Reprinted in the IVIS website with the permission of the AAEP Close window to return to IVIS WESTERN PERFORMANCE HORSE FORUM The Western Performance Horse Andrew K. Currie, VMD As the western discipline becomes more popular, professional competition increases, and horsemen ask and expect more from their mounts, equine practitioners must keep up with the latest management techniques of these athletes. Author’s address: 12603 Radenz Rd., Houston, TX 77066. ௠ 1997 AAEP. I believe there is a common thread among the four over its hocks (as in cutting) or back up at the disciplines discussed in this seminar. The require- completion of the stop (roping). Distance of the ment for a horse to work at high speed while being slide is not the object. The object is to stop, stay in prepared for an instantaneous change in direction or the ground, and control the animal. If a cutting an abrupt stop is unique. Because of this unique horse slides, he will go past the cow and lose his requirement, the versatility and athleticism of the working advantage. If a calf horse slides too far western performance horse is unequaled in the underneath himself, it is very difficult to raise his equine world. hindend and start to back up. I believe the common thread among these horses is The causes for a poor stop in my mind are numer- the stop. Throughout the disciplines of cutting, ous. There are other areas that cause problems in reining, team roping, barrel racing, calf roping, team stopping other than soreness or lameness stemming penning, working cow horse, and others, the horse is from the hocks. The entire horse must be exam- required to run at all-out speed while being in ined. Several things come to my mind when trying control enough to execute some form of a stop when to diagnose the cause of a poor stop. called on to do so. A good stop requires a combina- 1. Conformation. The horse has to have a good tion of fitness, timing, and experience. The ideal hindleg. This includes a short loin and a good tail body position for a good stop is essentially the same set, extensive stifle muscle, the often neglected in- for all western performance horses. The top line is side gaskin muscle, low hocks, and good bone. This dorsiflexed, the hindquarters are dropped, and the should be put together in a gentle curve to the hindfeet dig into the ground and slide. Reining hindleg that sets the feet just under the butt, but not horses have exploited the slide to a higher level. so they are sickled hocked. This form carries the The longer the slide the better, with the front feet semitendinosis, semimembranosis, and biceps femo- just tapping the ground. Special sliding tracks are ris down low and into the gaskin. This produces an built for these stops. Cutting and roping horse individual that can gather quickly and be easily stops are different in that they should not slide a collected. Collection is not only about a flexed head great distance and usually one or both front feet set. Collection is about putting the motor (i.e., brace so that the horse can immediately turn back hindleg) in a compressed area closer to the center of NOTES 46 1997 @ Vol. 43 @ AAEP PROCEEDINGS Proceedings of the Annual Convention of the AAEP 1997 Reprinted in the IVIS website with the permission of the AAEP Close window to return to IVIS WESTERN PERFORMANCE HORSE FORUM gravity. An individual whose withers are lower 7. Poor strength of stomach muscles. This is than the croup (riding downhill) is at a disadvan- caused by asking for numerous, hard stops before the tage. Likewise, individuals with poor muscle devel- animal is fit, causing fatigue and an inability to opment in the croup and hindlegs cannot withstand round the back. stopping with weight applied at the end of the rope. 8. Lameness. This is usually from the hocks, One misconception is the length of the croup and but other things seen are curbs, suspensories, ten- the set of the hocks. Most horsemen like a long dons, burning of the back of the ankles or heels, poor croup and a good set to the hocks (good angulation). shoeing, and muscle injury (i.e., fibrotic myopathy). This is not true in all cases. Many hard-stopping My favorite interest is calf-roping horses. They performance horses are shorter in the croup, (so- are primarily Quarter Horses with breeding specific called apple butted) and straighter in the hock joint. for cattle events. These horses have bloodlines I feel the important criterion in judging the quality of known for cattle work crossed with some bloodlines the hock is the distance from the point of the hock to known for speed. They must have the speed neces- the ground. The optimal distance is 22–23 in. (,57 sary to catch the calves and the ability to work while cm). The length of the cannon bone being 9 in. (,23 the cowboy or competitor is not on their back. Such cm) is ideal. It may be of interest that in 1973, Jim a horse should stay straight, looking down the rope Reno, a very well-known artist and horseman, was and keeping it tight. For a roper to be successful commissioned to do a sculpture of Secretariat to with calf horses, there are five things that are scale. Jim has done sculptures of many Thorough- necessary. breds and Quarter Horses. Take into consideration 1. The horses must score. This means they that Secretariat was 66 in. tall (16.2 hands) and that must stand flat footed in the corner of the box and most Quarter Horses are 14.2–15.2 hands tall. Sec- leave when released flat on the ground. The best retariat’s hocks were 22 in. from the ground. His scoring horses leave off your hand and not your hand cannon bone was 9 in. long. Two very famous and and feet, i.e., kicking them off. high money-earning calf horses have the following 2. They must possess quick speed. Smart, expe- measurements: Whit, hocks are 23 in. and the rienced horses may know the short cut to rapidly put cannon bone is 9 in.; Sonita’s Wonder, hocks are 23 a roper in a position to throw. Nevertheless, speed in. and the cannon bone is 9 in. is essential. 2. Poor training. Mental capacity and trainabil- 3. They must stop. ity are helpful. The bit has not been made that will 4. They must work the rope or keep the rope tight result in a ground-crunching stop in 30 days in every from the saddle horn to the calf. Ropers call this horse. A response is necessary when a slight re- the pull. If one states the horse is not pulling, this moval of slack from the reins is taken. Training is means he is not backing up or keeping the rope tight. essentially accomplished with a point of contact and 5. They must have the mental makeup to with- repetition of this contact. stand hauling, eating, drinking, and working in 3. Poor riding. With reference to roping horses: different places. These animals must be able to This includes continual riding on a tight rein, hard relax and rest whenever the chance arises. They pulls when the front feet are on the ground that must be ready to work at different times of the day or cause the back to invert, taking bad throws, and night and adjust to all types of arena surfaces. roping out of position that causes weight from the Now you will recall that I said these five things are jerk to be off to the side rather than in front. With necessary. Horses that possess all five qualities are reference to cutting horses: This includes being few and far between. A roper can get by on a horse asked to stop out of position, the incorrect use of the that lacks one of these elements but cannot if the leg aid, and the body position of the rider being horse lacks two of the elements. ahead of the stop. When examining a performance horse, you must 4. Poor size, shape, and management of the front take into consideration his job description, his tack, feet. This is shoeing short. and his rider. Many times one or more of the 5. Back soreness. This can be caused by a poor- above-described causes may be influencing the way fitting saddle, or not using the flank girth (very the horse works or stops. Professional competition important). Flank girths are necessary to hold the and professional horsemen will be asking and expect- back of the tree snug, preventing the front of the tree ing more from their mounts than the weekend from putting pressure on the shoulders and the amateur. However, the weekend amateur may re- withers. It also supports the belly muscles, much quire more riding and preparation, and this should like a lifting belt. also be taken into consideration. 6. Poor shoeing behind. Too steep of an angle The amount of money that the performance horse and too low of an angle will cause burning of the heel can earn has become so great that it makes these bulbs and ankles. Shoeing too short will prevent individuals every bit as valuable as a Stakes horse. protection of the heel bulbs. I personally do not like Cutting horses winning in excess of $100,000.00 is long trailers, as they allow the horse to slide too far becoming more prevalent in today’s competition.