Q: Hi! Congratulations on a terrific site. Would you be kind enough to tell me where to check for excessive bulk at the "crest"? Is the crest what we call in the UK the withers?
Thanks
A:
The crest is approximately halfway between the withers and the ears. When a
horse arches his neck because he is feeling good or a stallion is talking to a
mare, it is usually the highest part, as in the crest of the hill. A
horse that is "ewe necked" or is skinny has no obviously visible
crest; a high level dressage horse has a well developed one and a fat horse
has an easily seen thickening just below where the mane grows out of the neck.
I commend you on reading the site before
asking questions which is something most people don't want to be bothered to
do. Now I would suggest you get a book on basic horsemanship and read it. Such
books most always have a chart showing the parts of the horse and a horse
owner needs to know the proper names in order to have intelligent discussions
with farriers, vets and even other horse owners.
An excellent book that I recommend for all
horse owners, new or life-long, is How to be Your Own Veterinarian
(sometimes), by Ruth B. James, DVM. It is incredibly full of easy to
understand but very thorough information on horse care and health problems. It
is published by Alpine Press, PO Box 1930, Mills, WY 82644 USA. I
should think it is available in the UK or via the Internet but if not it is
well worth seeking out.
Good luck with your horse. It sounds like he
has a caring owner.
Respectfully,
Mrs. Mary Bayard
owner/trainer Dodge Creek Stables
The American Blacksmith
Oakland, Oregon
owner/trainer Dodge Creek Stables
The American Blacksmith
Oakland, Oregon