited with a very old friend yesterday and had a lovely time going to see all the new horses they have just bought over from Holland. We were talking about breeding and chatted about the pedigree dog program. Anyway it turns out that they are now breeding warmbloods with backs that drop away. Now I know that you occasionally get the bum high or wither high, but this is usually slight. These continental horses are being exaggerated as a means to make it easier to get the appearance of advanced collection. Neither of us could understand it, especially in light of the german shepherd breeding. Will dressage horses go the same way? It seems madness to breed a horse with an inherant weakness in the hind quarters, and they will never be able to managed the high level movements required for Grand Prix level. It seems that they are trying to take a short cut, instead of taking the path of correct schooling to develop the muscles which enables these horses to work at the highest level, which takes years. Is there anything that can be done to stop this before horses are bred that are constantly in pain?????
Didn't this happen years ago with Hanovarians being bred for square bums, leaving them prone to arthritis in the hips?