Corner Q
By Judy Wardrope FischerRocana FST: Germany’s Top Eventing Mare
uite a few readers will look at the photo of FischerRocana and exclaim that the mare is sickle-hocked. The purists among them
might look past the fact that she won the 2015 four-star Rolex Kentucky 3-Day Event against a strong international field and was the individual silver medalist at the 2014 World Equestrian Games because they have been taught that sickle hocks are an inexcusable fault no matter what the cause. Some will have considered her stance and a small percentage will have thought about why she has a sickle-hocked appearance and whether that affects her mechanically or not. Let’s look at her structure with an analytical eye, including her hind legs, to learn about her abilities and any weaknesses she may or may not have.
Lumbosacral gap (LS) – On this mare, the
LS gap (just in front of the high point of croup) appears to me ideally situated since a line drawn from the top of one hip to the top of the other hip would bisect this gap. In essence, she has a great transmission for transferring power upwards and forwards. Others might say she is strong through the loin. Rear triangle – Her rear triangle shows
approximately equal ilium (point of hip to point of buttock) and femur (point of buttock to stifle protrusion) sides, which is a jumping trait. The longest side of the triangle is from point of hip to stifle protrusion, which is in keeping with the ability to jump from an open stride and is common amongst top eventers.
32 July/August 2015
Conformation
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