>>> Does a thin horse have a ewe neck?
A ewe neck is more than a matter of nutrition, isn't it? I DO think there is a muscular element to ewe-necks, in that horses may be "developmentally ewe necked" or "conformationally ewe-necked" - or both. I think all horses will APPEAR ewe-necked if they are thin enough, but I don't think that defines the term. >>> Does a fat horse not have a ewe neck? No, but a fat or "cresty" neck can camouflage a ewe neck, right? Stallions also often have some extra muscling (fat?) in their neck from testosterone - I wonder if that can camouflage a ewe-neck? I'd bet so. >>> What is "upside down"? How do you determine "upside down"? How is it recognized? What do you look for, specifically? More muscling on the bottom side of the neck than on the top side. Sometime there is an obvious dip in the top of the neck, but not always. I'm not sure this is a good enough defintion, but when looking for a "good neck", I've heard that the dimension from the withers to the poll along the topline should be longer than the...oops, can't remember the starting and stopping point for measuring the bottom line of the neck. But anyway, roughly, the neck should be longer along the top than along the bottom. That, though is an "ideal" probably slanted towards dressage. I don't really care too much about the shape of the neck for a trail horse. It's nice I guess if they are pretty and "ideal" but not particularly important to me. I'd mostly look for a flexible neck. Eitill has a very short neck, somewhat ewed, but he's perfectly able to get a cookie from me when I'm in the saddle. I don't see anything about his neck that affects his ability to do his job...but then, I have no illusions about Eitill being a hunter or a dressage horse. I'm much more aware that he has gait out the wazhoo. :) However, I am aware that ewe-necked horses may be more prone to hollow their backs - and that IS a problem to be on-guard for. Karen Thomas [EMAIL PROTECTED]
