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Corner By Judy Wardrope Collection versus Extension Don Schufro


horse that excels equally in the collected gaits and the extended gaits? Most are better at one than the other. Could there be variations of structure— those still within the confines of how a good dressage horse must be constructed—that could explain the differences in performance abilities? Although I have not


H


made a complete study of it, I have noticed a trend. Those horses that excel at the collected movements (particularly piaffe and passage) tend to have an ilium side (point of hip to point of buttocks) that is “flatter” than those that excel in extension. A flatter ilium side could also be described as


showing less slope from point of hip to point of buttocks or the ilium being closer to being parallel to the ground. Regardless of the terminology, the result is that the angle formed between ilium side and femur side is larger (more open) in those that shine in piaffe and passage than in those that shine in extended movements.


ave you ever noticed how rare it is to find a dressage


Our sample horses were both capable at the very


top levels of the sport, but each had a particular strength. The grey horse, Balagur, was noted for his outstanding passage and his ability to sustain that difficult movement. The liver chestnut horse, Don Schufro, had a fabulous extended trot, just like many of the offspring of Donnerhall. Both horses have the general traits required of a top dressage mount, as we have observed previously


78 March/April 2013


Conformation


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