What Is This Suspension You Speak Of?

[lantairvlea]

I took my Fjord mare to another show last month. This time I just did it schooling as she had a small fit over the speaker noise last time. No fuss this time as we got there early enough to do a good warm-up and get her in a working mindset. We got to where I was spooking more at the noise than she was. Mission accomplished

Comments

[quietann]

I'm not sure this is an ideal photograph for looking at suspension, though yes her canter looks a bit "flat." (My usericon shows Feronia in better times, not at the ideal point but you can tell she has suspension...)

[lantairvlea]

The point is her complete lack of suspension. I have a few other pictures from the show that shows her planting her outside hind before the inside fore has pushed off fully. She has a huge haunch, but it is coupled with a bit of a jug head and really thick neck (said in the most loving and endearing way possible) so she needs some more strength building before I can expect more bounce in her canter.

Of course at this point in the show she had fully settled into her "I don't want to work harder than necessary" mode. The first hour she had a whole lot of extra "go" and I imagine her canter was better then, but at this point I am sure she was thinking I was never going to dismount and she should conserve energy. There's a lot of energy wasted getting airborne Kitt says!

Feronia seems like a nice mare. I've seen some of your posts about her.

[quietann]

Ah... Sounds like you have a good plan :)

Even though Feronia can be hot, she has a strong "I don't want to work harder than necessary" mode. Lazy+hot is an ... interesting combination to work with, and actually seems fairly common.

[lantairvlea]

Kitt can get a little chargey when she doesn't want to do something and so does my husband's Percheron mare. It's funny how their avoidance of "work" can cause them to work harder than necessary!

[a_aurantia]

I think you'll be able to get there with suspension. My friend's Belgian x TB had lovely suspension, but I suspect that may have been the TB in him. But he *looks* like a great gallumphing draftie.

I thought I had some photos of her guy cantering, but I do not. But here's one of him at a walk, just so you can get an idea of size:

[lantairvlea]

He's a good sized boy! I had a FriesianxPercheron pinto filly who had some really nice suspension and her mostly Percheron mother has nice movement too. Draft doesn't necessarily mean earthbound, but it does make sense that pulling power is connected to pushing against the ground and too much lift wastes energy.

It will be interesting to see where she is in a year after some more concentrated work!