On Mar 27, 2008, at 8:34 AM, Robyn Hood wrote: > >>>> Sec. 1. Advance and Overstep Advance refers to a long fluid stride > which easily covers ground. Overstep denotes the reach of the hind legs > which should reach well under the horse with very little hock action > either up or sideways. The preferred reach of the hind legs is between > "capping" and 12" of overstep. Understepping will be penalized > Advance should not be accomplished at the expense of elegance and/or > leg action. > > This definition says it all - stepping under should not have hock > action > which means they are not looking for collection.... and maybe you are > not > looking at it in that way anyway and I have just misunderstood..
The hock action in the best gaited horses I have seen is similar to the drive mechanism in one of the old train locomotives -- it goes back and forth, but not up and down, nor sideways (wobbly hocks). Accordingly, the pelvis doesn't have any up and down movement and the tail hangs straight down like a plumb bob when the horse is moving. Lynn Kinsky, Santa Ynez, CA http://www.silcom.com/~lkinsky/
