>> This is known as a "concussive soring practice". Not unknown to those >> training Icelandic Horses. > > I have never seen, heard any first hand account of anyone doing this to an > Icelandic. I've only seen claims here. > > I personally don't believe any trainers of Icelandic Horses are using road > founder to enhance gaits. And even if one loose nut tried it, which I > still > find hard to believe but there are a**holes in every breed, it doesn't > mean > it is know practice in the breed.
Road Founder, as we're using it here, is a term that is used in the racking horse world for the concussive soring practice that is done. The term is not exactly correct in that usage. It does not always result in obvious founder. The concussive practice, working a horse excessively at speed on hard surfaces, is a way to produce high action. It causes the horse to lift higher because it is retracting it's limb away from the pain / discomfort of hitting the ground. Add a little weight in either the shoe or a boot, and it affects the horse more. There will probably be some tearing, maybe some hemorrhaging, maybe swelling. It could be that this is not noticed, particularly if it is bi-lateral. There's a little more here: http://iceryder.net/roadfounder.html It is something that is practiced with Icelandic Horses. Are they doing it on purpose? Do they know the biomechanics of it? That it may be detrimental to the horse's long-term soundness? Here's a video from the world's horse health organization meeting in Iceland in 2002, I believe; where you can hear they describing adding weight for lift: http://iceryder.net/havemeyer.html Judy http://icehorses.net http://clickryder.com
