>>>> I thought the same thing when I saw the photo, it wasn't straight and I agree that by today's standards this is nowhere near overbent. However, Nancy is correct that by the standards I grew up with this horse's poll is not the highest point of elevation so technically he is overbent (by a smidge).
I think so too - only a little compared to what we see today. I find it refreshing that Nancy submitted this picture, noting the overbending! I see SO many pictures where the horses are so much more extremely overbent, but people insist that they are "collected." I even see much worse pictures submitted as IDEAL, which really scares me. It's also important to realize that we can note a "mistake" in a picture, without it being a slam on the horse or the rider. Nancy said the horse won his hunter class, so the slight over-bend is only ONE trait in that horse. I'm curious, Nancy, when was the picture taken? My experience as a hunter-show-mom (I have no experience as a hunter show rider) was in the early-mid 1990's. I took hunter lessons for a few years, but I never showed. >>> I agree nice photo. It is. Thanks for submitting it, Nancy. It was a nice opening for a good discussion, I think. Back to the subject line - what breed is he, Nancy? Karen Thomas, NC
