Question from a poster:
Quote:
I have a 2yr old TB breezing at the track but his action is so high that he loses a lot of ground. I have heard that there are equipment changes that you can make to lower the action. Does anyone have any suggestions?
My answer:
Unfortunately most of the horse shoeing tweaks that help lower action in
front are not too conducive of soundness. Lower angles tend to cause a lower
arc in motion. Toe grabs tend to lower that as well. If you don't go the toe
grab route, you might try a swedge in the toe, but that will require an
ingenious plater which most are not. Most thoroughbred race plates are not
designed with a swedge at the toe, but that does not mean one cannot be
made. Longer toes tend to lower the arc, too.
A shadow roll, sometimes causes a lower head carriage and, accordingly,
lower the gait's front arc. Might be worth a try. Try to encourage a low
head carriage one way or the other, i.e. bitting etc. The higher the head,
the higher the action, generally. Some times higher action is due to a
nervous mental state. I have seen ear plugs calm a flighty horse with
flighty action, too. Think and experiment.
In the end, I have found that one can generally only do so much in trying to
manipulate a natural way of going. You try too hard and you will defeat your
goals of producing a good race horse in the end. About the best one can do
is do a little tweaking within reason and hope for the best. Some gifted
horses overcome much that initially seems like a disadvantage. You will
never know how your prospect will race, until he actually does. I have seen
tons of horses that externally look like they would never beat a fat man,
develop into useful race horses. It is all a gamble.